TickTick vs. Todoist: Which To-Do List App Is Better? [2024]

Many of us are full of pending tasks, plans, chores, and endless to-dos that constantly demand our attention. Managing our responsibilities efficiently is more complex than ever, and that’s why to-do list apps are on the rise. It seems like a paper is not enough nowadays. In this article, we’ll compare TickTick vs. Todoist, two of the best to-do list apps people rely on to live without stress (or try to!). Keep reading to know more.

Pros & Cons of TickTick

✅ Pros

• More productivity features
• Built-in Pomodoro timer, Focus timer, and habit tracker
• Quick input of tasks
• Smart Lists
• Activities to know every action a team member made
• Cheaper than Todoist
• Beginner-friendly

❌ Cons

• Calendars, reminders, and task analytics are only available in the Premium plan
• Occasional failure of the sync process
• Some bugs

⏩ Choose TickTick

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Pros & Cons of Todoist

✅ Pros

• Clean and intuitive interface
• Organization with priorities
• Superior Natural Language Processing (NLP)
• Extensive third-party app integrations
• Recurring tasks
• Completed tasks record
• Email notifications and task creation
• Native mobile app

❌ Cons

• Team collaboration could be better
• Not suitable for highly complex projects
• Calendars and automatic backups are paid
• No built-in habit tracker
• Slightly costlier

⏩ Choose Todoist

TickTick vs. Todoist: Overview

Feature	TickTick	Todoist
Task management	✅	✅
Subtasks	✅	✅
Recurring tasks	✅	✅
Priorities & labels	✅	✅
Due dates & reminders	✅	✅
Habit tracker	✅	❌
Pomodoro timer	✅	❌
Eisenhower Matrix	✅ (native function)	❌
Collaboration	✅	✅
Third-party integrations	✅	✅
Multiple task views	✅	✅
Natural Language Processing (NLP)	✅	✅ (superior)
Project templates	✅	✅
Automated backups	❌	✅ (only with Premium)
AI	❌	✅
Mobile apps	✅	✅
Support	✅ (basic)	✅
Platforms	Web, Windows, Linux, Mac, iOS, Android, Apple Watch, Wear OS	Web, Windows, Linux, Mac, iOS, Android, Apple Watch, Wear OS
Premium price	$3.99/month	$5/month

TickTick vs. Todoist: What are the differences?

TickTick and Todoist are pretty similar in many aspects, although there are significant differences you should consider before choosing. Let’s review them here, shall we?

1. Todoist’s user interface is more polished and intuitive

Todoist’s interface is often lauded for its clean, minimalist design and intuitive navigation. Its uncluttered layout makes it easy to focus on your tasks without feeling overwhelmed.

Key aspects contributing to the intuitiveness of Todoist include its effective use of whitespace, which improves readability, and its layout, which organizes tasks in a clear list format.

While TickTick offers more customization options, Todoist’s focus on simplicity results in a smoother, more user-friendly experience for many.

Some users find TickTick’s visuals to be slightly less polished and more cluttered, particularly when using the app’s additional features like the habit tracker and calendar. However, this is ultimately a matter of personal preference, and some users may prefer TickTick’s more functional design.

2. TickTick has more productivity features

This is an important aspect of this review since TickTick is slightly more advanced than Todoist (although not as much since Todoist introduced its own native calendar).

They both use a clean to-do list system, Kanban boards, and the typical set of features you could find in apps like these, but TickTick distinguishes itself with these features:

• Four-column interface. Multitasking between tasks and projects is a breeze with TickTick’s four-column interface. Each task gets its dedicated description column with editing tools for added convenience.
• Note attachments to tasks. Go beyond basic text by adding rich text formatting and editable notes within tasks, providing more context and detail. You can also add file attachments and convert your current tasks to notes.
• Habit tracker. Build and maintain routines effortlessly. Track your progress and reflect on your journey with prompts and reminders.
• Pomodoro timer. The built-in Pomodoro timer can boost your focus with timed work sessions and breaks, ensuring maximum productivity.
• Eisenhower Matrix. The Eisenhower Matrix lets you organize your tasks by urgency and importance for effective time management.
• Time tracking. You can track your time with achievement scores as a gamification element, including statistics and a summary to better review your workflow.
• Better calendar. TickTick’s calendar is better, especially if you use it on your mobile device. Unfortunately, Todoist’s built-in calendar doesn’t allow you to check all your tasks from all your projects in a single monthly calendar, only for one list of tasks.

3. Todoist has AI support

Todoist goes beyond traditional task management by incorporating AI-powered assistance into its platform. The AI Assistant acts as your personal productivity coach, analyzing your tasks and goals to provide intelligent suggestions and automate various aspects of your workflow.

Key features of Todoist’s AI Assistant include:

• Goal breakdown: By simply stating your goal (e.g., “Learn Spanish”), the AI Assistant can generate a list of actionable tasks to help you achieve it.
• Task refinement: If a task feels too vague or overwhelming, the AI Assistant can suggest ways to make it more actionable and easier to tackle.
• Task decomposition: For large or complex tasks, the AI Assistant can break them down into smaller, more manageable steps, making them less daunting.
• Task tips: When you’re stuck on a task, the AI Assistant can offer helpful tips and suggestions to help you move forward.

TickTick does not currently offer an AI assistant, although you can find an integration that does the job.

4. Todoist has better Natural Language Processing (NLP)

Todoist excels in understanding and interpreting natural language input, making task creation quick and intuitive. You can add tasks with due dates, priorities, and even project assignments using simple, everyday language.

For example, typing “Submit project report by Friday @Work #Marketing” will automatically create a task in your “Work” project with a due date on the upcoming Friday and a marketing label.

👉 We have a complete article on Todoist recurring tasks where you can see more examples of Todoist’s NLP in action.

While TickTick also supports natural language input to some extent, Todoist’s NLP capabilities are generally considered more advanced and accurate. This feature can save you valuable time and effort, as you don’t have to manually specify every detail of your tasks.

5. Todoist is better for teamwork

Todoist is widely recognized for its superior capabilities in facilitating teamwork compared to many other to-do list apps. Its design and functionality are optimized to enhance collaboration among team members, making it an ideal choice for business environments or group projects.

The platform’s strength in teamwork comes from its robust set of collaboration tools. Todoist allows users to easily share projects, assign tasks to specific team members and set deadlines. This helps ensure everyone knows their responsibilities and deadlines, which is crucial for maintaining project timelines and enhancing team productivity.

Additionally, Todoist supports real-time sync, which means that any changes made by one team member are instantly updated for all team members. The ability to add comments directly on tasks also reduces the need for external communication tools, centralizing discussion and ensuring that all relevant information is easily accessible within the task itself​.

Another advantage is Todoist’s extensive integration with other popular business tools. Integrations with platforms like Slack and Asana enable seamless workflows and allow data to flow freely between the different tools used by teams.

6. TickTick is better for filtering

TickTick stands out with its robust and user-friendly filtering system. The Smart Lists feature, with both Normal and Advanced modes, allows for easy customization and granular control over your task views.

The Normal mode offers a visual interface for building filters, while the Advanced mode caters to those who prefer a more logical, conditional approach.

In contrast, Todoist’s filter queries can be less intuitive, requiring users to learn a specific query language. While this offers flexibility for advanced users, it can be a steeper learning curve for those who prefer a simpler approach.

TickTick further enhances its filtering capabilities by allowing you to apply Smart Lists to your calendar view. This enables you to focus on specific tasks and appointments based on your chosen criteria, providing a more efficient and personalized way to manage your schedule. The feature is currently unavailable in Todoist.

7. TickTick offers effective reminders

TickTick takes reminders to the next level with its unique Effective Reminder feature.

While both TickTick and Todoist offer customizable reminders, including location-based notifications, TickTick’s Effective Reminder feature ensures that you won’t forget those crucial tasks.

This persistent reminder will continue to notify you until the task is completed, making it ideal for deadlines and important appointments. You can also set different ringtones for tasks that have different priorities and set location reminders.

Conclusion

TickTick and Todoist are robust to-do list apps with plenty of options to keep track of your responsibilities as an individual or in a team.

👉 If you prioritize a clean interface, seamless collaboration, robust Natural Language Processing (NLP), and AI-powered assistance, Todoist might be the better choice for you.

👉 If you’re looking for a feature-rich app with a customizable interface, a variety of task views, and advanced filtering options, TickTick could be ideal, too.

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This integration enables you to leverage the strengths of both platforms, combining Todoist’s task management capabilities with Notion’s flexibility and customization.

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