Apple Reminders vs Reminder Notifications
We give Apple Reminders a 3.8 GPA and Reminder Notifications a 2.6, out of 4.0. Apple Reminders grades higher on value for money, the free plan, features and platforms. They get the same grade on ease of use.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Apple Reminders
Apple's free to-do app for iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple Watch
Free
Reminder Notifications
Recurring reminders by quiet notification for iPhone and iPad
Free plan · from $0.99
How we grade them
| 3.8GPAApple RemindersExcellent | 2.6GPAReminder NotificationsGood | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | AThere's nothing to buy. The app is listed as free on the App Store with no paid tier, and that covers Smart Lists, tags, subtasks, shared lists, location reminders and iCloud sync. | BNo subscriptions, and the two Pro in-app purchases are $0.99 and $1.99, which is pocket change. So why not an A? Neither the App Store listing nor the vendor's page says what either one unlocks, so we can't tell you what the money buys. |
| Free plan and trial | AEvery feature is free on iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch and Apple Vision Pro, plus a browser version at iCloud.com. No limits to hit and no upgrade to be sold. | BFree to download with recurring reminders, the Home Screen widget and iCloud sync, though the App Store listing says the app contains advertising. Where free stops and Pro starts isn't spelled out, so we can't promise you'd stay free for good. |
| Features | ASmart Lists that fill themselves by tag, date, place or flag. Subtasks, sections and a column view for simple kanban. Alerts on arriving somewhere or messaging a person. Shared lists with assignments, grocery lists that sort themselves, and templates. Type "Jog every other morning" and it sets the repeat. | CIt does one narrow thing: a reminder with a name, a time and a repeat from hourly to yearly, sent as a plain notification. A widget shows what's coming up and iCloud keeps your devices in step. That's the lot. It's thin even next to other reminder apps, which add things like auto-snooze and timers. |
| Ease of use | A4.8 from about 1 million App Store ratings. It's already on the phone, so there's nothing to install, and commenters say they add things just by telling Siri. | A4.7 from about 1,400 App Store ratings. Setting a reminder is three steps: name it, pick how often it repeats, choose the time. |
| Platforms and integrations | BiPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch and Apple Vision Pro, plus iCloud.com in a browser for everything else. But no Android or Windows app, and on the web you can only edit a reminder's title, notes, day or location alert and flag. | DiPhone and iPad only, which is one operating system. The vendor links no Android version, iCloud is the only thing it connects to, and English is the only language on the App Store listing. |
| Best for | free to-do lists if everything you own is Apple | quiet repeating reminders on an iPhone |
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: Apple Reminders and Reminder Notifications. How we grade
Where they differ
- Apple Reminders is free. Reminder Notifications starts at $0.99 in-app purchase for Reminder Notification Pro (US App Store; basis not shown).
- Only Apple Reminders lists a web app.
- Only Apple Reminders lists a macOS app.
- Reminder Notifications can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- Apple Reminders also covers templates, natural-language input and kanban boards.
In commonFree planiOSTasks
At a glance
| Apple Reminders | Reminder Notifications | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free plan |
| Starts at | Free | $0.99 in-app purchase for Reminder Notification Pro (US App Store; basis not shown) |
| Free plan | The app is listed as free on the App Store, with no paid tier: lists, Smart Lists, tags, subtasks, shared lists, location-based reminders and iCloud sync. | Free to download with recurring reminders, a Home Screen widget and iCloud sync. The App Store listing says the app contains advertising, and the vendor's page says there are no subscriptions. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| iOS | ||
| Made by | Apple | MaartenLabs |
| Price read from | apps.apple.com | apps.apple.com |
| Checked | Oct 5, 2026 | Oct 9, 2026 |
Who each one suits
Apple Reminders
- People who use only Apple devices
- Shared grocery and household lists among iCloud users
- Location-based reminders and adding tasks by voice with Siri
Reminder Notifications
- Recurring reminders for medication, bills and birthdays
- People who want a notification, not a loud alarm
- iPhone and iPad users looking for a reminder app with no subscription
Worth knowing
Apple Reminders
- Apps are listed only for Apple devices; on anything else, reminders are reached in a web browser at iCloud.com.
- On iCloud.com a reminder's title, notes, day or location alert and flag can be edited; Apple directs you to the app for other details.
- Sync and shared lists depend on iCloud, and collaborators need to use iCloud as well.
- Apple notes that certain features are available only in select languages and regions.
Reminder Notifications
- iPhone and iPad only. The App Store allows it on Apple silicon Macs as an iPad app marked not verified for macOS, and the vendor links no Android version.
- The App Store listing says the app contains advertising.
- Two Pro in-app purchases, $0.99 and $1.99, are listed without a billing basis or a description of what they unlock.
- English is the only language on the App Store listing.
Key features
Apple Reminders
- Smart Lists
- Built-in lists such as Today, Scheduled, Flagged and Assigned to Me fill themselves. Custom Smart Lists gather reminders by tag, date, time, location, flag and priority.
- Tags, subtasks and sections
- Reminders can carry tags and subtasks. A list can be divided into sections and shown in a column view, which Apple suggests for simple kanban boards.
- Time, location and Messages alerts
- A reminder can repeat daily, weekly or at a custom interval, fire on arriving at a place or getting in the car, or appear the next time you message a tagged person.
- Shared lists and assignments
- Everyone on a shared list can add and complete reminders, changes show up for all collaborators in real time, and reminders can be assigned to people on the list.
- Grocery lists and templates
- Grocery lists group items into sections such as dairy and produce on their own. Any list can be saved as a template and shared with others through a link.
- Natural language and Apple Intelligence
- A typed phrase such as "Jog every other morning" sets the schedule. Apple Intelligence can sort a list into categories and suggest tasks from shared text or web pages.
Reminder Notifications
- Recurring reminders
- A reminder can repeat daily, weekly, monthly or yearly, and the version history adds an hourly option. It is set once and keeps recurring on that pattern.
- Notifications instead of alarms
- Reminders arrive as standard notifications at the chosen time. The vendor's page describes them as quiet, with no alarms and no noise.
- Home Screen widget
- A widget on the Home Screen lists upcoming reminders so they can be checked without opening the app.
- iCloud sync
- Version 1.2.7 added iCloud sync, which keeps the same reminders up to date across a person's devices.
- Three-step setup
- Creating a reminder takes three steps on the vendor's page: name it, pick how often it repeats, and choose the time.
Plans
Apple Reminders
Free$0
Every feature of the app on iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch and Apple Vision Pro, plus browser access at iCloud.com.
Reminder Notifications
Free$0
Recurring reminders, the Home Screen widget and iCloud sync. The App Store listing marks the app as containing advertising.
Reminder Notification Pro$0.99
basis not shown on the listing; the vendor says no subscriptions
An in-app purchase on the US App Store. Neither the listing nor the vendor's page says what it unlocks.
Reminders Pro$1.99
basis not shown on the listing; the vendor says no subscriptions
A second in-app purchase on the US App Store, also without a description. Optional tips of $0.99, $2.99 and $4.99 are listed too.
