Notion
Note-Taking
Workspace for docs, wikis, databases and projects with built-in AI
Free plan · from $10/moWeb · macOS · Windows +2
Checked Oct 6, 2026
See what software really costs
Prices, plans and platforms on ToolGPA are read from each vendor’s own pages wherever they publish them, and every tool page names its sources and the date we checked. The tools we review get a GPA, with the reasons behind it.
- NotionFree plan · from $10/moRead from notion.com on Oct 4, 2026
- TodoistFree plan · from $5/moRead from todoist.com on Oct 4, 2026
- GranolaFree plan · from $14/moRead from granola.ai on Oct 4, 2026
Three of 1,140 listings. Each price says where it was read, and when.
- Tools
- 1,140
- Categories
- 31
- Vendor prices
- 1,110
Report cards
Tools we have reviewed in full. Each gets a GPA, and the five grades behind it.
- ChatGPTAI Assistants3.8GPA
Best for everyday questions, writing and images
- ValueB
- FreeA
- FeaturesA
- EaseA
- PlatformsA
- OperaBrowsers3.6GPA
Best for a free VPN and ad blocker built in
- ValueB
- FreeA
- FeaturesA
- EaseB
- PlatformsA
- Square AppointmentsCalendar & Scheduling3.6GPA
Best for salons and solo pros who work by appointment
- ValueB
- FreeA
- FeaturesA
- EaseA
- PlatformsB
- TodoistTo-Do List Apps3.6GPA
Best for all-round to-do lists
- ValueA
- FreeB
- FeaturesB
- EaseA
- PlatformsA
- ClickUpProject Management3.4GPA
Best for teams that want everything in one app
- ValueA
- FreeB
- FeaturesA
- EaseC
- PlatformsA
- Google MeetTeam Communication3.4GPA
Best for quick calls with nothing to install
- ValueB
- FreeA
- FeaturesB
- EaseA
- PlatformsB
Our top three
Ranked from each tool's listing and from what people say about it, not from our own testing.
AI App Builders
Why these threeAI Assistants
Why these three- 1ChatGPTFor: Most people
- 2GeminiFor: People who already use Gmail, Docs and Google Drive
- 3Microsoft CopilotFor: People who work in Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook
AI Meeting Notes
Why these three- 1Fireflies.aiFor: Most people
- 2FathomFor: Anyone who wants to pay nothing
- 3GranolaFor: People who want notes without a bot in the call
AI Research Tools
Why these three- 1ElicitFor: Most people looking for papers on a research question
- 2ChatPDFFor: Anyone with a document to question, not papers to find
- 3Semantic ScholarFor: Anyone who wants to pay nothing
Automation
Why these three- 1MakeFor: Most people
- 2ZapierFor: Anyone connecting less common apps
- 3ActivepiecesFor: Teams that want open-source automation on their own servers
Browsers
Why these three- 1Google ChromeFor: Most people
- 2BraveFor: People who want ads and trackers blocked by default
- 3FirefoxFor: People who want an open-source browser not built on Chromium
Calendar & Scheduling
Why these three- 1Google CalendarFor: Most people
- 2Cal.comFor: Anyone who needs other people to book time with them
- 3Notion CalendarFor: People with several calendar accounts who want a desktop app
CRM Software
Why these threeDaily Planner Apps
Why these three- 1StructuredFor: Most people
- 2RoutineFor: Anyone on Windows or Linux, or who wants calendars on a free plan
- 3FlowSavvyFor: People who want tasks placed on the calendar for them
Docs & Wikis
Why these three- 1Google DocsFor: Most people
- 2ConfluenceFor: Teams that want a wiki
- 3OutlineFor: Teams that want a wiki on their own servers or at a flat price
Email Apps
Why these three- 1Microsoft OutlookFor: Most people
- 2GmailFor: People who keep their calendar and files with Google
- 3Proton MailFor: People who want email their provider cannot read
File Storage & Sync
Why these three- 1Google DriveFor: Most people
- 2MEGAFor: People who want encrypted storage and more free space
- 3Microsoft OneDriveFor: People who use Word, Excel and PowerPoint, and families
Focus Apps
Why these threeForms & Surveys
Why these three- 1Google FormsFor: Most people
- 2TallyFor: Anyone who wants a fuller form builder without paying
- 3LimeSurveyFor: Researchers, and anyone who must keep answers on their own server
Habit Trackers
Why these three- 1HabitifyFor: Most people
- 2FinchFor: People who want to pay nothing and like a game-like reward
- 3Table HabitFor: People who want a free tracker with no account, on phone and desktop
Journaling Apps
Why these threeNote-Taking Apps
Why these three- 1NotionFor: Most people, and anyone who shares notes with a team
- 2ObsidianFor: People who want their notes as files they own
- 3Microsoft OneNoteFor: A free notebook on almost any device
Password Managers
Why these three- 1BitwardenFor: Most people
- 2Proton PassFor: People who want email aliases with their passwords
- 3KeePassXCFor: People who want passwords in a file on their own computer
Presentations
Why these three- 1Microsoft PowerPointFor: Most people
- 2Google SlidesFor: Anyone who wants to pay nothing and edit decks together
- 3CanvaFor: People without design training who start from a template
Project Management
Why these three- 1ClickUpFor: Most teams
- 2JiraFor: Software teams tracking bugs and development work
- 3OpenProjectFor: Teams that want the software on their own servers
Read Later & Bookmarks
Why these three- 1Raindrop.ioFor: Most people, for links, articles and highlights in one library
- 2InstapaperFor: People who save long articles to read later
- 3InoreaderFor: People who follow feeds and want new posts brought to them
Spreadsheets & Databases
Why these three- 1Google SheetsFor: Most people
- 2Microsoft ExcelFor: People who need a full spreadsheet as a desktop app
- 3GristFor: People whose data has outgrown a single sheet
Team Communication
Why these three- 1SlackFor: Most teams
- 2Microsoft TeamsFor: Organizations that already pay for Microsoft 365
- 3PumbleFor: Teams that want to pay nothing and keep their message history
Time Tracking
Why these three- 1ClockifyFor: Most people, from one freelancer to a team
- 2RescueTimeFor: People who want time recorded without starting a timer
- 3ActivityWatchFor: People who want their activity data on their own device
To-Do List Apps
Why these three- 1TodoistFor: Most people
- 2TickTickFor: One person who wants habits and a focus timer in the same app
- 3Microsoft To DoFor: Anyone who wants to pay nothing
Voice Dictation
Why these three- 1Wispr FlowFor: Most people
- 2SuperwhisperFor: People who want free dictation that stays on the device
- 3OpenWhisprFor: Linux users, and anyone who wants open-source software
Whiteboards & Mind Maps
Why these threeWriting Tools
Why these three- 1Microsoft WordFor: Most people
- 2GrammarlyFor: People who want their writing checked in every app
- 3ScrivenerFor: Writers of novels, theses and other long manuscripts
Browse by category
Popular tools
Start with the names you already know.
Todoist
To-Do Lists
Cross-platform to-do list with natural-language task entry
Free plan · from $5/moWeb · macOS · Windows +3Granola
Meeting Notes
AI notepad that transcribes meetings from device audio, no bot
Free plan · from $14/momacOS · Windows · iOS +1Linear
Project Management
Issue tracking and product planning for software teams
Free plan · from $10/moWeb · macOS · Windows +2Obsidian
Note-Taking
Markdown note-taking app that keeps your files on your device
Free plan · from $4/momacOS · Windows · Linux +2ChatGPT
AI Assistants
OpenAI's general-purpose AI assistant for chat, images and voice
Free plan · from $8/moWeb · macOS · Windows +2Superhuman Mail
Email
Keyboard-driven email client for Gmail and Outlook with built-in AI
From $25/moWeb · macOS · Windows +2Raycast
Utilities
Keyboard launcher with extensions, clipboard history and AI
Free plan · from $96/yrmacOS · Windows · iOSClickUp
Project Management
Work platform combining tasks, docs, chat and dashboards
Free plan · from $7/moWeb · macOS · Windows +3Akiflow
Daily Planners
Time-blocking planner that pulls tasks from other apps into one inbox
Free trial · from $19/moWeb · macOS · Windows +21Password
Passwords
Password manager for individuals, families and businesses
Free trial · from $3.99/momacOS · Windows · Linux +2Zapier
Automation
Workflow automation across 9,000+ apps, with AI agents
Free plan · from $19.99/moWeb
Start with a shortlist
Narrowed down by what each tool is actually good at.
- +6Best of
The best note-taking apps in 2026
Ten note-taking apps, from plain Markdown files kept on your own device to shared workspaces with databases. Each pick says who it suits, what it costs and where the free plan stops.
10 tools · Updated October 2026
- +4Best of
The best to-do list apps in 2026
Eight task managers worth your time, from a free app with no paid tier to a one-time purchase for Apple devices. Each pick says who it suits, what it costs and where it stops.
8 tools · Updated October 2026
- +5Best of
The best AI meeting note takers in 2026
Nine AI note takers for Zoom, Google Meet and Teams calls, from a free plan with unlimited recordings to a notepad that records without a bot. Each pick says who it suits, what it costs and where it stops.
9 tools · Updated October 2026
- +4Best of
The best daily planner apps in 2026
Eight planners that put your tasks on the calendar, from a guided daily routine to fully automatic scheduling. Each pick says who it suits, what it costs and where it stops.
8 tools · Updated October 2026
- +5Best of
The best project management software in 2026
Nine project management tools, from simple kanban boards to database-backed trackers and issue tracking for software teams. Each pick says who it suits, what it costs and where it stops.
9 tools · Updated October 2026
- +6Stack
A free productivity stack for 2026
Ten tools that cover notes, tasks, calendar, email, passwords and more without a subscription. For each one: exactly what the free plan includes and where it stops.
10 tools · Updated October 2026
Head to head
Price, platforms and features, side by side.
Pay less
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Why trust ToolGPA
Read from the source
Prices, plans and platforms come from each vendor's own pages wherever they publish them, and every tool lists the pages we used.
Dated
Every tool shows the day it was last checked, so you know how fresh the numbers are.
Reasons, not scores
We do not score tools. Every pick in a guide says why it is there and what to watch out for, and any rating shown is a store's own, with its source.