Nirvana vs Tracks
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Nirvana
To-do list app built around the Getting Things Done method
Free plan · from $3/mo
Where they differ
- Nirvana starts at $3 per month, billed annually ($36/year). Tracks is free.
- Only Nirvana lists macOS, Windows, iOS and Android apps.
- Tracks is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
In commonFree planWebTasks
At a glance
| Nirvana | Tracks | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free |
| Starts at | $3 per month, billed annually ($36/year) | Free |
| Free plan | Basic account: unlimited to-dos, up to 5 projects, 3 reference lists and 2 areas, with sync across devices and email capture. It does not expire. | The software is free and open source under the GNU GPL. You download the source or use Docker and run it on your own computer or server; the project itself sells no plans. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | Nirvanahq, Inc. | TracksApp |
| Price read from | nirvanahq.com | getontracks.org |
| Checked | Oct 5, 2026 | Oct 9, 2026 |
Who each one suits
Nirvana
- People who follow Getting Things Done and want its lists ready-made
- Solo users who want one task system on web, desktop and phone
- Connecting an AI client such as Claude or Cursor to a to-do list
Tracks
- GTD practitioners who want contexts, projects and a tickler
- People comfortable running a Rails app or a Docker container
- Households or small groups wanting private accounts on one server
- Getting task data out through feeds, exports and an API
Worth knowing
Nirvana
- Basic accounts are capped at 5 projects, 3 reference lists and 2 areas, and recurring to-dos need Pro.
- Pro has no free trial, and the vendor gives no refunds and does not prorate a cancelled billing period.
- The AI assistant is a beta for Pro early-access members on the web and desktop apps, and it has no calendar integration.
- No Linux app is listed. The apps page names Mac, Windows, iPhone, iPad, Android and the web browser.
Tracks
- Running Tracks yourself takes a server with Ruby and a MySQL, PostgreSQL or SQLite database, or a Docker setup.
- The latest stable release, 2.7.1, is dated July 25, 2024 and was primarily a security release.
- There are no native phone apps. Phones use a lightweight mobile web interface, and the only client listed is for SailfishOS.
- A hosted instance, TaskItIn, is run by the principal maintainer's company at €3 a month after a 30-day free trial.
Key features
Nirvana
- Built-in GTD lists
- To-dos move between Inbox, Next, Waiting, Scheduled and Someday lists, and a Focus list collects the ones you star for attention now.
- Projects, areas and reference lists
- Projects group related to-dos, areas of focus separate parts of your life, and reference lists hold material that is not actionable. Basic accounts cap all three.
- Tags, contexts and filters
- Filter to-dos by tags, areas, contacts, energy and time required to see what is practical for where you are and how much time you have.
- Capture and Focus by email
- Forwarding an email to your Nirvana address turns it into a to-do, and the Focus list can be emailed to you on chosen days of the week.
- Scheduled and recurring to-dos
- Scheduled to-dos stay out of the actionable lists until their start date, and due dates can be set on to-dos and projects. Recurring to-dos need Pro.
- AI assistant and MCP server
- A built-in assistant, in beta for Pro early-access members, runs guided reviews. An MCP server lets clients such as Claude and ChatGPT read and create tasks; updating them needs Pro.
Tracks
- Contexts and projects
- The home page lists next actions sorted by context, and separate pages show one context or one project. Projects and contexts can be reordered by dragging and hidden from the home page.
- Tags and stars
- Actions take free-form tags, each with its own page of matching actions, and a star icon marks actions to pull onto a starred page.
- Due dates and a tickler
- Optional due dates are shown on a traffic-light colored background by how close they are. The tickler schedules an action to appear on the home page only after a future date.
- Multiple private users
- Each user has their own contexts, projects, actions and preferences behind a login. Only the admin can add or delete accounts, so visitors cannot sign themselves up.
- Statistics
- A statistics page shows the average time taken to complete actions, how many were completed in the past month or year, and which days of the week are the most productive.
- Feeds, exports and API
- Next actions are available as text, iCal and RSS feeds, data exports to YAML, CSV or XML, and an API lets scripts read and write tasks. A lightweight mobile web interface is included.
Plans
Nirvana
Free$0
The GTD lists, tags and contexts, notes and checklists, sync and email capture, with up to 5 projects, 3 reference lists and 2 areas.
Pro$3
per month, billed annually ($36); $5 billed monthly
Everything in Free, plus unlimited projects, areas and reference lists, recurring to-dos and priority support.
Tracks
Free$0
The complete application, installed from source or with Docker on a machine you run, for as many users as the admin adds.
Ways to pay less
Nirvana
- Annual discount
40% off Pro with yearly billing
Pro costs $5 a month billed monthly or $36 a year, which works out to $3 a month. The pricing page labels the yearly option as 40% off.
Tracks
No public discounts listed.
