DayCaptain vs Intend

DayCaptain

• Keyboard-oriented people who time-box their tasks each day
• Developers who want a REST API for their tasks and schedule
• Planning at a desk, then checking the plan from a phone browser

Intend

• People who want daily to-dos tied to a few long-term goals
• Those who prefer a fresh list each day to a growing backlog
• Remote workers who want an accountability partner

DayCaptain

• There is no native mobile app; phones and tablets use the browser, and the vendor recommends planning on a computer with a keyboard.
• There is no free plan: after the 14-day trial a subscription of at least €10 / $12 per month is required.
• Google and Outlook calendars are imported one way, so time slots planned in DayCaptain are not sent back to them.

Intend

• There is no free plan: after the two-week trial it costs $12 a month, or $120 a year.
• There is no native app. The vendor recommends desktop use; on a phone it runs in the browser and can be added to the home screen.
• Goals are capped at 10 active at a time.
• It is a one-person company, and its founder said in January 2025 that the app is no longer his primary focus, though it will keep running.

DayCaptain

Keyboard usability concept

Every action can be triggered from the keyboard with mnemonic keys on the home row; pressing T, for example, focuses the task list.

Task list and calendar side by side

Each day has its own task list, ordered by importance, and tasks are assigned time slots on the calendar shown next to it.

Guided day and week planning

Step-by-step planning processes lead through setting up the day and reviewing the coming week, after which the plan acts as a guide through the day.

Backlogs

Tasks, to-dos and ideas that are not yet scheduled are kept in backlog lists, with filters to narrow what a view shows.

Google and Outlook calendar import

Events created in Google or Outlook calendars are imported automatically. Data flows into DayCaptain only, not back to the calendar.

REST API

A REST API lets developers build their own tools and extensions for managing tasks and time in DayCaptain.

Intend

Goals come first

Up to 10 goals can be active at once. Each has its own color, one top priority that stays in view while planning the day, and a setting for who can see it.

A new Today page every day

Each day starts with a blank list of intentions, each tagged with the goal it serves. Anything left undone does not carry over to the next day by itself.

Outcomes and not-dones

At the end of the day you record what was done toward each goal and whether it was enough. Undone items from the last 3 days can be picked up again by choice.

Pomodoro and hourglass timers

The Pomodoro timer has custom work and break lengths, and finished blocks are assigned to intentions. The hourglass timer can be paused or adjusted midway.

Reviews

Weekly, monthly, quarterly and yearly reviews are split into a section for each goal and come with preset questions that can be replaced with your own.

Accountability partners and coworking

Linked accounts see each other's intentions and get daily email updates. Coworking rooms share a synchronized Pomodoro clock and chat, and need no Intend account.

DayCaptain

• Monthly subscriptionFrom $12 (€10)

  per month; you choose the amount above the minimum

  One subscription with every feature. The vendor suggests paying the equivalent of one hour at your hourly rate.

Intend

• Yearly$10

  per month, paid as $120 per year

  Access to all features with support by chat and email, billed once a year.

• Monthly$12

  per month, cancel anytime

  The same access to all features with chat and email support, billed month to month.

• 1 on 1 Coaching$200

  per month

  All features plus 2 hours of one-on-one coaching calls a month. The first call is free and sign-up is by contacting the vendor.

DayCaptain

No public discounts listed.

Intend

• Annual discount

  About 17% less on the yearly plan

  The pricing page lists the Yearly plan at $10 a month, paid as $120 a year, against $12 a month on the Monthly plan.

• Other savings

  Lower prices on request for tight budgets

  The pricing page invites people who cannot afford the default prices to start the trial and then contact the vendor for other options. No rate is published.