Date
Words
Poppy ThaxterTickboxes, Tabs & Tasks: 5 good-looking, productivity-boosting to-do list apps for designers
If your to-do list is growing more and more out of control by the day, and the trusty post-it note is no longer cutting it, maybe it’s time to find a better tool to take the weight off your shoulders. Designed to make the pile of tasks a little less daunting, we’ve rounded up a selection of tools which range from the simple and clean to the functional and feature-full. Before jumping in, ask yourself what you’re looking for. Are you hoping to keep things straightforward or are there particular features that you have in mind? Is this something you’d be willing to pay for? And what platforms would you be using alongside it?
Todoist has earned its reputation as one of the leading to-do list apps thanks to its reliability and strengths as an all-rounder. Offering multiple views, it can be configured into the handy kanban style for those who are fans. Todoist has also received praise for its natural language support, allowing users to effortlessly set reminders and deadlines from various written inputs. Thanks to its popularity, there are plenty of resources online for those interested in optimising their experience with the tool; including an abundance of tutorials and overviews. The app can be downloaded for Windows, Android, iOS and the web, with both a free plan or a series of subscription options for individual users and teams.
Made especially for Apple’s operating systems, Things 3 by German developer CulturedCode is another crowd-pleaser. The award-winning personal task manager has a minimal-but-mighty design with the ‘Inbox’ as its entry point. Simply jot down every task and it’ll get neatly listed until you’re ready to plan out the order in greater detail. Part of what makes this tool stand out from the rest is the ‘When’ function. Instead of solely focusing on the deadline, Things asks when you’re planning to tackle the task. Instead of the ever-prevalent subscription model, Things keeps it simple with a single one-off purchase.
If you’re looking for something a bit more straightforward and closer to the traditional pen and paper, TeuxDeux provides the functionality of a to-do list with a polished and minimal UI. Perfect for desktop users, it lets you see both your week and all of your lists in one simple view. For its two subscription models, ‘Skeptic’ and ‘Believer,’ TeuxDeux offers a free 30-day trial. If you’re after something low-fuss just to ‘get things done’ then this may be an option for you.
Another popular and well-featured choice, TickTick is easy to start using with plenty of customisable options for when you’re more comfortable with the tool. It shares a similar ‘Inbox’ function to Things 3, where your lists are made by jotting them down one at a time. TickTick’s calendar integration also makes planning nice and straightforward, without having to jump between planners. Here, your calendar events and meetings are shown in one view in the task manager. Another popular stand-out feature compared to other to-do list apps is its ‘Notes’ function. Even more functions are available through its Premium upgrade – such as full calendar functionality, themes, and a progress tracker – for $27.99, paid annually.
Akiflow was designed from a need for a centralised time-blocking platform without the need to switch between tabs and windows. Like many of the other apps featured here, you are able to consolidate and manage tasks in one place, with a calendar view. Akiflow, however, does the job of pulling in tasks from other apps, such as Notion, Slack, Gmail and Asana – making it perfect for someone managing projects across multiple teams and/or platforms. Whilst it’s an excellent choice for those looking for a time-blocking service, it does come with a heftier price tag than the others at $15/month.