The best to-do apps for Mac in 2026
On a Mac, speed matters. A good task app should open from the keyboard, let you add something in seconds and still make sense when one list turns into ten projects.
Our picks
The list, if you are in a hurry
- 01
Things 3Best Mac experience - 02
TodoistBest cross-platform - 03
OmniFocusBest for GTD power users - 04
Apple RemindersBest free Mac app - 05
TickTickBest for built-in focus - 06
NotePlanBest tasks-plus-notes
Best Mac experience
Things 3
Things feels completely at home on a Mac. Quick Entry is excellent and the Today view keeps a busy project list from looking busy.
One reviewer says they have used Things every day for five years. Critical reviews mostly complain about the learning curve, no web app and having to buy each platform separately.
US App Store reviewsAt the end of a messy day, you can clear Today without turning rescheduling into a second job. That small sense of closure is hard to show on a feature list.
- Best for
- Personal planning in the Apple ecosystem
- Price model
- One-time purchase per Apple platform
- Platforms
- Mac, iPhone, iPad, Watch, Vision Pro
What we like
- Exceptional native feel
- Fast Quick Entry
- Calm project planning
What may put you off
Apple-only and intentionally light on collaboration.
Best cross-platform
Todoist
Todoist is not the most Mac-like app here, but it is the easiest choice if your list also needs to work on Windows, Android or the web.
Recent US reviews often praise how quickly Todoist gets out of the way. Lower ratings mention widget bugs, missing tasks and features that feel excessive for a personal list.
US App Store reviewsSomebody gives you a date while you are walking away from a conversation. One loose sentence can put the task in the right project with a reminder before you forget it.
- Best for
- Mixed-device users and small teams
- Price model
- Free; Pro $60/year or $7 monthly (US)
- Platforms
- Mac, iPhone, Windows, Android, web
What we like
- Fast global capture
- Excellent integrations
- Strong shared projects
What may put you off
Some of its best planning tools require Pro.
Best for GTD power users
OmniFocus
OmniFocus can handle a very large personal workload and show exactly the slice you need. It also expects you to learn how it thinks.
A user of more than a decade still calls OmniFocus brilliant, but says reviewing 30 to 40 projects has become tedious. That complaint neatly captures the cost of all that power.
US App Store reviewsIf you genuinely have 40 active projects, a simple list soon stops being simple. OmniFocus gives each project its own review rhythm and view.
- Best for
- Large, complex personal systems
- Price model
- Free trial; paid options available
- Platforms
- Mac, iPhone, iPad, Watch, web
What we like
- Deep review tools
- Custom perspectives
- Excellent automation
What may put you off
A meaningful learning curve and premium price.
Best free Mac app
Apple Reminders
Reminders is free, built in and much more capable than it used to be. It is particularly good when tasks begin with Siri or a shared household list.
The linked walkthrough makes a simple case for Reminders: it is already on the phone, works with Siri and can be shared without asking the whole household to install something new.
Apple Reminders workflow videoYour hands are full in a supermarket car park. Saying “remind me when I get home” is more useful then than opening a beautiful project planner.
- Best for
- Apple users who want simple and free
- Price model
- Included with Apple devices
- Platforms
- Mac, iPhone, iPad, Watch, web via iCloud
What we like
- Deep OS integration
- Shared household lists
- No extra account
What may put you off
Dense project review is not its strongest mode.
Best for built-in focus
TickTick
TickTick puts tasks, calendars, habits and Pomodoro sessions in one desktop app. The trade-off is a busier interface than the Mac-native picks.
US reviewers repeatedly mention the Pomodoro timer, reminders and help with executive function. The common complaint is how much of the app sits behind Premium.
US App Store reviewsSometimes the task is clear and starting is the hard part. TickTick can put the task, a 25-minute timer and its calendar block on the same screen.
- Best for
- Users who time-block and track habits
- Price model
- Free; Premium $49.99/year (US web price)
- Platforms
- Mac, iPhone, Windows, Android, web
What we like
- Calendar and focus tools
- Flexible recurring tasks
- Feature-rich free tier
What may put you off
The interface can feel busier than Mac-native rivals.
Best tasks-plus-notes
NotePlan
NotePlan is worth a look if your tasks make little sense without the meeting notes or project writing beside them.
A reviewer who struggled to start with Notion found NotePlan easier to grow into. A critical review reports trouble canceling a trial.
US App Store reviewsA meeting creates three tasks and one follow-up date. Keeping them beside the day’s note saves copying each action into another app.
- Best for
- People whose tasks live inside notes
- Price model
- Subscription; trial available
- Platforms
- Mac, iPhone, iPad
What we like
- Calendar-linked notes
- Markdown and backlinks
- Local files
What may put you off
Less straightforward if you only need a conventional list.
Sources
Where we checked prices and features
We last checked pricing, platforms and availability on . Our opinions are our own. When we mention somebody else's experience, we link to it.
- 01Things 3Official product source User review or discussion
- 02TodoistOfficial product source User review or discussion
- 03OmniFocusOfficial product source User review or discussion
- 04Apple RemindersOfficial product source User review or discussion
- 05TickTickOfficial product source User review or discussion
- 06NotePlanOfficial product source User review or discussion