HamsterBase Tasks vs Super Productivity
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
HamsterBase Tasks
Open-source, local-first task manager with encrypted sync
Free plan · from $20/yr
Super Productivity
Free, open-source to-do app with time tracking and a Pomodoro timer
Free
Where they differ
- HamsterBase Tasks starts at $20 per year (Pro). Super Productivity is free.
- HamsterBase Tasks is self-hostable and end-to-end encrypted, according to its own site.
- HamsterBase Tasks can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- Super Productivity also covers kanban boards, Pomodoro timer and time tracking.
In commonFree planWebmacOSWindowsLinuxiOSAndroidOpen sourceWorks offlineLocal-firstTasks
At a glance
| HamsterBase Tasks | Super Productivity | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free |
| Starts at | $20 per year (Pro) | Free |
| Free plan | Unlimited tasks with web and mobile app access. The vendor says all core features are free and only cloud sync is paid; a self-hosted sync server is also free. | 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 | HamsterBase | Johannes Millan |
| Price read from | tasks.hamsterbase.com | super-productivity.com |
| Checked | Oct 9, 2026 | Oct 5, 2026 |
Who each one suits
HamsterBase Tasks
- People who plan in areas and projects and want little else
- Privacy-minded users who want end-to-end encrypted sync
- Using one task list across desktop, phone and browser
- Self-hosters who want to run their own sync server
Super Productivity
- Developers who plan their day from Jira, GitHub or GitLab issues
- Freelancers who need time sheets from the tasks they tracked
- People who want a free app that keeps data on their own device
Worth knowing
HamsterBase Tasks
- Cloud sync is paid: Pro at $20 a year covers 3 cloud-synced databases, and the store page says no refunds are offered.
- Cloud Inbox content is stored unencrypted on the server until it is pulled into a database, unlike the rest of the data.
- Attachments need an S3-compatible bucket you supply; the files are not end-to-end encrypted and the S3 settings do not sync between devices.
- The vendor says it deliberately leaves out features such as habit tracking and Pomodoro timers.
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
HamsterBase Tasks
- Areas, projects and headings
- Projects are grouped into areas such as Work or Personal and broken into tasks under collapsible headings. Finished projects hide automatically to keep the list short.
- Start dates and reminders
- A task with a future start date stays out of sight until that date arrives. Tasks can also have due dates, and the mobile release notes list reminder support.
- Local-first with encrypted sync
- Data lives on the device and the app works offline. Sync between devices is end-to-end encrypted, and the vendor says it cannot read the data.
- Rule-based custom views
- On desktop, a view is a saved list defined by a rule over fields such as status, tags, start date and due date, so matching tasks appear in it automatically.
- Recurring tasks
- When a recurring task is completed, the next one is created from short rules such as 1w or 1m, with separate rules for the start date and the due date.
- Cloud Inbox and attachments
- Cloud Inbox, a paid feature, appends tasks to a database's Inbox through an HTTP API. File attachments are stored in an S3-compatible bucket that you provide.
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
HamsterBase Tasks
Free$0
Unlimited tasks with web access and mobile app access, and data kept on the device. Cloud-synced databases are not included.
Pro$20
per year
Everything in Free, plus 3 cloud-synced databases and Cloud Inbox. The US App Store lists the same year of Cloud Pro at $19.99.
Lifetime$60
one-time payment
Everything in Pro with lifetime access for a single payment.
Super Productivity
Free$0
All features on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS and the web, released as open source under the MIT license.
Ways to pay less
HamsterBase Tasks
- Lifetime license
Lifetime access for $60
The pricing section lists a Lifetime plan at $60 as a one-time payment with everything in Pro, which equals three years of the $20-a-year Pro plan.
Super Productivity
No public discounts listed.
