Dona vs Godspeed
We give Dona a 3.0 GPA and Godspeed a 3.2, out of 4.0. Dona grades higher on value for money and the free plan. Godspeed grades higher on 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.
Godspeed
Keyboard-driven to-do manager for Mac, iOS and the web
Free trial · from $48/yr
How we grade them
| 3.0GPADonaVery good | 3.2GPAGodspeedVery good | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | AIt's free. The homepage says "Try for free", the sign-up link says "Sign up for free", and the site names no paid plan at all. There's no pricing page, so if limits exist they aren't written down. | B$48 a year, which is $4 a month and right in the middle for paid to-do apps. Paying monthly is $6. One subscription covers the Mac, iOS and web apps on as many devices as you like. |
| Free plan and trial | AA free account gets you the whole web app, as far as its pages show. No trial, no card, no upgrade button to dodge. Sign in with an email or with Google. | CNo free plan. You get two weeks with every feature and no credit card, then it's yearly or monthly. Students and nonprofits can ask for a discount, though the amount isn't published. |
| Features | CLists, due dates, notes, search and a JSON export. That's roughly it. The site and the app's own text mention no reminders, no repeating tasks and no sharing. Fine for a short list, thin next to most to-do apps. | AHotkeys for everything, a Command Palette, tasks nested as deep as you like, dates and repeats typed in plain words, and smart lists built from search operators. Macros can even run JavaScript. Each list has its own email address for adding tasks. |
| Ease of use | BNo App Store rating is on record, since there's no app. It runs in the browser with nothing to install, and there's very little to learn. There's no help centre either, mind, just a homepage and an about page. | BWe have no App Store rating on record, so a B is as high as we go. It's built around the keyboard, so there are hotkeys to learn before it pays off. Hardcore Mode, which switches the mouse off altogether, is optional! |
| Platforms and integrations | CWeb only. The site links to the web app and lists no desktop or mobile apps, no integrations and no API. The interface comes in English and German. | AMac, iPhone, iPad and a web app, plus an API, URL handlers, Apple Shortcuts and Siri. Windows and Android people get the web app, where the browser takes some of the hotkeys. Google Calendar is still a private beta. |
| Best for | a plain, pretty to-do list in the browser | running your to-do list from the keyboard |
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: Dona and Godspeed. How we grade
Where they differ
- Dona is free. Godspeed starts at $48 per year ($4 / month), or $6 billed monthly.
- Dona has a free plan. Godspeed does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Godspeed lists macOS and iOS apps.
- Godspeed is end-to-end encrypted, according to its own site.
- Godspeed also covers natural-language input.
In commonWebKeyboard-firstTasks
At a glance
| Dona | Godspeed | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free trial |
| Starts at | Free | $48 per year ($4 / month), or $6 billed monthly |
| Free plan | Accounts are free: the homepage button reads Try for free and the web app's sign-up link reads Sign up for free. The site has no pricing page and names no paid plan. | None |
| Free trial | None listed | 2-week free trial with every feature and no credit card required |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| iOS | ||
| Made by | Dona | Otto Labs, LLC |
| Price read from | dona.ai | godspeedapp.com |
| Checked | Oct 9, 2026 | Oct 6, 2026 |
Who each one suits
Dona
- People who want a plain to-do list in the browser
- Users who care about interface polish and theming
- Keyboard users who like to set their own shortcuts
Godspeed
- People who want to manage tasks without touching the mouse
- Mac users who also want their tasks on iPhone, iPad and the web
- Users who want optional end-to-end encryption or to switch cloud sync off
- Scripting task capture through email, URL handlers or the API
Worth knowing
Dona
- The site links only to the web app at app.dona.ai and lists no desktop or mobile apps.
- There is no pricing page: the site says only Try for free and Sign up for free, so any limits or future paid plans are undocumented.
- The marketing site is a homepage and an about page with a footer dated 2023, and has no help center, changelog or feature documentation.
- The site and the web app's interface text mention no reminders, recurring tasks or sharing with other people.
Godspeed
- There is no free plan: after the 2-week trial the pricing page offers only yearly or monthly subscriptions.
- Native apps exist only for macOS 12 or newer, iPhone and iPad. Other systems use the web app, where some hotkeys are taken by the browser.
- Data in shared lists is not end-to-end encrypted, so that every collaborator can read it.
- The Google Calendar integration is described on the vendor's site as a private beta.
Key features
Dona
- Lists with emoji and colors
- Tasks are organized into lists, and each list can be given its own name, emoji and color. The onboarding text describes the lists as fully customizable.
- Customizable keyboard shortcuts
- The shortcuts for creating a task, creating a list and switching between lists can be reassigned, and a setting shows the shortcut hints, hides them or reveals them on hover.
- Light, dark and black themes
- The interface comes in light, dark and black themes, with an automatic option in the settings, plus a compact view for denser lists.
- Due dates and notes
- A task can be scheduled with a due date and carry a written note. Settings offer three date formats and a choice of the day the week starts on.
- Search and JSON export
- The web app's interface includes a search with a results view and an Export as JSON action alongside the actions for clearing and deleting a list.
- Email or Google sign-in
- Accounts are created with an email address and password or with Continue with Google, and the interface language can be set to English or German.
Godspeed
- Keyboard-driven interface
- Every action has a hotkey or sits in the Command Palette. Hotkeys can be reassigned or set as multi-key chords, and Hardcore Mode switches the mouse off altogether.
- Natural-language dates and repeats
- Due dates and repeat rules are typed in plain language. A task can repeat from its previous due date or from the day it was completed, and can be snoozed.
- Labels, smart lists and search operators
- Labels can be grouped and made mutually exclusive. Smart lists are saved searches built from boolean operators over lists, labels, dates and other task properties.
- Macros
- Macros are custom commands made by stringing together existing commands and other macros, with variables that can be updated using JavaScript.
- Shared lists and public links
- Lists can be shared with other Godspeed users, who see each other's live selection while working in the same list, or published as a publicly viewable link.
- Capture by email, URL handlers and API
- Each list has its own email address for creating tasks, a global hotkey opens Quick Entry on the Mac, and URL handlers and an API let other apps and scripts add tasks.
Plans
Dona
Free$0
The web app with a free account. The site publishes no pricing page, plan limits or paid tier.
Godspeed
Pay yearly$48
per year ($4 / month)
Full access after the 2-week trial. One purchase covers the Mac, iOS and web apps on any number of devices.
Pay monthly$6
per month
The same full access on every device, billed month to month.
Full access$149.00
in-app purchase; basis not shown on the App Store listing
Listed among the iOS app's in-app purchases without a billing period. The vendor's pricing page describes only the two subscriptions.
Ways to pay less
Dona
No public discounts listed.
Godspeed
- Annual discount
Yearly billing works out to $4 a month
The pricing page lists $48 billed yearly ($4 a month) against $6 billed monthly, which is $24 less over a year, a saving of about 33%.
- Education
Student discount on request
The pricing FAQ says students can contact Godspeed for a discount. The amount is not published.
- Nonprofit
Nonprofit discount on request
The same FAQ answer extends a discount to nonprofits and others who get in touch. The amount is not published.
