Goalist vs Super Productivity (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Super Productivity grades higher than Goalist: 3.4 against 2.0 out of 4.0.
Checked Oct 5, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Oct 10, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
Super Productivity grades higher on value for money, the free plan, ease of use and platforms. They get the same grade on features.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Goalist
One-goal to-do list that stores your data on your device
Free plan · from $5
Super Productivity
Free, open-source to-do app with time tracking and a Pomodoro timer
Free
Which one is for you
Pick Goalist if
- Fits if you want to focus on one goal and keep your data on your own device
- Works for people happy with a single browser or device
Look elsewhere if
- Not for you if you want sync across devices for free, as that's paid
- Not for you if you lose things: lose the 12-word code and you lose the data
- Skip it if you want native apps, as it's a web app only
- Watch out: the $5 price has no stated billing period
Pick Super Productivity if
- Fits if you're a developer and your day starts from Jira, GitHub or GitLab issues
- Works for people who bill by the hour and want time sheets from tracked tasks, with no account
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want sync that needs no setting up, because you connect Dropbox or WebDAV yourself
- Watch out: its own SuperSync is labeled beta, and the wiki says to use Nextcloud, WebDAV or Dropbox instead
- Not for you if you'd work mostly in a browser, as calendar and WebDAV sync are likely to fail there
- Watch out: fetching issues needs a connection, and a failed issue update isn't retried automatically
- Not for you if you expect a support desk, since it's run by volunteers and help comes from the community
How we grade them
| 2.0GPAGoalistFair | 3.4GPASuper ProductivityVery good | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C$5 for the licence, but the page doesn't say whether it's one-time or recurring, so we can't compare it with the category's one-time or monthly figures. | AFree on every platform under the MIT license, with no premium tier and no trial. You download it and run it, and there is simply nothing to buy. Development runs on optional donations through GitHub Sponsors. |
| Free plan and trial | CFree to use with no sign-up, but device sync and daily reminders are paid, and a licence button keeps showing until you pay. | AEvery feature on every platform is free, with no account needed. There's no paid plan, so there are no limits to bump into. Download it and you have the lot. |
| Features | COne goal at a time, a Resistance List, side quests and recurring tasks, working offline. A smaller job than most to-do lists, with keyboard shortcuts still being built. | CTasks, projects and boards, time tracking that turns into time sheets, a day planner and issue imports from Jira and GitHub. But the listing names a gap in the basics: SuperSync is beta, the wiki says use Dropbox or WebDAV instead, and in a browser calendar and WebDAV sync are likely to fail. |
| Ease of use | CNo store rating on record. A web app with a 12-word code to keep safe and a method of its own to learn. | BNo account and no setup: install it and your data sits on your device from the first minute. There's no rating on record to go by, so a B rather than higher, and arranging sync later is its own job. |
| Platforms and integrations | CWeb only, a progressive web app you can add to your home screen. No native apps or integrations. | AWindows, Mac, Linux, iPhone, Android and the web, with links to Jira, GitHub, GitLab, Gitea, Trello, Google Calendar, CalDAV and Dropbox. That's the full set plus a real list of things to connect to. |
| Best for | working on one goal at a time with a ranked task list | free task tracking with time sheets built in |
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: Goalist and Super Productivity. How we grade
Where they differ
- Super Productivity is open source, according to its own site.
- Goalist also covers goals.
- Super Productivity also covers kanban boards, Pomodoro timer and time tracking.
In commonFree planWebWorks offlineLocal-firstTasks
At a glance
| Goalist | Super Productivity | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free |
| Starts at | $5, price basis not stated | Free |
| Free plan | Usable without sign-up; shows an Activate License button, and device sync and daily reminders are paid. | Every feature on every platform is free under the MIT license, with no account, premium tier or trial. Development is supported by optional donations through GitHub Sponsors. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | Goalist | Johannes Millan |
| Price read from | goalist.app | super-productivity.com |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Oct 5, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Goalist
- It is a web app that can be added to a home screen; no native apps are listed.
- Losing the 12-word code means losing access to the data, which the site says is kept on your device.
- The page does not say whether the $5 is a one-time or a recurring charge.
- Device sync and daily reminders are paid, and keyboard shortcuts are still in progress.
Super Productivity
- The web app is more limited than the desktop app: calendar integration and WebDAV sync are likely to fail in a browser because of CORS.
- SuperSync is labeled beta, and the project's wiki suggests Nextcloud, WebDAV or Dropbox for production use until it is stable.
- Fetching issues and sending work logs needs a network connection, and a failed issue update is not retried automatically.
- The project is maintained by volunteers and funded by donations; help comes from the community on GitHub and Reddit.
Key features
Goalist
- One goal at a time
- The app asks you to focus on a single main goal, based on a goal-setting approach it credits to a Huberman Lab toolkit.
- Resistance List
- A to-do list where each task is given a difficulty level, which helps you see which ones you are avoiding.
- Side quests
- Secondary tasks and spontaneous ideas go on a separate list so they do not pull focus from the main goal.
- Local-first data
- Built on Evolu, so data is kept on your device and the app works without a connection. A 12-word code stands in for a login.
- Device sync and reminders
- Syncing across devices with the secret code, and daily reminders, are marked as paid features.
Super Productivity
- Tasks, projects and boards
- Tasks take subtasks, notes, tags, projects and repeat rules, and can be viewed as lists, on a Kanban board, in an Eisenhower Matrix or on boards you build yourself.
- Time tracking and time sheets
- Starting a task tracks time against it. Tracked time can be turned into time sheets and work summaries for export to a company's time-tracking system.
- Focus mode and break reminders
- Focus mode offers Pomodoro, Flowtime and countdown sessions, and a break reminder tells you when it is time to step away.
- Planner and schedule
- The planner lays the day out on a schedule timeline next to calendar events, which come in through Google Calendar or any CalDAV calendar.
- Issue tracker imports
- Issues assigned to you can be imported from Jira, GitHub, GitLab, Gitea and other trackers, with time tracked per issue and work logs sent back.
- Local data and optional sync
- Data is stored on the device and no account is needed. Devices can sync through Dropbox, WebDAV or SuperSync, the project's end-to-end encrypted service that can be self-hosted.
Plans
Goalist
Free$0
One goal at a time, Resistance List, side quests, recurring tasks and offline use.
License$5
billing period not stated on the page
Removes the Activate License button and enables device sync, daily reminders and more.
Super Productivity
Free$0
All features on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS and the web, released as open source under the MIT license.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Goalist or Super Productivity?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Goalist starts at $5, price basis not stated, and Super Productivity is free.
Which has a free plan, Goalist or Super Productivity?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both Goalist and Super Productivity have a free plan.
Which platforms do Goalist and Super Productivity run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Super Productivity lists macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS and Android apps. Both list a web app. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.