Goalist vs TickTick (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, we pick TickTick: it is second in our ranking of to-do list apps, and it grades higher too, 3.4 against 2.0.
Checked Oct 4, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Oct 10, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
TickTick grades higher on the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms. They get the same grade on value for money.
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
TickTick
To-do list with a calendar, habit tracker and Pomodoro timer built in
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 TickTick if
- Fits if you want tasks, habits and a focus timer in one app, not three
- Works for people who move between Windows, Mac, Linux and a phone and want the same lists on all of them
Look elsewhere if
- Tight if you're staying free, with 9 lists, 99 tasks a list, 5 habits, 2 reminders a task and 1 attachment a day
- Not for you if you want every calendar view, task durations or email reminders without paying
- Skip it if you share a list with a crowd, since it's 2 members on free and 29 on Premium
- Watch out: the site sells Premium only at $49.99 a year, and the $4.99 monthly option is on the App Store
- Watch out: location-based reminders are listed as iOS only
How we grade them
| 2.0GPAGoalistFair | 3.4GPATickTickVery 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. | CPremium is $49.99 a year, about $4.17 a month, which sits in the middle of what this category charges rather than below it. It buys 299 lists, multiple calendar views, task durations and 299 habits. The site sells it by the year only; the App Store also lists $4.99 monthly. |
| 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. | BFree for good, with sync across devices, list and kanban views and a basic calendar. 9 lists and 99 tasks a list is enough that one person could really live here, though 5 habits, 2 reminders a task and 1 attachment a day are tighter. |
| 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. | AType a task and it picks out the date, or just say it out loud. Show a list as a board, a timeline or an Eisenhower matrix. Then the calendar, the habit tracker, the Pomodoro timer and shared lists with tasks assigned. It covers the whole job and bundles three things rivals sell separately. |
| 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. | A4.9 from 46,196 App Store ratings. Dates and times are recognized as you type, so adding a task doesn't mean filling in a form. |
| Platforms and integrations | CWeb only, a progressive web app you can add to your home screen. No native apps or integrations. | AWeb, Mac, Windows, Linux, iPhone, Android and a browser extension, and it connects to Notion and Google Calendar. One catch: location-based reminders are listed as iOS only. |
| Best for | working on one goal at a time with a ranked task list | tasks, habits and a focus timer in one app |
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 TickTick. How we grade
Where they differ
- Goalist also covers goals.
- TickTick also covers natural-language input, calendar, kanban boards, Pomodoro timer and habit tracking.
At a glance
| Goalist | TickTick | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free plan |
| Starts at | $5, price basis not stated | $49.99 per year (about $4.17 per month) |
| Free plan | Usable without sign-up; shows an Activate License button, and device sync and daily reminders are paid. | 9 lists, 99 tasks per list, 5 habits, 2 reminders per task and 1 attachment per day, with list and kanban views, a basic calendar view and sync across devices. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Browser extension | ||
| Made by | Goalist | Appest Inc. |
| Price read from | goalist.app | ticktick.com |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Oct 4, 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.
TickTick
- The free plan is capped at 9 lists, 99 tasks per list, 5 habits and 1 attachment per day.
- Multiple calendar views, task duration and email reminders are listed as Premium features.
- The pricing page shows Premium only as a $49.99 annual plan; a $4.99 monthly option appears on the App Store listing.
- Location-based reminders are listed as iOS only.
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.
TickTick
- Typed and spoken task capture
- Dates and times are recognized as a task is typed. Voice Capture turns speech into one or more tasks and uses AI to pull out dates and priorities.
- Calendar views
- Yearly, monthly, weekly, multi-day, multi-week and agenda views show tasks alongside subscribed calendars. The free plan has a basic calendar view; Premium lists multiple views.
- Kanban, timeline and matrix
- A list can be shown as a kanban board, as a timeline for tasks that have a duration, or as an Eisenhower matrix that sorts tasks by urgency and importance.
- Pomodoro timer
- Work on a task in 25-minute focus intervals. Statistics report focus time next to completed tasks and habit logs.
- Habit tracker
- Habits are logged and charted in the same app as tasks. The free plan allows 5 habits and Premium allows 299.
- Shared lists
- Share a list with other people and assign tasks to them. The member count is 2 on the free plan and 29 on Premium.
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.
TickTick
Free$0
9 lists with 99 tasks each, list and kanban views, date recognition as you type, task reminders and cross-platform sync.
Premium$49.99
per year
299 lists with 999 tasks each, multiple calendar views, task duration, email reminders, themes and 299 habits.
Ways to pay less
Goalist
No public discounts listed.
TickTick
- Education
25% off Premium for students, faculty and staff
Eligible students, faculty and staff can apply with proof of status for 25% off one year of Premium. TickTick lists the price after the discount as $37.99.
- Annual discount
Annual billing costs about 17% less than monthly
The App Store listing shows Premium at $4.99 monthly or $49.99 annually, so a year paid up front costs about 17% less than 12 monthly payments ($59.88).
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Goalist or TickTick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Goalist starts at $5, price basis not stated, and TickTick starts at $49.99 per year (about $4.17 per month).
Which has a free plan, Goalist or TickTick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both Goalist and TickTick have a free plan.
Which platforms do Goalist and TickTick run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only TickTick lists macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS and Android apps and a browser extension. 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.