Todoist vs. Google Tasks: which one should you use in 2026?

Todoist is the better task manager for people who need projects, priorities, labels, and AI-powered task creation. Google Tasks is the better choice if you want a free, minimal tool that lives inside Gmail and Google Calendar. Both apps earn 4.6+ stars on major app stores, but they serve very different needs. This guide compares every major feature so you can decide which one fits your workflow in 2026.

Todoist vs. Google Tasks at a glance

This scorecard summarizes how each app performs across the categories that matter most. Detailed breakdowns follow in the sections below.

Bottom line: Todoist wins 4 of 8 categories, Google Tasks wins 2, and 2 are tied. Todoist is the more capable tool overall, but Google Tasks delivers remarkable value at zero cost.

Interface and user experience

Todoist and Google Tasks take very different approaches to user experience: one prioritizes a feature-rich environment, and the other emphasizes simplicity.

Todoist: your command center for getting things done

Todoist presents a feature-rich interface from the start. Its design is both functional and visually appealing, adhering to modern Material Design principles.

Creating tasks in Todoist is straightforward, but it offers additional options like adding labels, subtasks, deadlines, reminders, setting priorities, and sharing projects. This makes Todoist a more versatile tool for users who need a detailed and structured approach to task management.

The sidebar categorizes tasks into Inbox, Today, and Upcoming, helping you focus on immediate work while keeping an eye on what comes next. This level of organization is beneficial for managing a large number of tasks across different projects.

Google Tasks: simplicity at its finest

Google Tasks greets you with a minimalist interface that prioritizes ease of use. The design offers a straightforward approach to managing tasks divided into lists.

Creating a new task is as simple as tapping "Add a task" and filling in the details, date, and time. The primary interface is a simple list view where tasks can be added, checked off, and organized with minimal effort.

Google Tasks' minimalist design makes it an excellent choice for users who need a basic, easy-to-use task manager without extra complexity.

Mobile apps

A great task manager needs a great mobile app. Here is how the Todoist and Google Tasks mobile experiences compare.

Todoist: a pocket-sized productivity hub

Todoist's mobile app extends its user-friendly design to smaller screens, maintaining a consistent look with its desktop counterpart. Despite its compact size, the mobile version does not compromise on functionality. You can create tasks, assign priorities, and organize with labels just as you would on desktop.

Todoist ensures seamless synchronization across devices, making it a reliable tool for managing tasks on the go.

Google Tasks: a lightweight task companion

The Google Tasks mobile app adheres to a minimalist approach, focusing on task management without the complexity of additional features.

The app integrates smoothly with other Google services like Gmail and Google Calendar, letting you manage tasks within the familiar Google ecosystem. Google Tasks for mobile is an excellent option for those who need a basic and efficient tool and want everything synced between devices.

Advanced features

Beyond the essentials, both Todoist and Google Tasks offer capabilities that enhance productivity and streamline workflows.

Todoist: project management and gamification

Todoist allows detailed organization of tasks into projects and sections, which you can color-code for differentiation. When setting up a new project, you can choose between a "List" project or a "Board" project, allowing for planning and managing projects using the Kanban method. You can easily switch between list, board, and calendar views.

One standout feature is Todoist's natural language input. This simplifies task creation by letting you type plain English right in the task title (for example, email George every Tuesday at 5 pm). It is especially handy for on-the-go task entry and creating recurring tasks.

Todoist also offers productivity reports with insights into task completion trends, activity logs, and a Karma system that tracks productivity. The Karma system awards points for completing tasks and maintaining streaks, adding a sense of achievement that encourages consistent engagement. It is a unique approach to motivation and habit tracking.

If you are not sure where to start, Todoist has templates for all sorts of projects, like managing a content calendar or planning a meeting.

Google Tasks: leveraging the Google ecosystem

Google Tasks is more than enough for essential task management. Its primary function revolves around creating tasks and subtasks and organizing them into lists.

The integration with the broader Google ecosystem is the biggest strength. You can convert emails into tasks directly from Gmail and view them in Google Calendar, giving you a unified view of schedules and to-dos.

Google Tasks also supports recurring tasks and lets you add attachments and detailed notes. As you would expect from a Google product, it includes a powerful search tool for quickly locating specific tasks across multiple lists and dates.

Time blocking in Google Calendar (new in 2025)

In November 2025, Google added the ability to drag tasks directly onto Google Calendar to block focused work time. When you block time for a task, it shows as "busy" on your calendar, supports do-not-disturb mode, and can auto-reject conflicting meeting invitations. This is a significant upgrade that brings Google Tasks closer to dedicated time management tools.

Limitation: time blocking does not yet support repeating tasks.

Deadline field (new in 2025)

Google Tasks also gained a deadline field separate from the due date. This lets you set a hard deadline for a task while keeping a different working due date. The deadline is date-only (no time support) and can only be added when editing an existing task, not during creation.

AI features

AI is becoming a real differentiator in task management. Here is where each tool stands in 2026.

Todoist Assist

Todoist's AI suite, called Todoist Assist, includes four features:

Ramble is powered by Gemini 2.5 Flash Live and runs on Google Cloud Vertex AI and AWS Bedrock. Todoist states that user data is not used for AI model training.

Gemini and Google Tasks

Google Tasks integrates with Gemini, Google's AI assistant. You can use Gemini to:

• Create tasks via voice or text prompts
• Edit and display existing tasks
• Set reminders with dates and times
• Convert photos of handwritten notes into tasks
• Use @Google Tasks in prompts for explicit targeting

Limitation: Gemini can only add tasks to the default task list, not custom lists. As of February 2026, Gemini Agent (beta) can automate multi-step workflows across Gmail, Calendar, Tasks, and other Google apps on select Android devices.

AI comparison verdict

Todoist Assist is more mature and more deeply embedded in the task management workflow. Gemini's integration is powerful but limited to basic task operations and tied to the Google ecosystem. If AI-powered task creation matters to you, Todoist has the edge.

Pricing comparison

One of the biggest differences between these two tools is cost.

Todoist pricing updated December 10, 2025. Pro increased from $5 to $7/month (monthly billing) and Business from $8 to $10/user/month.

Google Tasks is completely free with no premium tier, no usage limits (up to 100,000 tasks per account), and no feature gating. If budget is a primary concern, Google Tasks is hard to beat.

Teamwork and collaboration

This category can be the deciding factor between the two tools.

Todoist: collaborative task management for teams

Todoist is tailored for collaborative work:

1. Creating and managing teams: Todoist allows the creation of a team of any size, serving as a shared home for tasks and projects. Every team member can browse, preview, or join active or archived projects.
2. Project sharing and task assignment: Teams can share projects and assign tasks to specific members. Each task can only be assigned to one person, eliminating ambiguity about responsibility.
3. Communication and reporting: Todoist facilitates in-task communication by allowing discussions and file uploads in comments. It also offers an activity log and customizable project reports with its Google Sheets extension.

Google Tasks: basic sharing with workarounds

Google Tasks does not offer extensive built-in collaboration features like Todoist. However, it provides some functionality:

1. Task list sharing: Click the three-dot menu next to a task list, select "Share List," and share via link. Recipients can view and edit the task list.
2. Integration with TasksBoard: TasksBoard is a third-party tool that adds shared boards and Google Sheets export to Google Tasks. The free version allows five shared lists.
3. Google Workspace context: Within a team already using Google Workspace, shared task lists combined with Google Calendar provide a basic collaborative workflow.

Limitations and drawbacks

No tool is perfect. Here are the most notable weaknesses of each.

Todoist limitations

1. Free plan is restrictive: Missing reminders, advanced filters, and most AI features on the free tier.
2. Price increase: The December 2025 price hike (Pro from $5 to $7/month) makes the gap with free tools wider.
3. Complexity for simple needs: The number of features can feel overwhelming if you just need a basic to-do list.
4. No native time blocking: Unlike Google Tasks (which now integrates with Google Calendar for time blocking), Todoist does not offer built-in time blocking.

Google Tasks limitations

1. No priorities or labels: There is no way to flag urgency or categorize tasks beyond lists.
2. List view only: No board, calendar, or timeline views.
3. Limited collaboration: Sharing a list is the extent of teamwork. No task assignment, no comments, no team features.
4. Dependent on Google ecosystem: Full utility requires Gmail, Google Calendar, and a Google account. Less useful outside of Google's orbit.
5. No advanced reporting: No activity history, productivity tracking, or analytics.

Which should you choose?

The right tool depends on your workflow and priorities. Here is a quick guide by user type.

Conclusion

Todoist and Google Tasks each serve a clear purpose:

• Todoist (by Doist, used by over 40 million people) is the more complete task manager, with project organization, AI features, gamification, and team collaboration. It is ideal for anyone who needs structure and control.
• Google Tasks is a free, no-frills tool that shines inside the Google ecosystem. The 2025 additions of time blocking and Gemini integration have made it significantly more useful than before.

Not sure if Todoist is the right fit? See how it stacks up against Notion in our Notion vs. Todoist comparison, or compare it with TickTick vs. Todoist for another alternative. For a broader overview, check out our guide to the best to-do list apps or the best planner apps.

Want to use both tools with Notion? 2sync lets you connect Todoist with Notion and sync Google Tasks through Google Calendar integration, creating a unified workspace where tasks, projects, and notes stay in sync automatically. No manual copying, no missed updates.

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