MyLifeOrganized vs ToDoList
We give MyLifeOrganized and ToDoList the same GPA: 3.2 out of 4.0. MyLifeOrganized grades higher on platforms. ToDoList grades higher on value for money and the free plan. They get the same grade on features and ease of use.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
MyLifeOrganized
Outline-based task manager that builds a next-actions list
Free plan · from $29.99
ToDoList
Free, open-source task outliner for Windows with Gantt and kanban
Free
How we grade them
| 3.2GPAMyLifeOrganizedVery good | 3.2GPAToDoListVery good | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | BPro on iPhone is a $29.99 in-app purchase, and cloud sync is $19.95 for 12 months. Fair enough, each of them. But the Windows app is sold separately and its price isn't on record here, so the full bill is hard to add up. | AFree and open source, with the source code and the built download both published on GitHub. Every view and plugin is in. The only money mentioned is an optional PayPal donation in the Help menu. |
| Free plan and trial | BThe phone apps keep a lot free: unlimited nested tasks, next actions, contexts, reminders and templates. But repeating tasks, custom views and the calendar lock when the 21-day Pro trial ends. The Windows app has a 45-day trial. | AThe whole program is free: the task tree, the kanban, Gantt, calendar, workload and burndown views, and the plugins. There's no paid edition to upgrade to, so nothing is held back. |
| Features | ATasks nest with no depth limit, and the app builds your next-actions list from the priority of each task and its parents. Pro adds dependencies, projects that run in order, custom views, a calendar and a Nearby view that knows where you are. | ASubtasks inside subtasks, and attributes most apps never think of: risk, time estimate, time spent, percent done, version. See the same list as a tree, a kanban board, a Gantt chart, a calendar or a mind map. It imports from Outlook, FreeMind and MyLifeOrganized too. |
| Ease of use | BWe have no App Store rating on record, so a B is as high as we go. Templates for GTD, FranklinCovey and Do-It-Tomorrow give you a starting point. You'll want one, because we'd expect an outline this flexible to take some setting up. | BThere's no installer: you unzip it and run it, from a hard drive or even a USB stick. A few views need the Visual C++ 2015 runtime and .NET Framework 4.6.2. And with this many attributes, it'll take a while to settle in. No rating on record, so a B at best. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWindows, iPhone and Android, with Apple Reminders and Google Assistant hooked in. But there's no Mac app, and a web version announced in December 2024 still has no release date. The iOS app was last updated in April 2022. | DWindows only. The vendor's notes cover running it on Linux through Wine, which isn't a native build, and there's no phone or web version. It does trade files with Outlook, GanttProject, FreeMind and MyLifeOrganized, and exports to HTML, CSV and iCalendar. |
| Best for | deep outlines that turn into a next-actions list | a free, detailed task outliner on Windows |
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: MyLifeOrganized and ToDoList. How we grade
Where they differ
- MyLifeOrganized starts at $29.99 in-app purchase for Pro on iOS; the Windows app is sold separately. ToDoList is free.
- Only MyLifeOrganized lists iOS and Android apps.
- ToDoList is open source, according to its own site.
- MyLifeOrganized also covers templates, calendar and goals.
- ToDoList also covers kanban boards, Gantt & timelines and time tracking.
In commonFree planWindowsWorks offlineTasks
At a glance
| MyLifeOrganized | ToDoList | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free |
| Starts at | $29.99 in-app purchase for Pro on iOS; the Windows app is sold separately | Free |
| Free plan | The iOS and Android apps keep most features free: unlimited nested tasks, next actions, context filters, inbox, starred tasks, reminders and templates. | The whole program is free and open source: the vendor's GitHub repositories publish the source code and the built download. The Help menu links to an optional PayPal donation. |
| Free trial | 45-day free trial of the Windows app; Pro features are free for the first 21 days on iOS and Android | None listed |
| Windows | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | MyLifeOrganized | AbstractSpoon |
| Price read from | apps.apple.com | github.com |
| Checked | Oct 5, 2026 | Oct 9, 2026 |
Who each one suits
MyLifeOrganized
- People who plan in deep outlines of projects and subtasks
- GTD users who want contexts, reviews and dependencies in one tool
- Syncing a phone with a Windows PC over private Wi-Fi or working offline
ToDoList
- Windows users who want a free, detailed task outliner
- People who keep their tasks in local files instead of an online account
- Planners who want Gantt, kanban and workload views in one program
- Small teams sharing a tasklist on a network drive
Worth knowing
MyLifeOrganized
- The Windows app is sold separately in Standard and PRO editions after a 45-day trial; its license prices are not shown in the store listings or included here.
- Recurring tasks, custom views, the calendar view, dependencies and project tracking are Pro features that lock when the 21-day trial ends.
- Cloud sync is a separate subscription, from $4.95 for 30 days to $29.95 for 24 months, with tax or VAT added in some countries.
- The vendor lists apps for Windows, Android and iOS only. The iOS app was last updated in April 2022, and a web version announced in December 2024 has no release date.
ToDoList
- It is a Windows program. The vendor's install notes cover running it on Linux through Wine, not a native Linux build.
- Sharing works by check-out: only one person can edit a shared tasklist at any given time.
- The Evidence Board, Logged Time, Mind Map, Week Planner and Word Cloud views need the Visual C++ 2015 runtime and .NET Framework 4.6.2.
- There is no installer: it is unzipped by hand, and the vendor advises against placing it in Program Files (x86).
Key features
MyLifeOrganized
- Unlimited task hierarchy
- Tasks nest into subtasks without a depth limit, so a project can be broken down until each action is a manageable size. Zoom narrows the view to one branch.
- Automatic next-actions list
- The app generates a list of only the actions that need attention now, sorted using the priority of each task and of its parents.
- Contexts and Nearby view
- Actions can be filtered by context. The Pro Nearby view lists actions for your current GPS location, with reminders when you reach or leave a place.
- Dependencies and ordered projects
- Pro handles sequential and parallel projects, holding back tasks that cannot start until other tasks are finished, and can require tasks to be completed in order.
- Custom views, calendar and workspaces
- Pro adds custom views with filtering, sorting and grouping, a calendar view of daily workload, project tracking and workspace tabs for switching between views.
- Cloud, Wi-Fi or offline
- The paid MLO Cloud service syncs mobile devices with the Windows desktop app and lets several people share a task list. Sync over your own Wi-Fi and offline use are also possible.
ToDoList
- Nested tasks and subtasks
- Any task can hold subtasks, which can hold subtasks of their own, so a large project breaks down into smaller steps. Dragging one task onto another makes it a subtask.
- Detailed task attributes
- Tasks carry priority, risk, time estimate and time spent, percent done, start and due dates, categories, status, version and the people they are allocated to.
- Alternative task views
- Besides the task tree there are kanban board, Gantt chart, calendar, workload and burndown views, plus plugin views such as Mind Map, Week Planner, Evidence Board and Word Cloud.
- Comments and file links
- Each task has plain or rich text comments, which can embed images, and a file link field for local or network files, web and email addresses, Outlook folders or other tasks.
- Import and export
- Tasks import from Microsoft Outlook, GanttProject, FreeMind, MyLifeOrganized or a plain outline, and export to the same applications as well as HTML, CSV and iCalendar.
- Portable install and shared tasklists
- It ships as a zip that runs from a hard drive, USB stick, network share or synced cloud folder. A check-out system lets a team share one tasklist, one editor at a time.
Plans
MyLifeOrganized
Free$0
Mobile apps with unlimited task hierarchy, automatic next actions, context filters, inbox, starred tasks, zoom, reminders and templates.
MLO Cloud Sync$19.95
for 12 months; $4.95 for 30 days up to $29.95 for 24 months
Subscription that syncs task lists between devices and the Windows app and allows sharing a list. Also sold in 3-month ($7.95) and 6-month ($12.95) terms.
MLO v3 Pro (iOS)$29.99
in-app purchase; billing basis not shown on the listing
Keeps the Pro features after the 21-day trial: calendar view, custom views, recurring tasks, dependencies, workspaces, Nearby view and review.
ToDoList
Free$0
The full Windows program with every task view and plugin. The plugin source code carries the Eclipse Public License 1.0.
Ways to pay less
MyLifeOrganized
- Other savings
Lower monthly cost on longer Cloud Sync terms
MLO Cloud Sync costs $4.95 for 30 days, $19.95 for 12 months (about $1.66 a month) or $29.95 for 24 months (about $1.25 a month).
- Other savings
Upgrade pricing for iOS version 2 owners
The App Store listing shows Pro v3 upgrades for owners of version 2 at $19.99, or $9.99 for owners of the v2 HD edition, against $29.99 for a new Pro purchase.
ToDoList
No public discounts listed.
