10 Best Task List Apps Out There for Getting Stuff Done

Life is a continual series of tasks. From the daily nitty gritty to the higher level juicier ones (like goals and aspirations), you’re faced with a stack of tasks requiring your attention.At the end of each day, it’s up to you to decide how much of it you feel like accomplishing.Unfortunately, we’re inundated with opportunities to slack off and procrastinate, and it’s crucial we need a legitimate source to keep track of everything stacked on our plates.There are a ton of really well-made apps out there designed to help you stay on top of your to-dos. So I decided to take a look at some of the more popular ones and compile a list of what I think are a combination of the best ones.Without further ado, here are the top 10 task list apps out there to help you stay focused, sharp and ready to tackle your life’s biggest goals (and daily tasks):

1. Todoist

A solid choice looks-wise and a task-list app veteran, Todoist touts itself as super user friendly. It’s got a great system allowing you to create sub-tasks, assign due dates, and color code tasks based on priority.It also integrates with a variety of popular third party apps like Gmail, IFTTT, and more.You can even sign up using your Google account and immediately jump in to creating tasks.Available for iOS | Android

2. Trello

Trello really shines in business settings.It’s the go-to app to manage tasks for a lot of smaller companies. Each project is represented by a “board”, and you can then assign multiple tasks to each project via what Trello calls “Cards”.Dragging and dropping is intuitive and makes the experience super smooth, especially on a computer.There is an iOS/Android version, but if you use this, it’s best on a PC or Mac to create and manage the tasks.There are better, easier apps if it’s just for your personal stuff — but for a small team or business, this is one of the best out there.Available for iOS | Android | Web

3. Google Tasks

Fairly new on the scene, Google is taking their stab at the ever popular and saturated task-list app market.But in true Google fashion, it’s nothing to look past.Simple, beautiful, and easy to use, Google Tasks is a designer’s dream come true and a user’s best friend. It does what it does best: track your tasks.The rest of the bells and whistles are left for others.And of course, it’s seamlessly integrated into Gmail, where it appears on the right side of your inbox, should you use it.Available for iOS | Android | Web

4. Evernote

If you find yourself taking longer notes instead of just quick one-liners, Evernote may be the way to go.It’s well-known for its ability to capture your thoughts in more than just a few words, making it intuitive and easy to track your mind’s daily brain dumps.More than just text, it supports taking notes via voice recordings, pictures, and more.So if you’re definitely one of those more visual people, Evernote is calling your name.Available for iOS | Android

5. Wunderlist

A fan favorite, this app has been around for years and continues to dominate based on it’s ease of use and super sharp GUI (graphical user interface, i.e. the way it looks to the end-user).It’s been voted App of the Year in multiple publications, including the Apple App Store.In short, you can create different task lists based on a category, and then share those with others.For instance, if your husband or wife sends you to the grocery store, the two of you can share a list and both can edit on the fly, allowing for on the fly collaboration.It is also fully integrated with Slack now, one of the most popular chat apps on the tech market today.Available for iOS | Android

6. Microsoft To Do

If you’re a Microsoft fan, you’d be pleased to know they’ve also taken a stab at making their own task list app.It was originally created by the team at Wunderlist (Microsoft bought them in 2015), so if you’re familiar with the app, then you have an idea of what you’re getting here.Furthermore, if you are locked into using Outlook and Microsoft’s suite of tools, this app will naturally integrate seamlessly.One unique feature is their take on what they call “My Day” — the philosophy that each day is a blank slate and you’re given the opportunity to fill it as you see fit.In other words, there’s no carryover from previous days if you don’t want. But if you do, the option is there.Available for iOS | Android

7. Things 3

There’s a common theme here for the best task list trackers, and it involves one thing: looking good.Things 3 is no different, but it takes the clean GUI to a new level.Made for individuals looking to keep tabs on their daily to-dos, it splits things into simple tasks and lists without the extra bells & whistles some apps may carry.Available for iOS

8. Habitica

Words, pictures, and voice memos not doing it for you?Enjoy playing games in your spare time and want to transfer the same feeling into your boring task list?Enter Habitica, which turns your tracking into gaming of sorts.When you first start the app, instead of asking what your first to-do is, it asks you to create a character.And just like that, you know the intent of this app — by gamifying the system, you’ll be more inclined to keep track and stay efficient.Available for iOS | Android

9. Any.do

This app stands out for its unique take on organizing your lists.Instead of putting them in categories such as “Work”, “Personal”, and others, any.do will show you the tasks which you need to accomplish first.So if you’ve set a personal goal due tomorrow, you’ll see it first…even if work is bugging you nonstop at the moment.Any.do also syncs up nicely with your calendar, working side by side to show you what deadlines you’ve set.Available for iOS | Android

10. Fantastical 2

If you can’t let go of the idea of integrating a calendar in your daily to-dos, then look no further.Fantastical 2’s sweet spot is it’s actually just that: a calendar. But with your to-do’s built in on the GUI, you can see exactly what you need to do and at what time, all wrapped in a more visual way than just simply showing a wall of text.Unfortunately, Fantastical 2 is only for iOS — but with such a clean interface, it’s hard not to be a fan.Available for iOS | MacOS

The bottom line

These are considered some of the top ones that I feel could make a difference in your quest to tackle this thing called “life”.Ultimately, the choice is yours — but as you begin to track your tasks, you’ll find that certain methods work better than others. Hey, we’re all different.Whether you’re visual, list-oriented, calendar-heavy, sound-induced, or any combination thereof, rest assured there’s an app out there to help you.