Amazing Marvin vs Upbase (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Amazing Marvin grades higher than Upbase: 2.6 against 2.0 out of 4.0.
Checked Oct 4, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Oct 10, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
Amazing Marvin grades higher on features and platforms. They get the same grade on value for money, the free plan and ease of use.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Amazing Marvin
Customizable task manager with 100+ features you switch on as needed
Upbase
Client work management with a personal daily planner
Which one is for you
Pick Amazing Marvin if
- Fits if other to-do apps felt like someone else's system and you'll spend time setting one up
- Works for Linux users who want a desktop app that syncs to their phone
Look elsewhere if
- Not for you if you want a free plan, as there's only a 14-day trial and then you can't add or complete tasks
- Pricey if you want one simple list, at $96 a year, or $12 a month billed monthly
- Skip it if you want to open an app and just type, because there's setting up to do first
- Watch out: there's no iPad app, so tablets get the web version, and time tracking needs an internet connection
- Tight if you rely on Zapier, as the Zapier integration can only create tasks in Marvin
Pick Upbase if
- Fits if you run a small agency and want clients to see their own tasks as guests
- Works for solo planners who want time blocking and can stay inside 5 projects
Look elsewhere if
- Pricey if you pay per person: $10 a user a month, against a typical $3.99 for this category
- Tight if you stay free, because it's 5 projects and 3 guests
- Too light for you if you want recurring tasks or reminders without paying, as both are Premium
- Watch out: each workspace is upgraded and charged separately
- Watch out: the pricing page shows no monthly-billed per-user price, only $10 a user
How we grade them
| 2.6GPAAmazing MarvinGood | 2.0GPAUpbaseFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | D$8 a month billed yearly ($96), $12 if you pay monthly. The middle of this category is $3.99, so you're paying double on yearly billing and sitting in the dearest tenth on monthly. Everything's on that one plan. | D$10 per user a month on yearly billing, when this category's dearest tenth starts at $9. The flat Unlimited plan is $99 a month, and a team of five on Premium pays $50 a month. |
| Free plan and trial | CNo free plan at all. You get 14 days with everything switched on and no card needed, and when it ends you can't add or complete tasks until you subscribe. | CFree forever, with unlimited tasks, time tracking and the planner. But 5 projects and 3 guests is a cap you'll hit, and Premium has a 14-day trial. |
| Features | AOver 100 features you switch on or off, covering the whole job. The capacity estimator is what other apps here lack: put time estimates on today's tasks and it tells you when the plan won't fit. Super Focus Mode shows one task at a time, and most of it works offline, though time tracking needs a connection. | CList, board and calendar views, time blocking, client guests, time tracking and Google Calendar sync. Recurring tasks, reminders and custom fields need Premium, and API access is listed as in progress. |
| Ease of use | CNo store rating on record, and 100 switches is a lot to meet on day one. The vendor hands you four different workflows to pick between before you've typed a task. | CProjects, views and client guests all have to be set up before it is useful. No store rating is on record. |
| Platforms and integrations | AWeb, Mac, Windows, Linux, iPhone, Android and a browser extension, plus Google Calendar, Zapier and an API documented on GitHub. Only gap is a dedicated iPad app, so tablets get the web version. | BWeb, iPhone, Android and a browser extension, with Google Calendar, Docs, Sheets and Slides. No desktop app is listed. |
| Best for | building a task manager around how you work | client work plus a daily planner |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: Amazing Marvin and Upbase. How we grade
Price against what you get
Amazing Marvin starts at $8 a month and scores 3.3 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. Upbase starts at $10 a month for each person and scores 2.3.
Amazing Marvin scores higher and starts $2 a month lower. Of the other to-do list apps on the chart, 2 score higher than Amazing Marvin for less, and 44 score higher than Upbase for less.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
Where they differ
- Amazing Marvin also covers Pomodoro timer and habit tracking.
- Upbase also covers calendar and kanban boards.
At a glance
| Amazing Marvin | Upbase | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free trial | Free plan |
| Starts at | $8 per month, billed annually ($96); $12 billed monthly | $10 per user / month, billed yearly |
| Free plan | None | Unlimited tasks, 5 projects, 3 free guests, unlimited members and storage, time tracking and the daily planner. |
| Free trial | 14-day free trial with full access to everything, no credit card required | 14-day free trial of Premium |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Browser extension | ||
| Made by | Amazing GmbH | Upbase |
| Price read from | amazingmarvin.com | upbase.io |
| Checked | Oct 4, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Amazing Marvin
- There is no free plan; when the 14-day trial ends, tasks cannot be added or completed until you subscribe.
- Monthly billing is $12; the $8 price applies only when paying $96 for a year.
- There are no dedicated iPad apps; the vendor says tablets can use the web app.
- Time tracking needs an internet connection, and the Zapier integration can only create tasks in Marvin.
Upbase
- The free plan stops at 5 projects and 3 guests; recurring tasks, reminders and custom fields need Premium.
- The pricing page does not show a monthly-billed per-user price, only $10 per user a month at the default view.
- Per-user plans are charged per workspace, so each workspace is upgraded separately.
- API access is listed as in progress.
Key features
Amazing Marvin
- Switchable features and workflows
- More than 100 features can be turned on or off, and the vendor describes workflows for day planning, list-based work, spontaneous work and GTD.
- Day planning and time blocking
- Plan a day or week with time estimates, a calendar view and time blocks. A capacity estimator gives feedback on whether the plan is realistic.
- Focus tools
- Super Focus Mode shows a single task at a time, Spotlight runs focus sessions of 1 to 3 hours, and a built-in timer supports Pomodoro intervals.
- Calendar sync
- External calendars such as Google Calendar sync one-way into Marvin or two-way, and events can be imported as events, tasks or time blocks.
- Habits and gamification
- Track habits and streaks, and earn points, levels and rewards for completed work.
- Offline use and API
- Tasks are saved on the device first and synced when online, so the desktop and mobile apps keep working without a connection. An API is documented on GitHub.
Upbase
- Daily and weekly planner
- Drag tasks onto days of a weekly planner, block out time for each one, and see the team's schedule in one view.
- Client dashboard and guests
- Clients are added as guests who see only what is shared with them. Free includes 3 guests; Premium has unlimited.
- Tasks in list, board and calendar views
- Tasks are unlimited on every plan, with custom fields, recurring tasks and reminders on the paid plans.
- Time tracking and timesheets
- Track time on tasks on every plan. Timesheets are part of Premium and Unlimited.
- Google Calendar two-way sync
- Shows Upbase tasks and Google Calendar events together. The comparison table lists it for Premium and Unlimited.
Plans
Amazing Marvin
Marvin Pro$8
per month, billed annually ($96); $12 billed monthly
Every feature, unlimited tasks and projects, custom workflows and views, analytics, all apps and personal email support.
Upbase
Free$0
Unlimited tasks, 5 projects, 3 free guests, list, board and calendar views, daily planner and time tracking.
Premium$10
per user / month, billed yearly (monthly price not shown)
Unlimited projects and guests, custom fields, automations, recurring tasks, reminders, timesheets, AI assistant.
Unlimited$99
per month for unlimited users, billed yearly ($119 billed monthly)
The Premium features at a flat price for every user in a single workspace.
Ways to pay less
Amazing Marvin
- Annual discount
Save 33% with annual billing
The pricing page lists a 33% saving on the annual plan: $96 a year, equal to $8 a month, against $12 when billed monthly.
- Education
50% off for students
Students get 50% off the monthly or the yearly plan. The discount is claimed by emailing the vendor.
- Other savings
Reduced price on request for financial hardship
The vendor says it does not want finances to prevent anyone from using Marvin and invites people who cannot afford the regular price to email for a price that works.
Upbase
- Annual discount
Yearly billing lowers the flat plan to $99
The Unlimited plan is $119 per month billed monthly or $99 per month billed yearly, according to the pricing page FAQ.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Amazing Marvin or Upbase?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Amazing Marvin starts at $8 per month, billed annually ($96); $12 billed monthly, and Upbase starts at $10 per user / month, billed yearly. One is priced for each person and the other is not, so which costs less depends on how many of you use it.
Which has a free plan, Amazing Marvin or Upbase?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Upbase has a free plan. Amazing Marvin does not, though it has a free trial.
Which platforms do Amazing Marvin and Upbase run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Amazing Marvin lists macOS, Windows and Linux apps. Both list a web app, iOS and Android apps and a browser extension. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.