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The Apple Reminders Insider’s Guide

Everything we know about Apple Reminders in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.

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ToolGPAOctober 2026

Apple Reminders

The Insider’s Guide

Apple's free to-do app for iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple Watch

Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among to-do list apps, read from Apple Reminders’s own pages.

Made by Apple · checked Oct 5, 2026 · toolgpa.com

3.6GPA

Contents

  1. 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
  2. 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
  3. 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
  4. 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
  5. 05After you payGetting your money back, getting out, and getting help
  6. 06The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
  7. 07Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
  8. 08About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it

ToolGPA put this guide together from Apple Reminders’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Apple Reminders’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 5, 2026.

Part 01 · Overview

Welcome

What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first

3.6

GPA, above 122 of the 123 other to-do list apps we grade

Reminders is Apple's to-do app for iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch and Apple Vision Pro. Reminders sit in lists with subtasks, tags, sections and dates, and Smart Lists gather them by date, flag, tag or location. Lists sync between devices through iCloud, can be shared with and assigned to other iCloud users, and can also be opened in a web browser at iCloud.com.

To get you started, here are 9 things to know about Apple Reminders, taken from its own pages and our grades.

Sharing needs everyone on iCloud, there's no API, and it hooks only into Apple's own apps.
From our report card of Apple Reminders
  1. 1

    Best for free to-do lists if everything you own is Apple

    Off Apple devices, though, you get a web page at iCloud.com that edits only a reminder's title, notes, alert and flag.

  2. 2

    It is free

    Apple Reminders has no paid plan at all. The app is listed as free on the App Store, with no paid tier: lists, Smart Lists, tags, subtasks, shared lists, location-based reminders and iCloud sync.

  3. 3

    It runs on 3 platforms

    iOS, macOS and Web.

  4. 4

    Smart Lists

    Built-in lists such as Today, Scheduled, Flagged and Assigned to Me fill themselves. Custom Smart Lists gather reminders by tag, date, time, location, flag and priority.

  5. 5

    Tags, subtasks and sections

    Reminders can carry tags and subtasks. A list can be divided into sections and shown in a column view, which Apple suggests for simple kanban boards.

  6. 6

    Time, location and Messages alerts

    A reminder can repeat daily, weekly or at a custom interval, fire on arriving at a place or getting in the car, or appear the next time you message a tagged person.

  7. 7

    A 3.6 GPA, above 122 of 123

    That is against the other to-do list apps we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.

  8. 8

    Keep it

    Apple Reminders is free, so making your own would save you nothing.

  9. 9

    What users like

    Lists shared with a partner or household, grocery lists above all, are a use commenters keep coming back to.

Apple Reminders at a glance

Pricing
Free
Free plan
Yes
Free trial
None stated
Runs on
Web, macOS, iOS
Made by
Apple
Category
To-Do List Apps
Our grade
3.6 GPA, excellent
Store rating
4.8 on the App Store, 1,026,732 ratings

The report card

Best for free to-do lists if everything you own is Apple

Apple Reminders comes on every iPhone, iPad and Mac, free with no paid tier: lists that fill themselves by tag or date, subtasks, shared lists and reminders that fire when you reach a place. Off Apple devices, though, you get a web page at iCloud.com that edits only a reminder's title, notes, alert and flag. Sharing needs everyone on iCloud, there's no API, and it hooks only into Apple's own apps.

ToolGPA report cardApple RemindersGraded Oct 10, 2026
SubjectGradeComment
Value for moneyAThere's nothing to buy. The App Store lists it as free with no paid tier, and that covers Smart Lists, tags, subtasks, shared lists, location reminders and iCloud sync. Most of this category charges about $4 a month.
Free plan and trialAEvery feature is free on iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch and Apple Vision Pro, plus a browser version at iCloud.com. No cap, no upgrade being sold to you.
FeaturesASmart Lists filling themselves by tag, date, place or flag, subtasks, sections, a column view for kanban, templates and grocery lists that sort themselves. It also has an alert that fires the next time you message a person, which no rival here offers.
Ease of useA4.83 from about 1,027,000 App Store ratings. It's already on the phone, nothing to install, and you can add things by telling Siri.
Platforms and integrationsCApple only: iPhone, iPad, Mac, Watch and Vision Pro. Off them you get iCloud.com, where a reminder's title, notes, day or location alert and flag are all you can edit. No API, and it hooks only into Apple's own apps.
Grade point averageExcellent, out of 4.03.6

An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.

Who Apple Reminders is for

  • Fits if you only use Apple devices and don't want to pay for a to-do app
  • Works for couples and households sharing a grocery list over iCloud

Who it is not for

  • Skip it if you use Android or Windows, as there's no app and the iCloud.com version edits only the basics
  • Not for you if the people you share lists with aren't on iCloud, because sharing depends on it
  • Too light for anyone who wants tasks wired into other services, as there's no API and it hooks only into Apple's apps
  • Watch out: Apple says some features work only in select languages and regions

Good to know

Good for

  • People who use only Apple devices
  • Shared grocery and household lists among iCloud users
  • Location-based reminders and adding tasks by voice with Siri

Worth knowing

  • Apps are listed only for Apple devices; on anything else, reminders are reached in a web browser at iCloud.com.
  • On iCloud.com a reminder's title, notes, day or location alert and flag can be edited; Apple directs you to the app for other details.
  • Sync and shared lists depend on iCloud, and collaborators need to use iCloud as well.
  • Apple notes that certain features are available only in select languages and regions.

What people say

  • 4.8on the App Store, from 1,026,732 ratings

What they like

  • Lists shared with a partner or household, grocery lists above all, are a use commenters keep coming back to.
  • Adding a reminder by speaking to Siri, without opening the app, is how several commenters say they capture things while away from a computer.
  • Commenters who had tried other ways of keeping tasks say the built-in app turned out to cover what they need.

What they don’t

  • Other commenters call it limited or too simple for what they want to do with their tasks.
  • Long-time reviewers describe changes that upset a routine, such as search missing a list, repeating reminders losing their repeat or indenting that stopped working for a while.

10 App Store reviews from April 2022 to September 2026, three of them one star, and about 20 Hacker News comments from April 2025 to September 2026

Part 02 · Pricing

What it costs

Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved

Free

No paid plan at all

Apple Reminders is free to use.

Every feature is free on iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch and Apple Vision Pro, plus a browser version at iCloud.com.
From our grade for free plan and trial

  • Free

    $0

    Every feature of the app on iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch and Apple Vision Pro, plus browser access at iCloud.com.

The free plan

The app is listed as free on the App Store, with no paid tier: lists, Smart Lists, tags, subtasks, shared lists, location-based reminders and iCloud sync.

Read from apps.apple.com on Oct 5, 2026.

Part 03 · Features

What it does

Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it

3

Places it runs: Web, macOS and iOS

Apple's free to-do app for iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple Watch. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: AI features, real-time collaboration, templates, tasks, natural-language input, kanban boards.

It also has an alert that fires the next time you message a person, which no rival here offers.
From our grade for features
Smart Lists
Built-in lists such as Today, Scheduled, Flagged and Assigned to Me fill themselves. Custom Smart Lists gather reminders by tag, date, time, location, flag and priority.
Tags, subtasks and sections
Reminders can carry tags and subtasks. A list can be divided into sections and shown in a column view, which Apple suggests for simple kanban boards.
Time, location and Messages alerts
A reminder can repeat daily, weekly or at a custom interval, fire on arriving at a place or getting in the car, or appear the next time you message a tagged person.
Shared lists and assignments
Everyone on a shared list can add and complete reminders, changes show up for all collaborators in real time, and reminders can be assigned to people on the list.
Grocery lists and templates
Grocery lists group items into sections such as dairy and produce on their own. Any list can be saved as a template and shared with others through a link.
Natural language and Apple Intelligence
A typed phrase such as "Jog every other morning" sets the schedule. Apple Intelligence can sort a list into categories and suggest tasks from shared text or web pages.

Where it runs

  • Web
  • macOS
  • iOS

What it works with

  • Siri
  • Apple Calendar
  • Messages
  • iCloud

Who makes Apple Reminders

Reminders is made by Apple Inc., the listed company in Cupertino, California, behind the iPhone, iPad and Mac. The app is not sold on its own: it comes with Apple's operating systems and syncs through iCloud, whose paid storage plans sit in Apple's services business.

Founded
1976apple.com
Based
Cupertino, Californiasec.gov
Ownership
Publicly traded. Apple Inc. is a listed company. Its annual report on Form 10-K says its common stock trades on The Nasdaq Stock Market under the symbol AAPL.sec.gov
Team
Approximately 166,000 full-time equivalent employees across the whole company as of 27 September 2025, per its Form 10-Ksec.gov
Founders and leaders
Hiring
The careers site lists 600+ open roles in the United States alone, across the whole company; it does not publish a worldwide totaljobs.apple.com
Affiliate program
The Performance Partner Program, which Apple says was formerly its affiliate program, pays commissions on qualifying Apple Music, Apple TV and Apple Podcasts memberships and on sales of films, TV shows, books and audiobooks. Rates are not published.performance-partners.apple.com
Lately
Follow

Read on Oct 18, 2026 from the company’s own pages and from news reports. What is not stated there is left out.

Part 04 · Standing

Where it stands

Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own

122/123

Other to-do list apps it is graded above

Apple Reminders's GPA of 3.6 is higher than 122 of the 123 other to-do list apps we grade, and level with 1.

It stands best on features (A, above 120 of 123) and worst on platforms and integrations (C, above 19).

Apple Reminders has no paid plan.

On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 3.3 out of 4, and no tool on the category's chart scores higher without costing more.

Each grade against the category

Every bar is all 124 to-do list apps we grade, cut by the letter each got. Apple Reminders’s own letter is outlined.

  • AValue for moneyAbove 69 of 123
  • AFree plan and trialAbove 87 of 123
  • AFeaturesAbove 120 of 123
  • AEase of useAbove 105 of 123
  • CPlatforms and integrationsAbove 19 of 123

Price against what you get

Each dot is one of 99 to-do list apps. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Apple Reminders is the marked dot.

D1.0C2.0B3.0A4.0Free$0.5$1$2$5$10$20$50More for lessCosts more, scores moreCosts less, scores lessCosts more, scores lessApple RemindersTickTickMicrosoft To DoTodoistCheckli

What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →

Keep it, or make your own?

Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.

Keep it

Apple Reminders is free, so making your own would save you nothing.

And it is not the kind of software a weekend replaces. It is one of the better ones too: its GPA of 3.6 is higher than 122 of the 123 other to-do list apps we grade.

What you could make

  • Tasks, natural-language input, templates and kanban boards: an app builder makes these well.

What you could not

  • Apps for macOS and iOS that stay in step with each other.
  • Several people working in it at the same moment.
  • AI features, unless you pay a model provider for each request yourself.
  • Hooks into the device itself: an Apple Watch app.
  • The depth: we grade its features A, which means it covers the whole job.

What this rests on. Apple Reminders’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.

Part 05 · Refunds

After you pay

Getting your money back, getting out, and getting help

–Refunds
BSupport

What happens once you have paid: whether you can get your money back, how to leave, and how to reach a person when something goes wrong. Each is graded from Apple Reminders’s own terms and help pages.

Leaving Apple Reminders

–Grade

Not graded · checked Oct 12, 2026

Reminders is free and comes with Apple's devices, so there's no plan to pay for and nothing to refund. The only thing you could close is the Apple Account your reminders sync through, and Apple lets you delete that yourself at any time. Do that and everything you keep in iCloud goes for good, so back it up first.

Closing your account

There is no paid plan to cancel. The account behind iCloud reminders is your Apple Account, which Apple says you can permanently delete at any time and for any reason: you sign in on Apple's Data and Privacy page and select the request to delete your account. Apple then verifies that you are the account holder before deleting it.

Stated on support.apple.com
What you keep afterwards

When an Apple Account is deleted, the data associated with it, including content stored in iCloud, is permanently deleted from Apple's servers and cannot be restored, and the account cannot be reopened. Apple recommends backing up iCloud data first, and suggests temporarily deactivating the account instead, where that is available, if you might come back.

Stated on support.apple.com

In your favour

  • Nothing to pay, so nothing to cancel and nothing to claim back.
  • You can delete your Apple Account yourself, at any time and for any reason.

Watch out for

  • Deleting an Apple Account is permanent and takes everything in iCloud with it, not just your reminders.
  • Apple can't restore the data afterwards, so back it up before you ask.
  • If you might come back, Apple itself suggests deactivating instead, where that's offered.

Customer support

BGrade

Good · checked Oct 12, 2026

Reminders has no support team of its own. You get Apple's, which is no bad thing: a user guide, a huge community forum, chat through Messages and a phone line in the countries Apple lists. For a free app that's more than most paid ones offer. It stops short of an A because the contact page gives no hours and no reply time, and live support isn't offered in every country.

Ways to get help

  • Live chat

    The Contact Apple Support page offers a chat with Apple that runs in the Messages app on your device. It covers Apple's products in general and is not specific to Reminders.

    Stated on support.apple.com

  • Phone

    Apple lists phone support by country or region on its contact page. Where a region is not listed, the page says Apple does not offer live support there, and many numbers only work from inside their own country.

    Stated on support.apple.com

  • Help centre

    The Reminders User Guide covers the app feature by feature, with a version for each recent release of macOS. It is open to everyone.

    Stated on support.apple.com

  • Community or forum

    The Apple Support Community is a public forum where Apple customers ask and answer questions about any Apple product.

    Stated on discussions.apple.com

Not listed on Apple Reminders’s pages: email, contact form or ticket.

When people answer

Its pages do not say.

How fast it says it replies

Its pages do not say.

What depends on your plan

Its pages do not say.

In your favour

  • You can reach Apple live, by chat in Messages or by phone, for an app that costs nothing.
  • The Reminders User Guide is detailed and kept up to date with each macOS release.
  • The Apple Support Community is public and covers every Apple product.

Watch out for

  • No hours and no reply time are stated on the contact page.
  • Live support isn't offered everywhere: if your region isn't listed, Apple says there is none.
  • Many of the phone numbers only work from inside their own country.
  • There's no line just for Reminders. You go through Apple's general support.

What these two grades rest on. Read on 12 October 2026: Apple's support articles on deleting an Apple Account and contacting Apple Support, the Reminders User Guide, the Apple Support Community and the app's App Store listing. Nobody here closed an account or contacted Apple's support. They are graded apart from the five that make the GPA. How we grade refunds and support.

Part 06 · Alternatives

The alternatives

The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side

Things 3, Google Tasks, Microsoft To Do, Todoist and GoodTask

The 5 tools Apple Reminders is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.

  • 2.6GPA

    Things 3

    Free trial · from $9.99 one-time

    Personal task manager for Apple devices, sold as a one-time purchase.

    • Apple Reminders has a free plan. Things 3 does not, though it has a free trial.
    • Only Apple Reminders lists a web app.
    • Things 3 can be bought with a one-time purchase.
    Apple Reminders and Things 3 compared in full
  • 3.4GPA

    Google Tasks

    Free plan · from $7/mo

    Google's to-do list, built into Gmail, Calendar, Chat and Docs.

    • Only Apple Reminders lists a macOS app.
    • Only Google Tasks lists an Android app.
    • Apple Reminders also covers templates, natural-language input and kanban boards.
    Apple Reminders and Google Tasks compared in full
  • 3.6GPA

    Microsoft To Do

    Free

    Free to-do list from Microsoft that syncs with Outlook tasks.

    • Only Microsoft To Do lists Windows and Android apps.
    • Apple Reminders also covers templates, natural-language input and kanban boards.
    Apple Reminders and Microsoft To Do compared in full
  • 2.8GPA

    Todoist

    Free plan · from $5/mo

    Cross-platform to-do list with natural-language task entry.

    • Only Todoist lists Windows, Linux and Android apps.
    • Only Todoist lists a browser extension.
    • Todoist also covers calendar.
    Apple Reminders and Todoist compared in full
  • 2.6GPA

    GoodTask

    Free trial · from $19.99 one-time

    Task manager built on top of Apple Reminders and Calendar.

    • Apple Reminders has a free plan. GoodTask does not, though it has a free trial.
    • Only Apple Reminders lists a web app.
    • GoodTask can be bought with a one-time purchase.
    Apple Reminders and GoodTask compared in full

Part 07 · Questions

Quick answers

The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two

17

Questions, each answered in a line or two

The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.

Is Apple Reminders free?

Yes. Apple Reminders is free to use.

How much does Apple Reminders cost?

Apple Reminders lists one plan. Free: $0.

What platforms does Apple Reminders work on?

Apple Reminders is available on iOS, macOS and Web.

How is Apple Reminders rated?

Apple Reminders's iPhone and iPad app averages 4.8 out of 5 from 1,026,732 ratings on the App Store in the United States, as read on Oct 7, 2026.

Is Apple Reminders any good?

We have not tested Apple Reminders, so this is what reviewers say. Often praised: Lists shared with a partner or household, grocery lists above all, are a use commenters keep coming back to.

Does Apple Reminders have an Android app?

No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 5, 2026. Apple Reminders is listed for iOS, macOS and Web.

Does Apple Reminders have a Windows app?

No Windows app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 5, 2026. Apple Reminders is listed for iOS, macOS and Web.

Is Apple Reminders open source?

Apple Reminders is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 5, 2026.

What does Apple Reminders integrate with?

Apple Reminders's listing names Siri, Apple Calendar, Messages and iCloud.

Who makes Apple Reminders?

Apple Reminders is made by Apple. Apple Inc. is a listed company.

What are the alternatives to Apple Reminders?

The closest alternatives to Apple Reminders in our directory are Things 3, Google Tasks, Microsoft To Do, Todoist and GoodTask.

How do I close a Apple Reminders account?

There is no paid plan to cancel. The account behind iCloud reminders is your Apple Account, which Apple says you can permanently delete at any time and for any reason: you sign in on Apple's Data and Privacy page and select the request to delete your account.

What happens to my data if I leave Apple Reminders?

When an Apple Account is deleted, the data associated with it, including content stored in iCloud, is permanently deleted from Apple's servers and cannot be restored, and the account cannot be reopened.

How do I contact Apple Reminders support?

Apple Reminders's pages list these ways to get help: live chat, phone, help centre and community or forum.

How does Apple Reminders compare with other to-do list apps?

Apple Reminders's GPA of 3.6 is higher than 122 of the 123 other to-do list apps we grade, and level with 1.

Is Apple Reminders good value for money?

ToolGPA grades Apple Reminders A for value for money. Apple Reminders has no paid plan.

Could I make my own version of Apple Reminders?

Apple Reminders is free, so making your own would save you nothing. And it is not the kind of software a weekend replaces.

Where this guide comes from

The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Apple Reminders’s own pages on Oct 5, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 10, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Apple's own pages on 5 October 2026, and its App Store rating. Also tested with a demo account on 2026-05-11.

Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Apple. Prices change, so check icloud.com before you buy.

Part 08 · About

About ToolGPA

Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it

3,189

Tools graded, in 94 categories

ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.

Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.

  • 3,189

    tools graded

  • 94

    categories

  • 426

    price changes on record

  • 579

    apps priced in 12 countries

What else is on toolgpa.com

Scan for the live page

Prices and grades as they are today

Quoting this guide?

Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:

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See our other guides

The best-graded to-do list apps after Apple Reminders, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.

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Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Apple Reminders’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Apple Reminders is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Apple. Prices and plans change: check icloud.com before you buy.