Todoist vs TickTick
Todoist is task management app with natural language input, labels, filters, and cross-platform sync, while TickTick is task manager with built-in calendar, habit tracker, Pomodoro timer, and Kanban boards. Todoist is built for individuals and small teams wanting a clean task manager, whereas TickTick targets productivity enthusiasts wanting tasks + habits + calendar.
At a glance
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|---|---|---|
| Best for | Individuals and small teams wanting a clean task manager | Productivity enthusiasts wanting tasks + habits + calendar |
| Starting price | Free | Free |
| Free tier | ✓ | ✓ |
| Open source | — | — |
| Free tier available | ✓ | ✓ |
| Open source | — | — |
| Calendar View | — | ✓ |
| Filters | ✓ | — |
| Habits | — | ✓ |
| Kanban | — | ✓ |
| Karma System | ✓ | — |
| Labels | ✓ | — |
| Natural Language | ✓ | — |
| Pomodoro | — | ✓ |
Todoist
Strengths
- Natural language input lets you type tasks in plain English and auto-parse dates and priorities
- Flexible label system makes it easy to filter and organize tasks your way
- Free for 5 active projects — generous enough for most small teams to get real work done
- Established product with 19+ years on the market and a mature ecosystem
Weaknesses
- Free plan exists but key features are locked behind the paid upgrade
- Fewer built-in features means you may need additional tools to cover gaps
- Migrating existing projects from another tool can be time-consuming
- Limited team/admin features if your organization eventually scales up
TickTick
Strengths
- Built-in calendar view shows tasks alongside your schedule for easier planning
- Habit tracking is built in — no need for a separate app to track daily routines
- Free with limits — generous enough for most small teams to get real work done
- Established product with 13+ years on the market and a mature ecosystem
Weaknesses
- Free plan has meaningful restrictions: free with limits
- Fewer built-in features means you may need additional tools to cover gaps
- Migrating existing projects from another tool can be time-consuming
- Limited team/admin features if your organization eventually scales up
The bottom line
Pricing: Both tools offer free tiers, so you can test each before committing. Todoist's free plan: Free for 5 active projects. TickTick's free plan: Free with limits.
Feature gaps: Todoist offers Filters, Karma System and Labels that TickTick lacks. TickTick brings Calendar View, Habits and Kanban that Todoist does not have.
Team fit: Both tools target individuals teams, so the decision hinges on features and workflow fit rather than scale.
Where each tool shines: Todoist's biggest strengths are: natural language input lets you type tasks in plain english and auto-parse dates and priorities. flexible label system makes it easy to filter and organize tasks your way. TickTick's biggest strengths are: built-in calendar view shows tasks alongside your schedule for easier planning. habit tracking is built in — no need for a separate app to track daily routines.
Watch out for: With Todoist, users commonly note that free plan exists but key features are locked behind the paid upgrade. With TickTick, the main complaint is that free plan has meaningful restrictions: free with limits.
Choose Todoist if...
- You need a tool built for individuals and small teams wanting a clean task manager
- You specifically need Filters and Karma System
- You care about flexible label system makes it easy to filter and organize tasks your way
- The free tier works for you: free for 5 active projects
Choose TickTick if...
- You need a tool built for productivity enthusiasts wanting tasks + habits + calendar
- You specifically need Calendar View and Habits
- You care about habit tracking is built in — no need for a separate app to track daily routines
- The free tier works for you: free with limits
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