Apple Reminders vs To Do List - Reminders & Tasks
We give Apple Reminders a 3.8 GPA and To Do List - Reminders & Tasks a 3.2, out of 4.0. Apple Reminders grades higher on the free plan, features and platforms. They get the same grade on value for money and 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
To Do List - Reminders & Tasks
Simple reminder and to-do app with a calendar view for Apple devices
How we grade them
| 3.8GPAApple RemindersExcellent | 3.2GPATo Do List - Reminders & TasksVery good | |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | APremium is $19.99 a year, well under the $3.99 a month a typical to-do app charges, or $29.99 once for lifetime access. Monthly is $2.99. A purchase on one device also applies on the others under the same Apple Account. |
| 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 with no ads, no tracking and no sign-up: lists, reminders, a calendar view, widgets and custom colours and icons. But there's no sync between devices, no notes on a reminder and no repeating reminders until you pay. |
| 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. | BColour-coded lists, a calendar where you drag a reminder to a new date, widgets with a What's Next view, and Siri, Spotlight and Shortcuts. Solid basics. But a sent list is a one-off copy that isn't kept in sync, and its due dates and notes aren't sent along. |
| 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 3,200 App Store ratings. There's no sign-up, and changing a due date is a drag across the calendar. |
| 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. | CiPhone, iPad and Mac, with iCloud, Siri and Apple Shortcuts. That's one family of devices. The App Store lists no Android, Windows or web version, and Siri only handles tasks in English. |
| Best for | free to-do lists if everything you own is Apple | a plain reminder list with a calendar view |
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 To Do List - Reminders & Tasks. How we grade
Where they differ
- Apple Reminders is free. To Do List - Reminders & Tasks starts at $2.99 per month, or $19.99 per year.
- Only Apple Reminders lists a web app.
- To Do List - Reminders & Tasks can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- Apple Reminders also covers templates, natural-language input and kanban boards.
- To Do List - Reminders & Tasks also covers calendar.
At a glance
| Apple Reminders | To Do List - Reminders & Tasks | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free plan |
| Starts at | Free | $2.99 per month, or $19.99 per year |
| 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 version with no ads, tracking or sign-up: lists, reminders, a calendar view, widgets and custom colors and icons. iCloud sync, notes on reminders and repeating reminders need Premium. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| iOS | ||
| Made by | Apple | Monelyze Inc. |
| 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
To Do List - Reminders & Tasks
- People who want a plain reminder list without ads or sign-up
- Seeing due dates on a calendar and moving them by drag and drop
- Buyers who prefer a lifetime purchase to a 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.
To Do List - Reminders & Tasks
- Apple platforms only: the App Store lists iPhone, iPad and Mac, with no Android, Windows or web version.
- Syncing between devices through iCloud requires a Premium purchase.
- Notes on reminders, repeating reminders and custom notification sounds are Premium features.
- Lists are sent as one-off copies and not shared: nothing syncs between sender and recipient, and Send List needs iOS 17 or later.
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.
To Do List - Reminders & Tasks
- Color-coded lists
- Reminders are grouped into lists with their own colors and icons, so work and personal items stay apart. All list icons are part of Premium.
- Calendar view
- Due dates are shown on a calendar, and a reminder's date is changed by dragging it. A more detailed calendar view is a Premium feature.
- Widgets
- Home screen widgets show what needs doing without opening the app, including a What's Next view added in version 7.3.
- Send List with App Clips
- A list can be sent to someone by QR code or link and opens in the app or, if it is not installed, in an App Clip. The copy is not kept in sync, and due dates and notes are not sent.
- iCloud sync in Premium
- With Premium, data syncs between iPhone, iPad and Mac through iCloud. A purchase made on one of them also applies on the others under the same Apple Account.
- Siri, Spotlight and Shortcuts
- Tasks can be added and managed through Siri in English, found through Spotlight, and used in Shortcuts.
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.
To Do List - Reminders & Tasks
Free$0
Lists and reminders with a calendar view, widgets and notifications, with no ads or tracking and no sync between devices.
Premium - Monthly$2.99
per month
Unlocks iCloud sync, notes on reminders, repeating reminders, the detailed calendar view and all themes, app icons and list icons.
Premium - Yearly$19.99
per year
The same Premium features billed once a year.
Premium - Lifetime$29.99
one-time purchase
Premium bought once for lifetime access in place of a subscription.
Ways to pay less
Apple Reminders
No public discounts listed.
To Do List - Reminders & Tasks
- Annual discount
Yearly plan costs about 44% less than monthly
The US App Store lists Premium at $2.99 monthly or $19.99 yearly, so a year on the yearly plan costs about 44% less than twelve monthly payments.
- Lifetime license
Premium - Lifetime for a one-time $29.99
Premium can be bought once for lifetime access in place of the monthly or yearly subscription; the listing notes that prices vary by country or region.
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