Any.do Vs Todoist: Which is a Better Day Planning App
Compare Any.do vs Todoist to find the best app for daily planning
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Let’s be real—productivity apps are everywhere. And ironically, most of them make you less productive.
You download one. It looks sleek. You start organizing your tasks, setting reminders, color-coding labels… and then a week later, you’re still overwhelmed, nothing’s done, and now you’ve added another app to your list of things to manage.
Sound familiar?
Two of the most talked-about tools—Any.do and Todoist—promise to help you organize your life. But which one actually helps you finish things? Which one cuts through the noise and makes you feel in control?
In this Any.do Vs. Todoist comparison, we’ll break down how both apps perform under real pressure: not just features, but focus, usability, and the ROI of your time. We’ll also introduce you to Focuzed.io—a rising favorite among deep workers and creators who want to spend less time planning and more time producing.
If your to-do list has become a to-don’t list… this post is for you.
Quick Overview: Comparison at a Glance
Feature / Category | Any.do | Todoist |
UI & UX | ★★★★☆ – Sleek, clean, occasionally inefficient | ★★★★☆ – Functional, keyboard-friendly, but complex |
Ease of Setup | ★★★★☆ – Onboards fast, intuitive for beginners | ★★★☆☆ – Steeper learning curve, more customization |
Task Creation & Recurrence | ★★★☆☆ – Simple but limited flexibility | ★★★★★ – Natural language, power-user friendly |
Calendar Integration | ★★★★★ – Built-in native calendar | ★★★★☆ – Strong 2-way sync with Google Calendar |
Collaboration & Teams | ★★☆☆☆ – Basic sharing only | ★★★★★ – Fully team-ready with roles and comments |
Cross-Platform Sync | ★★★★★ – Seamless on all devices | ★★★★★ – Reliable, fast sync across web and apps |
Reminders & Smart Tools | ★★★★☆ – Voice input, location reminders | ★★★★☆ – Custom filters, priority, gamification |
Customization | ★★☆☆☆ – Limited settings and views | ★★★★★ – Labels, filters, themes, Karma, scripts |
Performance & Stability | ★★★★☆ – Smooth but struggles with heavy use | ★★★★★ – Optimized for large task volumes |
Value for Money | ★★★★☆ – Great personal pricing | ★★★★★ – More bang for your buck |
What is Any.do?
Any.do is a task management app that offers a clean, minimalist interface with essential features designed to help you stay organized and focused. It’s a solid choice for personal task management and light collaboration. Whether you're managing personal errands or work-related tasks, Any.do simplifies the process while keeping things intuitive.
Key Features of Any.do:
- Task Creation & Recurring Tasks: Add tasks quickly through text, voice commands, or drag-and-drop. Recurring tasks are supported but limited to basic repeat options like “daily,” “weekly,” or “every Monday.”
- Calendar Integration: Native integration with Google, Outlook, and Apple Calendars. Tasks appear alongside your calendar events, helping you visualize your day.
- Collaboration & Sharing: Share tasks and lists with others. You can assign tasks and track completion, although collaboration features are minimal compared to Todoist.
- Smart Reminders & Notifications: Time-based and location-based reminders. Syncs with voice assistants like Siri and Google Assistant for hands-free task creation.
- Cross-Platform Sync: Seamless syncing between mobile, desktop, and web, with real-time updates.
- Focus Mode: A minimalist interface helps users avoid distractions, allowing them to focus on completing tasks.
What is Todoist?
Todoist is a powerful, feature-rich task management tool designed for users who need more control, customization, and collaboration capabilities. It’s ideal for managing both personal and professional tasks, making it a strong contender for freelancers, teams, and anyone with complex to-do lists.
Key Features of Todoist:
- Task Creation & Recurring Tasks: You can quickly add tasks using natural language (e.g., “Call client every Monday”). Todoist also supports highly customizable recurring tasks, offering flexibility for complex schedules.
- Project & Sub-Project Organization: Organize tasks into projects and sub-projects. Nested subtasks allow you to break down complex tasks into smaller, manageable pieces.
- Collaboration & Sharing: Share projects, assign tasks, and collaborate with teams. Add comments, upload files, and use notifications to keep everyone in sync.
- Powerful Filtering & Search: Use custom filters to view tasks by priority, deadline, or project. Todoist’s advanced search functionality lets you quickly find tasks with specific labels, dates, or keywords.
- Task Prioritization: Prioritize tasks using levels (Priority 1, Priority 2, etc.), ensuring that the most important tasks are always at the top of your list.
- Cross-Platform Sync: Syncs reliably across devices, including iOS, Android, web, and desktop. You can even work offline and sync once you're back online.
- Karma & Productivity Tracking: The Karma system helps track your productivity over time, rewarding you with points for completing tasks and maintaining consistency.
Any.do Vs. Todoist : A Detailed Comparison
1. User Interface & Experience
Any.do
Any.do nails first impressions. Its interface is clean, elegant, and built for users who value visual simplicity. You can swipe to complete tasks, drag to reorder, and enjoy smooth transitions that feel polished.
The "Moment" feature is a standout. It guides you through a daily planning ritual that prompts you to review tasks and decide what to tackle or reschedule. It makes planning intentional, not passive.
However, beauty sometimes gets in the way. Power users may find the layout unintuitive as advanced options (like task subtasks or tags) are hidden behind multiple taps or swipes.
Todoist
Todoist skips the charm and gets down to business. Its minimalist design is function over form—and it works. You get a linear list-based interface that focuses your attention on the tasks, not the aesthetics.
It’s fast, especially with keyboard shortcuts. Navigating between projects, filtering views, and managing large lists is seamless once you know your way around.
The downside? It can feel sterile and unwelcoming at first. If you’re not already productivity-savvy, it can be overwhelming.
Final Verdict:
- Use Any.do if you want something intuitive and visually polished for personal task use.
- Use Todoist if you value structure and speed over simplicity and are willing to invest time learning it.
2. Ease of Getting Started
Any.do
Setup is smooth. Download, sign in, and within minutes you're building lists. The app gently nudges you toward its key features like calendar integration and reminders, without overwhelming you.
For someone new to productivity tools, Any.do feels natural.
Todoist
Todoist has a steeper learning curve. Its interface is blank until you begin to create projects and define your system. Without knowing how to use filters, priorities, or labels, it can feel like you’re staring into the void.
However, for those familiar with productivity methodologies like GTD (Getting Things Done), Todoist offers the structure and flexibility you need.
Final Verdict:
- Any.do wins for beginners—easy onboarding, fast setup.
- Todoist suits experienced users who want full control from the start.
3. Task Creation & Recurring Tasks
Any.do
Adding tasks is fast with text, voice, or drag-and-drop. You can organize them into folders or lists. Recurring tasks are supported but limited: you’re stuck with basic repeat options like “daily” or “every Monday.”
There’s no support for complex scheduling like “every third Thursday” or dependent recurring tasks.
Todoist
This is where Todoist shines. You can type something like “Call client every 3rd Tuesday at 2pm” and it’s instantly set up. Its natural language parser is exceptional and allows for smart task creation at scale.
You can also nest subtasks, create recurring checklists, and set nuanced priorities. Great for managing routines, goals, and deadlines all in one place.
Final Verdict:
- Todoist is the clear winner—it offers unparalleled flexibility for recurring tasks and natural language input.
- Any.do is great for basic use, but lacks depth for power users.
4. Calendar Integration
Any.do
Calendar integration is native and visual. You see tasks and events side-by-side in a calendar view. You can drag tasks into time blocks and visually plan your day. It integrates with Google, Outlook, and Apple Calendar.
This built-in functionality makes Any.do feel more like a planner than just a list app.
Todoist
Calendar integration is robust but external. It supports 2-way sync with Google Calendar, allowing tasks to show up as events. However, there's no built-in calendar view in Todoist itself.
You’ll need to rely on your connected calendar app to get the visual overview of your day.
Final Verdict:
- Any.do wins if visual time-blocking is your style.
- Todoist is great for structured planners who already rely heavily on Google Calendar.
5. Collaboration & Team Features
Any.do
You can share lists, assign tasks, and leave comments. But the collaboration features are minimal and designed more for personal or family use. There's no project dashboard or team overview.
No roles, permissions, or project timelines. That’s a problem if you're working with multiple people professionally.
Todoist
Todoist is built for serious collaboration. You can assign tasks, add comments, upload files, and use shared team workspaces. Notifications keep everyone in sync, and the activity feed gives you a project history.
It’s scalable—from freelancers to entire teams managing projects.
Final Verdict:
- Todoist is the winner—it’s a real team tool.
- Any.do falls short for anything beyond simple task sharing.
6. Cross-Platform Sync
Both tools score top marks here.
- Any.do syncs instantly between mobile, desktop, web, and even wearables.
- Todoist is just as reliable, with smooth performance across all platforms and strong offline support.
Final Verdict:
- It’s a tie. Both apps perform excellently across devices and operating systems.
7. Reminders & Smart Productivity Features
Any.do
Offers time-based and location-based reminders, which is great for errands and meetings. The integration with voice assistants (Siri, Alexa, Google) is a plus. The "Moment" daily review is a soft nudge to stay organized.
However, it lacks in advanced filtering, tagging, or productivity metrics.
Todoist
You get deep customization: priority flags, labels, filters, and productivity tracking through the Karma system. You can create complex views (e.g., "High-priority tasks due this week with no label").
It’s a dream for those who want to track patterns and optimize performance.
Final Verdict:
- Todoist wins on depth and data.
- Any.do wins on simplicity and smart nudges.
8. Customization & Advanced Features
Any.do
There are some themes and color-coding options, but overall, it's quite limited. You can’t build custom dashboards, automate workflows, or tweak views to match your work style.
It’s designed to be used as-is—and for many users, that’s fine.
Todoist
This is where Todoist dominates. From filters and labels to custom views and productivity goals, it’s as close to a productivity OS as you can get without building something from scratch.
You can create filters like “ priority 1” and save that as a view.
Final Verdict:
- Todoist is for power users.
- Any.do is for people who don’t want (or need) customization.
9. Pricing & Value
Any.do
- Free plan covers basic task use.
- Premium starts around $4.99/month (billed annually), unlocking recurring tasks, location reminders, themes, and advanced planning tools.
Todoist
- Free plan gives you 5 projects and essential features.
- Pro plan at $4/user/month adds full access: reminders, labels, calendar sync, uploads, themes.
- Business plan at $6/user/month includes admin tools and team management.
Final Verdict:
- Todoist offers more value, especially for freelancers and teams.
- Any.do is budget-friendly for personal users, but doesn’t scale well.
10. Performance & Reliability
Any.do
Runs smoothly in most cases, but when overloaded with many lists or tasks, users report occasional lag or syncing issues. Not ideal for large projects or power users.
Todoist
Consistently fast and reliable, even with large databases, complex filters, and multiple users. Downtime is rare. Offline functionality is robust.
Final Verdict:
- Todoist is more reliable under pressure.
- Any.do is fine for light to moderate use.
Focuzed.io: The Better Alternative to Any.do and Todoist
While Any.do and Todoist each have their strengths, neither was built with one core principle in mind: deep focus. That’s where Focuzed.io changes the game.
Instead of being another productivity tool stuffed with features that might help, Focuzed.io strips away the noise and delivers only what actually moves the needle.
It’s a productivity environment, not a cluttered task list.
What Makes Focuzed.io Stand Out?
Here are exclusive features only Focuzed.io offers, making it the smarter choice for solopreneurs, professionals, remote teams, and anyone who values flow over fluff:
1. Circadian Rhythm-Based Task Scheduling
Focuzed.io integrates with your wearable devices to monitor your energy levels, stress, and mental clarity. By syncing with your body's natural circadian rhythms, it schedules tasks when you're most alert and focused, ensuring optimal productivity.
Unlike Any.do and Todoist, which treat all tasks equally, Focuzed.io personalizes your schedule based on your body's signals.
2. Clear Daily View
Focuzed.io provides a clean, intuitive dashboard that displays your tasks, time blocks, meetings, and reminders in one place. This clarity helps you stay on track and manage your day effectively.
Other apps may require you to switch between different views or apps to see your schedule.
3. Google Calendar Sync
Seamlessly integrate your Google Calendar with Focuzed.io to keep all your events and tasks in one place. This integration ensures that you never miss a meeting or deadline.
While Todoist offers calendar sync, Focuzed.io's integration is more seamless and user-friendly.
4. Time(kick)boxing Tasks
Allocate specific time slots for tasks to stay on target and avoid procrastination. This method helps you achieve more in less time by promoting focused work sessions.
5. Focus Bar (Picture-in-Picture Mode)
The Focus Bar locks you into your tasks, even when switching between multiple tabs, minimizing interruptions and helping you stay deeply immersed in your work.
It’s a game changer for deep work.
Any.do vs Todoist – Or Is There a Smarter, Simpler Option?
After breaking down Any.do vs Todoist across every feature that actually matters—task creation, collaboration, calendar integration, performance, pricing—it’s clear both have their strengths.
- Any.do is perfect for visual thinkers and personal task planning.
- Todoist is a powerhouse for structured, high-volume productivity systems.
But if you're still asking which one will help you actually finish your work—neither may be the best fit.
Focuzed.io flips the script by eliminating distractions, minimizing interface clutter, and putting deep work first. It’s built for creatives, professionals, solopreneurs, and focused teams who want to stop tinkering and start executing.
Forget app-hopping. Make focus your superpower.
Try Focuzed.io for free today and experience the difference a distraction-free productivity system can make.
Your output will thank you.
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