We tested a bunch of task planners with desktop versions, compared their features, and weighed the pros and cons so you don’t have to.
- SingularityApp
- Todoist
- Any.Do
- Google Calendar with Notes and Tasks
- Trello
- Microsoft To Do
- MyLifeOrganized
- The Bottom Line
SingularityApp
It’s a feature-rich task planner that works for both simple daily to-do lists and complex, multi-layered systems of personal and work projects.
Adding tasks is quick — use the plus button at the bottom, hit Space, or use keyboard shortcuts (Ctrl+N / Cmd+N). There’s also a quick-add widget with customizable hotkeys that pops up from any app (Ctrl+Space / Cmd+Shift+A by default). You can even create tasks through a Telegram bot, email, voice input, or widgets. Super useful when something pops up in a work chat and you don’t want to forget it while switching over to your planner.
Multiple customizable reminders:
- Deadline reminders — triggered one day before the due date.
- Task start reminders — pick from preset intervals or set your own custom timing.
You can also enable automatic notifications for all task start times in the settings.
Recurring tasks support standard intervals (daily, weekly, monthly) plus custom schedules — like three times a week or the first Monday of every month.
Task organization revolves around system folders: Inbox, Today, and Plans. Tasks can be grouped into projects. To create a new one, use the sidebar option or the shortcut Ctrl+Alt+N / Cmd+Alt+N.
Paid plans include unlimited projects, while the free tier supports up to 10. Each project can have its own color or emoji, and you can visualize progress with a built-in progress bar. Projects and task lists support infinite nesting, so you can build out a detailed hierarchy. Tasks within a project are divided into sections for logical grouping, and any section can be converted into a standalone project.
Task notes come with a full-featured rich text editor.
Sorting options include date, time, priority, or smart sorting — which factors in multiple criteria and pushes the most urgent, high-priority items to the top. You can create unlimited color-coded tags.
The built-in calendar planner is available on paid plans only. The free tier supports one-way sync with iCal web calendars; paid subscribers get two-way Google Calendar sync.
Bonus features:
- A Pomodoro timer and stopwatch with custom work/break intervals and stats.
- A habit tracker with detailed analytics.
- Printable daily task lists.
Pricing: 14-day free trial (no credit card required). After that, you can stick with the free version or subscribe:
- PRO monthly — $3.33
- PRO annual — $32.28
- Elite monthly — $4.17
- Elite annual — $38.73
Pros:
- The free version is surprisingly capable for everyday use — flexible recurring tasks, multiple reminders, and infinite nesting for tasks and projects.
- Packed with useful extras (habit tracker, Pomodoro timer, focus mode, and more) plus thoughtful details and an intuitive interface.
- A web version is available, along with native apps for all major platforms, including Linux.
- Responsive support team and tutorial videos.
Cons:
- To unlock the app’s full potential, you’ll need to spend some time exploring the knowledge base or watching feature walkthroughs.
Todoist
One of the most popular task planners out there, known for its clean interface and built-in gamification.
Adding tasks: Click any of the “+” buttons scattered generously across the interface, or hit Q on your keyboard (works regardless of your keyboard layout). You can also add tasks via email with due dates and priorities.
Desktop reminders are available on paid plans only, so they can’t be tested without a subscription.
Recurring tasks can be set up through natural language input — typing “send report every day” will automatically create a daily repeat.
Task organization includes system folders: Inbox, Today, and Upcoming. The free version is limited to just five projects. Once you reach the limit, you can’t add a sub-project.
Tasks can be viewed as a traditional list or as a kanban board with cards.
There are color-coded labels (tags), four priority levels with color-coded flags, and a notes field in each task where you can format text with a right-click. Tasks support subtask lists and comments.
There’s no built-in calendar, but two-way sync with Google Calendar is available.
Bonus features: Todoist includes a gamification element — set a daily task goal and track your progress through accumulating “karma” points.
Pricing: Pro plan runs $5/month or $60/year. Business plan is $8 per user/month or $96/year.
Pros: Tags, projects, checklists, file attachments, task comments, kanban view, and gamification.
Cons:
- Reminders are paid-only.
- Only 5 projects on the free plan.
Any.Do
A reminder app with an unconventional split-panel interface.
Adding tasks is as simple as clicking the input field. There are also keyboard shortcuts for working with tasks and lists.
Reminders are easy to set up, but you can only have one active notification per task.
Recurring tasks have limited customization on the free plan. The premium version lets you mark a task as infinite or set a custom repeat interval — like every three days.
Task organization includes system folders: My Day (doesn’t show overdue items), Next 7 Days with a kanban board, and All My Tasks.
Click a task to open its detail card on the right — where you can set a desktop reminder, add tags (the free version includes only one “priority” tag), create a subtask list, or attach a file up to 1.5 MB. There’s a notes section, but without text formatting.
You can add custom project lists beyond the system folders, but there’s no color-coding, no symbols, no sub-projects, and no hierarchy whatsoever.
No built-in calendar, but there’s a one-way integration with Google Calendar — once connected, it shows up in your My Day section.
Bonus features: The premium version includes an AI assistant (not available to try on the free plan), and paid subscribers can integrate with WhatsApp.
Pricing: $2.99/month on an annual plan, $5.99 if you pay monthly.
Pros: Clean (if unconventional) interface with a surprisingly solid free feature set.
Cons: No free trial for premium, so you can’t test-drive paid features before committing.
Google Calendar with Notes and Tasks
A classic calendar-based planner enriched with built-in Notes and Tasks tools.
Adding tasks and events: Click on any day or use the “Create” button in the top-left corner. You can also add items through the Tasks tool on the right-side panel. Assign a date, and tasks automatically appear on your main calendar.
Reminders and recurring events have flexible settings for both tasks and events. Standard intervals plus detailed custom options.
Task sorting is done through thematic lists. Tasks have a notes field (no formatting), and can be assigned a date or set as all-day items. Events support file attachments, formatted text, duration settings, and guest invitations.
Tasks and events can be color-coded for easier calendar navigation.
If the built-in calendar notes aren’t enough, you can use the Notes tool (a.k.a. Google Keep). It has its own standalone web version and mobile app, with tags and reminders built in. Keep notes can be easily converted into Google Docs.
Bonus features: Tasks and events can be printed or emailed. Tons of integrations with third-party tools and planners.
Pricing: Free for personal accounts. Google Workspace starts at $6 per user/month for business use.
Pros:
- Free calendar with reminders.
- Handy color-coding system.
- Flexible recurring and notification settings.
- Syncs with a wide range of tools.
Cons:
- Requires a Google account.
- Calendar view only — no option to manage reminders as a simple list.
- No task or project nesting.
- No tags for grouping or quick navigation.
- No quick-capture shortcuts for adding tasks on the fly.
Trello
A popular kanban-style task management app. Built for team projects and shared workspaces, but it works just fine for personal use too.
Tasks are created as cards on boards. You can also add tasks via email.
Deadline reminders let you set a due date and choose a notification interval (5, 10, or 15 minutes; 1–2 hours; 1–2 days before). Team members get notified about card changes, and you can set up weekly email digests with a full summary.
Instead of projects and folders, Trello uses boards and lists. The free plan limits you to 10 boards.
Each task card supports notes (with a rich text editor and image embedding), file attachments, team member assignments, checklists, and labels. Cards also have a comments section.
The calendar is added through a free Power-Up. Task cards show up on specific days, and you can set the time and list position when creating them.
Bonus features. Trello has a built-in marketplace (Power-Ups) full of tools and utilities. You can customize boards and add features like automated data analysis, file syncing from cloud drives, and time trackers. Huge selection, and all Power-Ups are included on the basic plan, with some limitations.
Pricing: 14-day free trial with no credit card required. After that, three paid tiers: Standard at $5/month per user, Premium at $10/month per user, and Enterprise starting at $17.50/month per user.
Pros:
- Tons of customization and automation options, free Power-Ups, and a great calendar with large day cells.
- Genuinely useful team collaboration features.
- The free tier is usually more than enough for most users.
Cons: There’s a learning curve — mastering all the features means spending time in the help docs.
Microsoft To Do
A free, minimalist reminder app for Windows with a no-frills interface and zero unnecessary features. Requires a Microsoft account.
Adding tasks is done through an empty input field in any folder or list.
Reminders and recurring tasks can be set using standard intervals or a custom date and time. Only one reminder per task.
System folders include My Day, Tasks, Planned, and Assigned to Me. The Important folder automatically collects tasks you’ve starred.
You can create custom lists. By default, there’s just one — Groceries. Lists can be shared via email or pinned to the Windows Start menu. No color-coding, no icons, no hierarchy — just background wallpaper customization.
Tasks support notes (unformatted) and file attachments from your device. No tags beyond the star. Subtasks are called “steps.”
There’s no built-in calendar and no integration support.
Pricing: Completely free.
Pros: A free reminder app with no restrictions, a clean interface, and just the essentials.
Cons:
- If you need a calendar with desktop reminders, you’ll have to look elsewhere — Microsoft To Do has no built-in calendar and doesn’t support integrations.
- No tags or color-based organization.
MyLifeOrganized
A deeply detailed desktop reminder app for patient users willing to dig into features, learn every quirk, and tolerate occasional lag.
Adding tasks: Use Ctrl+Shift+N or click the “Create” button in the top-left corner.
Reminders and recurring tasks come with a rich set of options — custom intervals, multiple notifications, email alerts, custom sounds, and more.
Tasks support file attachments (from your device or via link) and a notes section with minimal formatting (bold, italic, and bullet lists).
No built-in calendar, but you can sync with Google Calendar.
Pricing: Standard: $49.95, Professional: $59.95.
Bonus features: Includes a focus mode.
Pros: A massive range of settings to customize everything and organize your tasks down to the last detail.
Cons:
- Cluttered interface.
- Requires a thorough onboarding tutorial to make sense of the app, and the app window sometimes minimizes on its own during the walkthrough.
- Overall, the planner is extremely granular — bordering on overwhelming. Lots of text, buttons, and settings competing for your attention.
The Bottom Line
While testing for this roundup, we also looked at PlanNote and EssentialPIM. Neither made the cut — and they actually illustrate a common problem with desktop planners: the lack of a sweet spot. PlanNote is too bare-bones (no reminders, no recurring tasks, no tags — basically a notes app). EssentialPIM includes the features, but they’re spread across a complex interface that can feel overwhelming.
So how do you find the right desktop reminder app? It comes down to what you actually need.
If you want an all-in-one productivity hub with deep task management, reminders, habit tracking, and a built-in calendar — SingularityApp offers the most well-rounded package, with a generous free tier and apps on every platform including Linux.
If simplicity is your priority and you just need a clean place to jot down tasks and get reminders — Microsoft To Do is completely free and does the basics well, though it won’t grow with you if your needs get more complex.
If you’re already living in the Google ecosystem, pairing Google Calendar with Google Tasks and Keep is a no-brainer. It’s free, syncs with everything, and you’re probably halfway set up already.
If your work is visual and team-oriented, Trello’s kanban boards and Power-Ups marketplace make it a strong choice — especially since the free tier covers most use cases.
If you want a popular, polished planner with gamification, Todoist delivers. Just keep in mind that reminders are locked behind the paywall.
If you’re a power user who loves granular control, MyLifeOrganized lets you tweak virtually everything. But be ready for a steep learning curve and an interface that takes some getting used to.
And for a quick, lightweight option with an unconventional layout, Any.Do deserves a look — solid free features and a clean (if quirky) design.
No single app is perfect for everyone. But one of these seven should fit the way you actually work.
