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Get Your Life in Order With These To-Do List Apps

Never forget a task or an assignment with these to-do list, note-taking and project organization apps.

Shelby Brown Editor II
Shelby Brown (she/her/hers) is an editor for CNET's services team. She covers tips and tricks for apps, operating systems and devices, as well as mobile gaming and Apple Arcade news. Shelby also oversees Tech Tips coverage. Before joining CNET, she covered app news for Download.com and served as a freelancer for Louisville.com.
Credentials
  • She received the Renau Writing Scholarship in 2016 from the University of Louisville's communication department.
Shelby Brown
6 min read
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Getting organized might not be easy for everyone, but the right app can help. 

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It can be hard to get organized, and even harder to stay that way. I still scrawl a hasty reminder on the back of my hand when I really want to make sure I don’t forget something. The best organization methods will look different for everyone: Some prefer the tried-and-true paper planner, while others take a digital approach. 

There are a lot of apps that try to help users stay on track. Whether you’re looking for a service to help you host all your team’s assignments, create and manage to-do lists or get reminders about upcoming events and due dates, there are a lot of different functionalities out there. When it comes to these apps, I look for ease of use, affordability, cross-platform compatibility, reminder alarms and flexibility. Ultimately, it's about finding what works best for you and your lifestyle.

Based on these criteria, here are some of my favorite task apps.

Google Keep

Price: Free 
Platforms: iOS, Android, PC

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Google Keep

Screenshot by CNET

Google Keep is one of my favorite places to make lists and notes. The app lets you color-code notes and pin important ones for easy access. I also have a few notes where I've saved articles for later. I like that Google Keep populates the article headline as well as a key image so you're not trying to parse through dozens of URLs. 

If you're looking for a more structured checklist layout, open the app and tap the little box with a checkmark at the bottom of your screen. This will start a more traditional to-do-list note. When you've finished a task, tap the box next to the item and it'll appear in a collapsable list of finished tasks. Tapping the reminder bell in the top right corner of the screen lets you set specific alarms. And if you have to set an alarm to remember to open the app and check your to-do list, I'm certainly not judging. Either way, you can get these notifications on your phone, PC or both. 

With a Gmail account, Google will sync your notes across platforms, so you can add and edit from anywhere. There are also options to share notes and add collaborators. 

Google Tasks

Price: Free 
Platforms: iOS, Android, PC

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Google Tasks

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Google Tasks is an easy-to-use, minimalist to-do list app. You can download the mobile app, add a Chrome browser extension, or use it directly through Gmail. When I'm working, Google Tasks is just a click away in my Gmail. 

You can add items to the main My Tasks lists, as well as create new lists and subtasks for greater detail. When I'm working, I like using Google Tasks through Gmail. It's a clean, easy way to see and complete my plans for the day. 

The mobile app is a bit easier to use for everyday tasks like chores and appointments. Instead of opening a drop down menu to swap between multiple lists, the app keeps them all on one page. No matter if you use the app on PC or mobile, your entries sync across all your devices with your Gmail address. You can even add dates and times to your tasks, and Google will automatically add it to your Google calendar. 

Apple Notes 

Price: Free 
Platforms: iOS, iPadOS, Mac

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Apple Notes

Screenshot by CNET

Apple's Notes app, like Google Keep, is a handy place to keep notes, checklists, articles, photos and more. There's a bit more flexibility with note construction compared with other apps. You can start typing notes or ideas, switch to your Apple Pencil (if you're using Notes on iPad) and add checklists without altering the note's original structure. You can also swap between light and dark mode, scan documents, add grids and lines, and more to make the app work best for you. 

To further customize, you can organize your notes into folders and lock private notes with individual passwords or your fingerprint. Your notes will sync across all your Apple devices that are logged in on the same account. 

Apple Reminders

Price: Free
Platforms: iOS, iPadOS, Mac

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Apple Reminders

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If you need an extra boost, Apple's Reminders app is a helpful to-do list option. In Reminders, you can build and organize multiple to-do lists, as well as map out your schedule for the day, week, year or further out. Reminders on iPad works with the Apple Pencil Scribble for easy transitioning between other projects. 

You can adjust reminders to repeat daily, set priorities and add locations. Your device will notify you about scheduled tasks on your list. Tapping the notification brings you back to the Reminders app. You can choose to check off the task, turn off the alarm or snooze the task. Your Reminders will be synced across devices signed into the same Apple ID.

Microsoft To Do 

Price: Free 
Platforms: iOS, Android, PC 

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Microsoft To Do

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The Microsoft To Do app works similarly to Google Tasks and makes it easy to view your to-do list next to your email and calendar. If you're using Outlook on PC, you can find To Do in the calendar pane. If you're using the desktop app, you can open it in a separate pane to take advantage of more features. 

I start by filling in my tasks right away, so I don't forget, and then double back to add deadlines, alerts, subtasks and other extra information. You can make multiple lists and any tasks you complete will populate, crossed out, under your main list. Anything you add to your To Do list syncs with your Outlook calendar, which saves you from clicking back and forth between windows. If you want to set an alert time or due date for a task, you will have to create a separate reminder for that.

Notion

Price: Free, subscription plans available
Platforms: Android, iOS, PC 

Screenshot of Notion interface, which shows a table that organizes class notes.

Notion app

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Notion gained a lot of attention at the height of the pandemic within TikTok communities. The free app gave users a fast way to create a digital workspace for taking notes, creating moodboards, journaling, organizing school and work, and making to-do lists. Notion offers personal-use accounts for free as well as various paid packages for teams and companies.   

Notion shines in its creative and aesthetic options. My task list board is set up to show "To Do," "Doing" and "Done" columns side by side, which helps me stay on task, motivated and focused. 

Notion allows you to set alarms for tasks and items in your to-do list. You can select a time, date and when you want to be alerted for a task in the expanded view. For items on your to-do list, you can add reminders by typing the “@” symbol and typing in the date and time you want to be reminded of something. When the due date comes, the alert will be found in your Updates tab in your side menu.

Notion is free to use, but you can subscribe to Plus ($8 a month), Business ($15 a month) or Enterprise plans.

ToDoist 

Price: Free, subscription plans available 
Platforms: iOS, Android, PC

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Todoist app

Todoist

ToDoist is a bit like digital workspace apps Notion and Asana, but it's more traditionally structured. When you build a task list, you can add a description, subtasks and extra comments, as well as set priority statuses, deadlines and alerts. If you're starting from scratch or need some inspiration, ToDoist has a number of pre-made templates that you can import to your workspace for accounting, annual reviews, yearly planning, project tracking and more. 

Anything you put into ToDoist will sync across devices if you're signed in on the same email address. The app is free, but you can upgrade to Pro ($4 a month) or Business ($6 a month) to accommodate more users and expand features.

For more information, check out CNET's tips for starting a bullet journal and organization ideas for small spaces in your home.  

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