I'm here to help you decide whether Todoist is for you! Here's my easy-to-read, Todoist Review 2021. Todoist has 100% transformed the way I work here for the better! I'm going to share with you, the pros and cons, the features, the costs, and how to get started with Todoist. Let's get into it!
Bottom line; Todoist offers an easy to use, customisable to-do-list type app that works seamlessly across devices.
Why is the Todoist App good?
Easy navigation
Quick add tasks
Many integrations
Organise projects easily
There's a free version
Works on many platforms
Handy Chrome extension
iPhone Widgets available
Customisable view options
Additional team and filter features
What are the disadvantages of using Todoist?
None for me!
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What is the Todoist App used for?
Todoist is used for task management and tracking productivity for individuals and businesses, or both, like me! Here's a snapshot of how my Todoist dashboard looks. Each of the main categories tasks fall under are known as 'projects'. I can 'filter' 'tasks' down into cross-project categories, see each day's tasks clearly laid out and colour coded by time/priority order, plus each task shows what project it belongs to. Take a look...
What App is better than Todoist?
In the past, I'd given Trello and Asana a go, iPhone Reminders, and even good old trusty Excel, but nothing hit the spot for my needs... Then came Todoist.
How much does Todoist cost? Is the Todoist app free?
There is a free version! You can add up to 5 projects on the go and connect 5 people on projects, get reminders and set up prioritised or reoccurring tasks with the free version. Yet I use the premium (Pro) version (from £3 per month), and I 100% recommend this version for anyone who's serious about getting organised. Feel free to read my article on Todoist Free vs Premium (Pro).
Comparison of some popular To-Do app prices *
Todoist FREE version or from £3 per month for Premium (Pro)
Any Do FREE version or from £2.99 per month for Premium
Evernote FREE version or from £4.99 per month for Premium
TickTick FREE version or from £2.40 per month for Premium
As you can see, they are all around the same monthly cost for a premium version. In my personal opinion, Todoist Premium is so worth the cost of less than 10p per day.
What's my favourite feature of Todoist?
Labels
I use labels a lot to 'tag' similarities in tasks across projects. For example I have a label called 'WAITING' which I add to any tasks where I'm waiting for a response from someone. I then have a separate weekly reoccurring task to chase all tasks with the 'WAITING' label, which Todoist shows me as a list in priority order.
2021 update: Todoist announced they will be adding labels to the list of features available in their free plan, winning!
What is Todoist Premium (Pro)? Is going Premium (Pro) worth it?
There's a number of additional features on the Premium (Pro) version; for a full list of features, select Pricing on Todoist's website. Of all the features included in the Premium (Pro) version, there is one we wouldn't be half as organised without:
Filters
Geeking out now, but I love to write an instruction for a filter! I can use simple '&, ! and @' symbols I can instruct Todoist to show me bespoke filtered task lists. For example I use a filter to show me all tasks in priority order that haven't been scheduled yet, and that I'm not 'WAITING' on a reply for. I use this filtered list to select top priority tasks that I want to schedule for 'this week'.
2021 update: Todoist has stated that they will be adding filters to the list of features available in their free plan, however with a limit of 3. This wouldn't be enough for me, as I reply on filters.
Here's what the filter instruction would look like:
What can you do with the Todoist App?
You can organise your tasks down to the minutest detail. Since using Todoist I've been a lot more productive and efficient with my time. All of my projects get the time and attention they deserve, and I've been able to schedule a time for tasks that shouldn't have been neglected before, but were due to getting lost in long lists of notes. This has all been fixed thanks to Todoist helping organise my time.
Tip: Check out my ULTIMATE guide to Todoist recurring tasks and subtasks here
Here are some other examples of what the Todoist app could help you achieve:
Track your personal goals
Organise your finances
Set meeting agendas
Track campaigns
Create & publish videos
Manage your clients
Plan your classes
Plan appointments
Track fitness
and much more
What are the best features of the Todoist App?
The 3 best features other than labels and filters in my opinion, are:
1. The Board View
With a board view, you can drag and drop tasks easily; each 'section' of your project sits at the top of the view rather than in one long list. I use this feature in a few ways, but my favourite is to brainstorm content by week. So across the top, I'll have sections: Week 1, Week 2 etc, and underneath, I can drag and drop my blog, social media, and other content ideas and map out my future content plan. Here's an example (screenshot of Todoist's Social Media Calendar template):
2. Custom Sorting
A newer feature on Todoist is the custom sorting and grouping options; you can choose to sort tasks by priority, date, or name. You can also group by one of those types and then sort within that group. I tend to use the priority sorting feature and then I have an unwritten code to the way we use the priority flags.
Priority 1 - Things that must be done NO MATTER WHAT
Priority 2 - Things that have consequences if they are not done
Priority 3 - Things that I'd ideally like to get done
Priority 4 - Notes and gentle reminders
3. Natural Language Instructions
There are so many features to use in Todoist (even though it doesn't feel overwhelming at all), and Todoist have enabled natural language instructions to speed up the way we can use those features. For example, you can use the # key to pop up a list of projects, the / key to pop up a list of sections, 'P' to quickly type a priority level, @ key to quickly add a label, and even use short words to add schedules like 'ev mon' = every Monday.
For example, let's say I want to add the task 'take the bins out' to my 'personal' to-do's project under the section 'house', and it's a top priority every Monday, I would write: "Take Bins Out ev mon # personal /house p1"
Get started with Todoist
Signing up to the Todoist App is really quick and easy to do on any mobile or desktop device. However, my advice before getting excited to start adding tasks, is take 5-10 minutes to jot down what your projects would be and what your sections might be within that.
For example, I have an 'Accounting' project that includes a 'weekly tasks' section, 'things to pay' section, and 'things to be paid' section. Then under each section are the 'tasks' / invoices etc. Map your project and section headings out for 5-10 minutes first, and you'll likely save time and effort down the line adjusting things on the app.
If you're not sure if you'll be needing the Premium version yet, that's natural; you can download the app and start with the free version, then upgrade without a hitch once you're ready.
Do you need some inspiration for project ideas? Take a look at Todoist's templates; you can view them for free by clicking Resources then Templates from the Todoist menu. Check out my article about the 5 Best Todoist Templates.
In conclusion, is Todoist good?
It's not just good, it's a no-brainer in my opinion! My anxiety levels in terms of keeping on top of work and life, in general, have dramatically dropped, I absolutely love the seamless use across platforms and how my iPhone widget gives me a clear picture of where I am with tasks that day. I even get Todoist lists on my iWatch, not that I use it on there much, but still, how cool!
I've also set up my home Alexa to add items to my Todoist when I say 'Alexa add XYZ to my to-do list' or add items to my Shopping List project when I say 'Alexa add XYZ to the shopping list'. I've also integrated my Google Calendar to add appointments automatically to Todoist as well.
As you can probably tell, I geek out about this app, I absolutely love it! If this article helps another individual or business get inspired to get as organised with Todoist as I am, then that's awesome, I'm excited for you!
If you have a question about Todoist, I'd be happy to help
Jen - Author, Tried and Loved
*Prices and features correct at the time of writing. As an ambassador, I may earn a commission on purchases made through links on this page.