Checkvist vs TaskPaper

Checkvist

• People who would rather not take their hands off the keyboard
• Outlining projects, research notes and checklists in nested lists
• Publishing or sharing a checklist and following its progress

TaskPaper

• People who want their to-do list in a plain text file they control
• Keyboard-centered outlining of projects and tasks on a Mac
• Buyers who prefer a one-time purchase to a subscription
• Users who like to customize an app with scripts and stylesheets

Checkvist

• There are no native desktop or mobile apps. Phones use an offline-capable progressive web app at m.checkvist.com.
• Repeating tasks, task assignment, Google Calendar sync, due reminders and file storage all need PRO.
• Subscriptions are quarterly or yearly. The pricing page shows $3.9 a month and $39 a year without saying which billing the monthly figure applies to.
• The PRO team plan, with user management and group access rights, is marked as coming soon.

TaskPaper

• Mac only, requiring macOS 11 or later. There is no iOS, Windows or web version, though other developers' apps can edit TaskPaper files.
• The developer calls it finished software and does not expect to add big new features.
• The user guide describes phone capture and notifications as weak areas and suggests pairing it with Apple Reminders.
• The direct-download version allows three activations and does not support iCloud directly, unlike the Mac App Store version.

Checkvist

Keyboard-driven commands

Actions run from short key combinations, such as dd for a due date or ll for lists, and pressing Shift twice opens a command palette for everything else.

Endless hierarchy with focus

List items nest without limit. You can expand to a chosen level, focus (hoist) on one branch, sort a list or branch, and filter the list as you type.

Markdown, notes and links

Items take Markdown formatting, code and tables, with notes, links and backlinks, image previews and file attachments. File storage of 2 GB comes with PRO.

Sharing and publishing

Lists are shared privately or publicly, by email or link, read-only or with write access, and can be embedded in a webpage. Passwords and link expiry need PRO.

Due dates, repeats and calendar sync

Due dates accept smart syntax such as +4d. Repeating tasks, due task reminders and two-way Google Calendar sync are part of PRO.

Email, clipper and open API

Tasks can be added by email or with the Web Clipper for Chrome and Firefox. An open API and Zapier connect other apps, and PRO adds Save from Slack.

TaskPaper

Plain text files

Lists are saved as plain text .taskpaper files that can be opened in any text editor or in compatible apps that other developers have written for iOS, Windows and Linux.

Auto-formatted projects, tasks and notes

Each line becomes a project, task or note as you type, and @tags add structure. Tagging a task @done crosses it out, and a command archives finished items.

Fold, focus and filter

Collapse sub-lists, zoom into a single project, or filter by tag, type or content with logical searches such as "not @done". Searches can be saved for reuse.

Dates in plain text

A date palette inserts ISO 8601 dates for tags such as @due and @start, chosen with the arrow keys or typed in TaskPaper's date and time syntax.

Import and export with Apple Reminders

Reminders captured on a phone, for example with Siri, can be imported with their due dates and priorities, and selected items can be exported to the Reminders app.

Stylesheets and scripting

Appearance is set by LESS/CSS stylesheets, and scripts written in JavaScript or AppleScript can automate the app and be run from its command palette.

Checkvist

• Free$0

  Unlimited hierarchical lists and sharing, keyboard shortcuts, Markdown, notes, due dates, tags, search, the mobile web app and the open API.

• PRO$3.9

  per person / month as displayed; $39/year shown below it

  2 GB of file storage, task assignment, repeating tasks, Google Calendar sync, reminders, bulk operations, 30-day backups and an MCP server.

• PRO team$6.9

  per person / month as displayed; $69/year shown below it

  Marked as coming soon: centralised data ownership, user management, group access rights, spaces, list locking and priority support.

TaskPaper

• Mac App Store License$24.99

  one-time purchase

  Bought through the Mac App Store and tied to an Apple account. This version is sandboxed and supports iCloud directly.

• Direct Download License$24.99

  one-time purchase

  License key bought through Paddle from taskpaper.com after a 1-week trial. One license allows three activations.

Checkvist

• Annual discount

  Lower PRO price on the yearly figure

  PRO is listed at $3.9 per person a month with $39/year beneath it. The yearly price works out to $3.25 a month, about 17% below the monthly figure shown.

TaskPaper

No public discounts listed.