Sunsama

Your calendar is packed with meetings. Your task list grows faster than you can check things off. And meanwhile, you have three different apps open to keep track of what you need to do when.

Sound familiar? You’re not alone. Many people struggle with combining their tasks, calendar, and all the tools they use. Sunsama tries to provide a solution by bringing everything together in one daily planner.

But does it actually work? And is it worth the price?

Sunsama: the company

Sunsama is built by a small team that believes in mindful productivity. They consciously focus on quality over quantity. Where other apps encourage you to check off as many tasks as possible, Sunsama is about intentional planning and setting realistic goals.

The company places strong emphasis on security and privacy. They use unbreakable encryption for all your data, which is important since you’ll likely be synchronizing sensitive information from various work tools.

Sunsama is available on all platforms: web, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS and Android. That’s quite unique, as many competitors leave Linux out.

Who is Sunsama for?

Sunsama isn’t for everyone. It’s specifically designed for people who struggle with maintaining overview between their tasks and calendar. Think of knowledge workers who constantly switch between different tools like Asana, Trello, Jira, Gmail and their calendar.

The app works particularly well for people with ADHD. Many users report that the daily rituals and focus mode help them tremendously in maintaining structure. The visual warnings when you plan too much prevent you from overloading yourself.

Even if you regularly experience stress or work anxiety, Sunsama can help. The app forces you to plan realistically and consciously shut down at the end of the day. This prevents work from continuing endlessly.

But be careful: if you’re looking for a simple task list, Sunsama is probably overkill. And if you need to manage complex projects with multiple team members, there are better options. Sunsama really focuses on personal daily planning.

What can Sunsama do?

Sunsama is packed with features that all revolve around one goal: helping you plan your day consciously and realistically. These are the most important ones:

• Daily planning ritual – Elke dag begin je met een gestructureerd ritueel waarbij je je taken doorneemt en inplant. De app begeleidt je hierbij stap voor stap.
• Unified calendar & task view – Je ziet je agenda en taken in één overzicht. Geen geschakel meer tussen apps om te zien wat je wanneer moet doen.
• Timeboxing met drag & drop – Sleep taken naar tijdblokken in je agenda. Sunsama waarschuwt je visueel als je te veel inplant voor de beschikbare tijd.
• Focus mode & Pomodoro timer – Zet je scherm in focus mode om afleidingen te minimaliseren. De ingebouwde Pomodoro timer helpt je om gefocust te blijven. Gebruikers melden dat ze hiermee werk dat normaal vier uur duurt in één uur kunnen doen.
• Daily shutdown routine – Aan het einde van de dag help de app je om bewust af te sluiten. Je reflecteert op wat je hebt gedaan en plant onafgemaakte taken opnieuw in.
• Weekly objectives – Stel aan het begin van de week je belangrijkste doelen in. Tijdens je dagelijkse planning zie je deze doelen, zodat je gefocust blijft op wat echt belangrijk is.
• Integraties – Sunsama haalt taken binnen uit Asana, Trello, Jira, GitHub, Notion, ClickUp, Todoist en meer. Ook je Gmail en Outlook emails kun je omzetten naar taken. De synchronisatie werkt in twee richtingen: wat je in Sunsama aanpast, wordt ook bijgewerkt in de originele app.
• Channels en contexts – Organiseer je taken met channels (zoals projecten) en contexts (zoals locatie of energie niveau). Zo kun je snel filteren op wat relevant is.
• Keyboard shortcuts – De hele app is te bedienen zonder muis. Als je eenmaal de shortcuts kent, werkt het razendsnel.
• AI suggesties – Sunsama leert van je gedrag en stelt automatisch voor hoe lang taken duren en in welke channel ze horen. Niet zo geavanceerd als Motion, maar wel handig.
• Weekly review – Aan het einde van de week krijg je een visueel overzicht van waar je tijd naartoe is gegaan, opgesplitst per prioriteit. Dit helpt enorm om te zien of je tijd besteedt aan wat je belangrijk vindt.

What stands out is that all features revolve around conscious planning. Sunsama doesn’t try to make you do as much as possible, but the right things at the right time.

What does Sunsama cost?

Sunsama doesn’t have a free plan. That’s immediately the biggest criticism you encounter everywhere. You pay $1 per month with a monthly subscription, or $1 per month if you pay a year in advance (total $1).

There is a 14-day free trial period. The nice thing is that you don’t need to enter a credit card for this. So you can calmly try out whether the app suits you without automatically starting to pay.

Is it worth the price? That depends on how much value you place on structure and overview. If you’re constantly stressed by your packed schedule and task list, Sunsama can easily be worth that $1 per month. Many users say they would even pay more because the app has such an impact on their productivity and mental health.

But if you’re a student or just looking for a simple task list, it’s probably too expensive. Then you’d be better off looking at alternatives like Todoist or Akiflow.

What should you watch out for?

Sunsama has many fans, but also clear limitations. The biggest criticisms that keep coming up:

The mobile apps are disappointing. Multiple reviewers call them “read-only” or “companion apps”. You can view and check off your tasks, but the full planning experience is really built for desktop. If you work on the go a lot, that’s frustrating.

The price remains a pain point. $1 per month is a lot for an individual productivity app. Especially compared to alternatives that do have a free version. You really need to be convinced of the value to keep this up.

Sunsama doesn’t have AI automation like Motion. If you want an app to automatically reschedule your tasks when something comes up, Sunsama isn’t for you. Here you plan everything manually, which is exactly the point, but also takes more time.

The app lacks certain features you might expect. No dedicated habit tracking. No deeper task dependencies within subtasks. No advanced project management features. Sunsama deliberately focuses on daily planning, but that means it can’t do everything.

Updates are relatively slow. Users complain that new features take a long time compared to fast-growing competitors. The team is small and deliberately works at a slower pace, but that can be frustrating if you’re waiting for a specific feature.

Also important: Sunsama works best when you already use other tools. If you don’t have Asana, Trello, Jira or similar apps, you miss out on a large part of the value. The power lies precisely in consolidating tasks from different sources.

Sunsama reviews

I’ve looked at and read a number of Sunsama reviews and there are some that I’d like to share with you.

1. ToolFinder

ToolFinder provides a comprehensive review of Sunsama and particularly emphasizes the unique character of this app: it’s about quality of tasks, not quantity. The reviewer clearly explains that Sunsama focuses on mindful productivity and preventing burnout, which distinguishes it from other task management tools.

The review goes deep into all functionalities: from task management with channels and contexts, to the extensive calendar integrations (Google Calendar, Outlook, iCloud) and the convenient task consolidation where you can import tasks from apps like Todoist, Gmail, Trello and Asana. The reviewer is particularly positive about the guided planning feature, focus mode with Pomodoro timer, and the daily rituals that help you start and end mindfully. The weekly objectives function is considered very valuable for people who want to zoom out more.

Pros

• Uitstekende task consolidation uit meerdere apps (Todoist, Gmail, Trello, Asana, etc.)
• Guided planning met dagelijkse en wekelijkse rituelen voor betere work-life balance
• Time blocking met visuele waarschuwingen wanneer je te veel taken inplant
• Focus mode en Pomodoro timer voor productief werken
• AI leert van je taken en stelt automatisch duur en categorie voor

Cons

• Mobile apps zijn minder intuïtief en voelen meer als een read-only ervaring
• Geen krachtige AI-functies zoals bij Motion
• Interface is minimalistisch maar misschien niet voor iedereen visueel aantrekkelijk

2. Cybernews

Cybernews rates Sunsama as a powerful daily planner that excels in visual overview and integrations. The review strongly emphasizes security and ease of use, highlighting that Sunsama employs very strict security measures with strong encryption. This makes the app safe for sensitive information from all your integrated apps.

The reviewer particularly appreciates the minimalistic and intuitive design, the flexibility with apps for all platforms (Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android), and the extensive features like contexts, channels, time blocking and auto-scheduling. They are especially positive about how Sunsama helps you prioritize your time and mental health. The weekly review feature is seen as a game changer for those who want to increase productivity.

Pros

• Zeer sterke beveiliging met onbreekbare encryptie
• Beschikbaar op alle platforms (web, Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, Android)
• Time blocking en auto-scheduling helpen je realistische planning te maken
• Focus Mode en Pomodoro Mode minimaliseren afleidingen effectief
• Weekly review moedigt reflectie en verbetering aan

Cons

• Mobile versie voelt minder intuïtief aan dan desktop versies
• Mist dedicated daily habit tracking feature
• Zou diepere task dependencies en progress tracking binnen subtasks kunnen gebruiken

3. Spencer Scott Pugh

Spencer is an enthusiastic long-term user who has been using Sunsama daily for a year and a half and pays out of his own pocket. His review is particularly personal and practical, showing how the app has actually changed his life. He emphasizes that Sunsama has helped him get a grip on everything happening in his life, especially during his transition from a 9-to-5 job to full-time YouTube.

The reviewer is especially enthusiastic about how you can link your tasks to your life priorities (faith, family, social, work, personal) via tags, and how the weekly review shows you exactly where your time goes. He loves that everything can be operated via keyboard without a mouse, which greatly speeds up the workflow. The Pomodoro timer has helped him complete tasks that would normally take four hours in one hour by staying focused. He would probably even pay more than the current $1 per month because the app is so valuable to him.

Pros

• Volledig toetsenbord-gestuurd voor snelle workflow zonder muis
• Weekly review met visuele breakdown van waar je tijd naartoe ging per prioriteit
• Daily planning en shutdown rituelen helpen je bewust te starten en stoppen
• Pomodoro focus mode kan je productiviteit drastisch verhogen (4 uur werk in 1 uur)
• Leert welke taken hoe lang duren en suggereert dit automatisch

Cons

• Met $20 per maand relatief duur voor een app
• Soms wordt je uitgelogd (eens per paar maanden, mogelijk Google-gerelateerd)

Sunsama alternatives

Sunsama not quite the right fit? These are the best alternatives:

• Motion – Kies Motion als je wilt dat AI je agenda automatisch beheert en optimaliseert. Motion plant taken automatisch in je agenda op basis van prioriteit, deadlines en beschikbare tijd. Het is krachtiger in automatisering, maar mist de mindful planning rituelen van Sunsama.
• Akiflow – Ga voor Akiflow als je een snelle, centrale hub wilt voor al je taken en agenda’s zonder uitgebreide dagelijkse reflectie. Akiflow is meer gericht op keyboard shortcuts en het snel verzamelen van taken uit verschillende bronnen. Het voelt sneller aan, maar minder intentioneel.
• Todoist – Kies Todoist als je een eenvoudige, krachtige to-do lijst zoekt en geen behoefte hebt aan een dagplanner-interface. Todoist heeft wel een gratis versie en is veel goedkoper, maar mist de diepe kalenderintegratie en timeboxing workflow van Sunsama.

Each of these alternatives has a different focus. Motion is best for those who want automation. Akiflow for those who want speed. Todoist for those who want simplicity. Sunsama sits in between with a focus on conscious, intentional planning.

Frequently asked questions

Does Sunsama have a free plan?

No, Sunsama does not have a permanent free plan. There is a 14-day free trial available without requiring a credit card. After the trial period, you pay $1 per month or $1 per month with an annual subscription.

Which tools does Sunsama integrate with?

Sunsama integrates with many popular tools like Asana, Trello, Jira, GitHub, Notion, ClickUp, Todoist, Gmail, Outlook Calendar, and Google Calendar. The integrations work both ways, so changes in Sunsama are also applied to the original app.

Does Sunsama work on Linux?

Yes, Sunsama has a desktop application available for Windows, macOS, and Linux, in addition to the web version and mobile apps for iOS and Android. That’s quite unique, as many competitors don’t support Linux.

Conclusion

Sunsama isn’t a regular task list. It’s a daily planner that forces you to plan consciously and realistically. If you struggle with overview, stress, or the feeling that your work is never done, Sunsama can really help.

The power lies in the combination of tasks and calendar in one overview, the daily rituals that provide structure, and the integrations with all the tools you already use. Users are particularly enthusiastic about how the app helps them avoid overplanning and to consciously wrap up.

But the price is high. $1 per month is a lot for an individual productivity app. And the mobile apps are disappointing for those who work a lot on the go. You also miss advanced AI automation like with Motion.

Is it worth it? That depends on how much value you place on structure and peace of mind. If you constantly have stress from your busy schedule, Sunsama can pay back that investment many times over. But if you’re looking for a simple task list or have a limited budget, there are cheaper alternatives.

My advice: try the free 14-day trial. You don’t need a credit card, so you risk nothing. After two weeks, you’ll know if the daily rituals and unified overview really work for you.