Goalist vs Todoist (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, we pick Todoist: it is first in our ranking of to-do list apps, and it grades higher too, 2.8 against 2.0.
Checked Oct 4, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Oct 10, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
Todoist grades higher on ease of use and platforms. They get the same grade on value for money, the free plan and 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
Todoist
Cross-platform to-do list with natural-language task entry
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 Todoist if
- Fits if you want one list that's the same on your phone, laptop and watch
- Works for lists where half the tasks repeat, like rent, the bins and the Monday report
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you need start dates to keep things out of sight until they matter
- Not for you if you want tasks dropped into your calendar hour by hour
- Too light for real projects with timelines and things blocking other things
- Tight if you're never paying: 5 projects, 3 filters and 1 week of activity history
- Pricey if you want the calendar layout, task durations or custom reminders, all on Pro at $5 a month, and shared projects stop at 5 people
How we grade them
| 2.0GPAGoalistFair | 2.8GPATodoistGood | |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | C$5 a person a month on yearly billing, $8 for teams. That's the top of what this category charges, and plenty of to-do apps do the basics for less or nothing. What the money buys is the calendar layout, task durations and custom reminders. |
| 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. | CFree forever, and reminders are included now. But 5 personal projects and 3 filter views is a cap you'll walk into. Work, home, one side thing and you're done. Only 1 week of activity history is kept, too. |
| 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. | CTyped tasks with dates and repeats, labels, filters and an API. The gaps are real though: no start dates, the calendar layout needs Pro, and personal projects are capped at 5 people even when you're paying. |
| 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. | A4.8 from 129,494 App Store ratings. Open it, type a thing, done. Nobody needs a tutorial for this. |
| Platforms and integrations | CWeb only, a progressive web app you can add to your home screen. No native apps or integrations. | AMac, Windows, Linux (yes, really), iPhone, Android, web, watch and browser, plus Google Calendar, Claude and ChatGPT. There's an API too if you like wiring things together. |
| Best for | working on one goal at a time with a ranked task list | to-do lists on every device |
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 Todoist. How we grade
Where they differ
- Goalist also covers goals.
- Todoist also covers templates, natural-language input, calendar and kanban boards.
At a glance
| Goalist | Todoist | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free plan |
| Starts at | $5, price basis not stated | $5 per user / month, billed yearly |
| Free plan | Usable without sign-up; shows an Activate License button, and device sync and daily reminders are paid. | Beginner plan: 5 personal projects, task reminders, list and board layouts, 3 filter views and 1 week of activity history. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Browser extension | ||
| Made by | Goalist | Todoist Inc. |
| Price read from | goalist.app | todoist.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.
Todoist
- The free plan stops at 5 personal projects and keeps only 1 week of activity history.
- Calendar layout, task durations and custom reminders all need Pro or Business.
- Personal projects are capped at 5 people, even on paid plans.
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.
Todoist
- Quick Add
- Capture tasks in natural language as they come to you, including recurring due dates and reminders.
- List, board and calendar layouts
- Switch any project between a list, a kanban board and a calendar. The calendar layout needs a paid plan.
- Filters, labels and priorities
- Saved filter views pull tasks from across projects: 3 on the free plan, 150 on Pro and Business.
- Shared projects
- Share a project to assign tasks and comment on them. Personal projects allow up to 5 people on every plan.
- Team workspace
- Business adds public and private team projects, folders, roles and permissions, and shared templates.
- Ramble and Task Assist
- Ramble turns spoken thoughts into tasks; free accounts get limited sessions. Task Assist is included from Pro.
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.
Todoist
Beginner$0
5 personal projects, task reminders, list and board layouts, and 3 filter views.
Pro$5
per user / month, billed yearly ($60)
300 projects, calendar layout, task durations, custom reminders, 150 filter views and Task Assist.
Business$8
per user / month, billed yearly ($96)
Everything in Pro, plus a shared team workspace with up to 500 team projects, roles and central billing.
Ways to pay less
Goalist
No public discounts listed.
Todoist
- Annual discount
Save 20% with yearly billing
Todoist's pricing page lists a 20% saving on Pro and Business when billed yearly instead of monthly.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Goalist or Todoist?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Goalist starts at $5, price basis not stated, and Todoist starts at $5 per user / month, billed yearly.
Which has a free plan, Goalist or Todoist?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both Goalist and Todoist have a free plan.
Which platforms do Goalist and Todoist run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Todoist 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.