The Ellie Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Ellie 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.
Ellie
The Insider’s Guide
Daily planner with a brain dump list and calendar timeboxing
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among daily planner apps, read from Ellie’s own pages.
Made by Chris Raroque · checked Oct 4, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from Ellie’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Ellie’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 4, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.4
GPA, above 17 of the 69 other daily planner apps we grade
Ellie is a daily planner built around a brain dump list and a timebox view. Tasks are collected in the brain dump, then dragged onto a calendar beside Google, Apple or Outlook events to plan the day. The Free plan includes unlimited tasks. Pro adds timeboxing, calendar integrations, recurring tasks and an AI assistant, and is also sold as a one-time Lifetime purchase.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about Ellie, taken from its own pages and our grades.
There's no Android app, the AI Assistant is in beta, and one developer builds it.
- 1
Best for a brain dump you drag onto your calendar
Ellie is a daily planner: dump everything in your head into a list, then drag tasks onto your calendar to timebox the day.
- 2
Paid plans start at $9.99 a month
As its pricing page puts it: $9.99 per month, billed monthly (yearly billing saves 20%).
- 3
There is a free plan
Unlimited tasks and Brain Dump on iPhone, iPad and the web. Timeboxing, calendar integrations, recurring tasks, labels, subtasks and due dates need Pro.
- 4
It runs on 4 platforms
Web, macOS, Windows and iOS.
- 5
Brain Dump
A holding list for getting tasks out of your head before deciding when to do them. It is included in the Free plan.
- 6
Timebox
Drag tasks onto a calendar next to your Google, Apple or Outlook events to plan the day hour by hour. Timebox mode is part of Pro.
- 7
Recurring tasks and rituals
Repeating tasks for routines, plus daily planning and daily shutdown rituals and roll-over of unfinished tasks.
- 8
A 2.4 GPA, above 17 of 69
That is against the other daily planner apps we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 9
Keep it
The plain part of Ellie you could make: tasks, calendar, time blocking, time tracking and Pomodoro timer. What surrounds it you could not. The 5 things listed below take a company, not a weekend.
Ellie at a glance
- Pricing
- Free plan, from $9.99 per month, billed monthly (yearly billing saves 20%)
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- Free trial of Pro, no credit card required.
- Runs on
- Web, macOS, Windows, iOS
- Made by
- Chris Raroque
- Category
- Daily Planner Apps
- Our grade
- 2.4 GPA, fair
The report card
Best for a brain dump you drag onto your calendar
Ellie is a daily planner: dump everything in your head into a list, then drag tasks onto your calendar to timebox the day. The free plan gives you unlimited tasks, but the timeboxing itself, calendar links and even due dates are Pro at $9.99 a month. There's no Android app, the AI Assistant is in beta, and one developer builds it. Android users should look elsewhere.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C | Pro is $9.99 a month, or about $7.99 with the 20% yearly saving. The middle of this category is $5.99 and the dearer quarter starts at $10, so Ellie sits in the ordinary-to-dear stretch. Lifetime at $299.99 is over three years of the yearly rate. |
| Free plan and trial | C | Free forever with unlimited tasks and the Brain Dump, on iPhone, iPad and the web. But timeboxing, calendar links, repeating tasks, subtasks and even due dates are Pro, so free is a list and not a planner. The Pro trial at least needs no card. |
| Features | B | It covers the whole job: a brain dump list, timeboxing beside Google, Apple or Outlook events, repeating tasks, daily planning and shutdown rituals, roll-over of what you didn't finish, a Pomodoro timer with time tracking, and email-to-task. The AI Assistant is still in beta. |
| Ease of use | C | No store rating on record. The flow is two steps, brain dump then drag onto the day, but the thing you came for means connecting a Google, Apple or Outlook account first, and that's on Pro. |
| Platforms and integrations | B | Web, Mac, Windows, iPhone and iPad, with Google, Apple and Outlook calendars plus Notion, Todoist, Slack, Zapier and Siri. No Android app, which keeps it off the top rung. |
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 Ellie is for
- Fits if you plan by dragging tasks onto your calendar next to your meetings
- Works for students and teachers, who can ask for 50% off the yearly plan
Who it is not for
- Skip it if you're on Android, as there's no app for it
- Tight if you're staying free, because timeboxing, due dates, subtasks and repeating tasks are all Pro
- Pricey if you want to pay once, with Lifetime at $299.99
- Watch out: the AI Assistant is Pro only and still in beta
- Watch out: the About page says one developer builds and supports it
Good to know
Good for
- People who plan by timeboxing tasks next to calendar events
- Emptying your head into a brain dump list before scheduling
- Buyers who prefer a one-time payment to a subscription
Worth knowing
- The Free plan leaves out timeboxing, calendar integrations, recurring tasks, labels, subtasks and due dates.
- There is no Android app. Ellie runs on Mac, Windows, the web, iPhone and iPad.
- The AI Assistant requires Pro and is described as being in beta.
- Ellie is built and supported by one developer, according to its About page.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$9.99
A month to start. There is a free plan too
Ellie has a free plan. Paid plans start at $9.99 per month, billed monthly (yearly billing saves 20%).
Free forever with unlimited tasks and the Brain Dump, on iPhone, iPad and the web.
Free
$0
Unlimited tasks and Brain Dump, with access on iPhone, iPad and the web.
Pro
$9.99
per month, billed monthly
Adds Timebox mode, Google and Apple Calendar, recurring tasks, labels, subtasks, due dates, reminders and the AI Assistant. Yearly billing saves 20%.
Lifetime
$299.99
one-time purchase
The same current features as Pro for a single payment, with no recurring subscription.
The free plan
Unlimited tasks and Brain Dump on iPhone, iPad and the web. Timeboxing, calendar integrations, recurring tasks, labels, subtasks and due dates need Pro.
Trying it first
Free trial of Pro, no credit card required.
Read from ellieplanner.com on Oct 4, 2026.
Ways to pay less
Annual discount
Save 20% with yearly billing
Ellie's pricing page lists a 20% saving on Pro when it is billed yearly instead of monthly.
Stated on ellieplanner.comEducation
50% off for students and teachers
Students and teachers can get 50% off the yearly plan by emailing the developer to request a discount.
Stated on ellieplanner.comLifetime license
Lifetime plan for $299.99
A one-time $299.99 purchase includes the same current features as Pro, with no recurring subscription.
Stated on ellieplanner.com
What the app costs elsewhere
Each country’s App Store price for “Ellie Pro (Monthly)”, against $9.99 in the United States, in dollars at the day’s rate. The four cheapest and the four dearest of 11.
| Country | Price there | In dollars | Against the US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Turkey | ₺299,99 | $6.10 | 39% less |
| Philippines | ₱ 499.00 | $7.94 | 20% less |
| Canada | $12.99 | $9.13 | 9% less |
| Indonesia | Rp 169ribu | $9.45 | 5% less |
| Mexico | $199.00 | $10.93 | 9% more |
| Germany | 9,99 € | $11.19 | 12% more |
| South Africa | R199.99 | $12.10 | 21% more |
| United Kingdom | £9.99 | $13.21 | 32% more |
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
4
Places it runs: Web, macOS, Windows and iOS
Daily planner with a brain dump list and calendar timeboxing. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: one-time purchase, AI features, tasks, time blocking, calendar, Pomodoro timer, time tracking.
Web, Mac, Windows, iPhone and iPad, with Google, Apple and Outlook calendars plus Notion, Todoist, Slack, Zapier and Siri.
- Brain Dump
- A holding list for getting tasks out of your head before deciding when to do them. It is included in the Free plan.
- Timebox
- Drag tasks onto a calendar next to your Google, Apple or Outlook events to plan the day hour by hour. Timebox mode is part of Pro.
- Recurring tasks and rituals
- Repeating tasks for routines, plus daily planning and daily shutdown rituals and roll-over of unfinished tasks.
- Time tracking and analytics
- A task timer with Pomodoro, estimated and actual time on tasks, and analytics that show how time was spent.
- AI Assistant
- Creates and updates tasks in bulk, estimates time and schedules work through conversation. It is a Pro feature and is described as being in beta.
- Capture and integrations
- Forward an email to turn it into a task, and connect Notion, Todoist, Slack, Zapier and Siri. The iOS app includes widgets.
Where it runs
- Web
- macOS
- Windows
- iOS
What it works with
- Google Calendar
- Apple Calendar
- Outlook Calendar
- Notion
- Todoist
- Slack
- Zapier
- Siri
Ellie is made by Chris Raroque.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
17/69
Other daily planner apps it is graded above
Ellie's GPA of 2.4 is higher than 17 of the 69 other daily planner apps we grade, and level with 17.
It stands best on features (B, above 32 of 69) and worst on ease of use (C, above 0).
Its paid plans start at $9.99 a month, against a middle price of $4.17 for the category: 41 of the 52 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.7 out of 4. 14 tools score higher and cost less.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 70 daily planner apps we grade, cut by the letter each got. Ellie’s own letter is outlined.
- CValue for moneyAbove 11 of 69
- CFree plan and trialAbove 6 of 69
- BFeaturesAbove 32 of 69
- CEase of useAbove 0 of 69
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 25 of 69
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 57 daily planner apps. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Ellie is the marked dot.
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
The plain part of Ellie you could make: tasks, calendar, time blocking, time tracking and Pomodoro timer. What surrounds it you could not. The 5 things listed below take a company, not a weekend.
That makes this kind of software worth paying for, not this one in particular: 35 of the 69 other daily planner apps grade higher. It costs $119.88 a year.
What you could make
- Tasks, calendar, time blocking, time tracking and Pomodoro timer: an app builder makes these well.
What you could not
- Apps for macOS, Windows and iOS that stay in step with each other.
- It plugs into other products, Google Calendar, Apple Calendar and Outlook Calendar among them.
- AI features, unless you pay a model provider for each request yourself.
- Hooks into the device itself: widgets and Siri.
- The depth: we grade its features B, which means it covers the whole job.
What this rests on. Ellie’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 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
Sunsama, Akiflow, Structured, Routine and Morgen
The 5 tools Ellie is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.6GPA
Sunsama
Free trial · from $17/mo
Daily planner with guided planning routines and calendar timeboxing.
- Ellie has a free plan. Sunsama does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Sunsama lists Linux and Android apps.
- Ellie can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- 2.2GPA
Akiflow
Free trial · from $19/mo
Time-blocking planner that pulls tasks from other apps into one inbox.
- Ellie has a free plan. Akiflow does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Akiflow lists an Android app.
- Ellie can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- 3.0GPA
Structured
Free plan · from $2.99/mo
Visual day planner that puts tasks and events on one timeline.
- Only Ellie lists a Windows app.
- Only Structured lists an Android app.
- Ellie also covers time tracking.
- 2.8GPA
Routine
Free plan · from $5/mo
Planner combining tasks, calendar and notes, with an AI assistant.
- Only Routine lists Linux and Android apps.
- Ellie can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- Ellie also covers Pomodoro timer and time tracking.
- 2.4GPA
Morgen
Free trial · from $15/mo
Calendar and daily planner with AI-suggested time blocking.
- Ellie has a free plan. Morgen does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Morgen lists Linux and Android apps.
- Ellie can be bought with a one-time purchase.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
15
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 Ellie free?
Ellie has a free plan. Unlimited tasks and Brain Dump on iPhone, iPad and the web.
How much does Ellie cost?
Ellie lists 3 plans. Free: $0.
What platforms does Ellie work on?
Ellie is available on Web, macOS, Windows and iOS.
Does Ellie offer any discounts?
Ellie publicly lists the following: Save 20% with yearly billing; 50% off for students and teachers; Lifetime plan for $299.99.
Does Ellie have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 4, 2026. Ellie is listed for Web, macOS, Windows and iOS.
Does Ellie have a Linux app?
No Linux app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 4, 2026. Ellie is listed for Web, macOS, Windows and iOS.
Is Ellie open source?
Ellie is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 4, 2026.
What does Ellie integrate with?
Ellie's listing names Google Calendar, Apple Calendar, Outlook Calendar, Notion, Todoist, Slack, Zapier and Siri.
Does Ellie have a student discount?
50% off for students and teachers. Students and teachers can get 50% off the yearly plan by emailing the developer to request a discount.
Does Ellie have a free trial?
Yes. Free trial of Pro, no credit card required.
Who makes Ellie?
Ellie is made by Chris Raroque.
What are the alternatives to Ellie?
The closest alternatives to Ellie in our directory are Sunsama, Akiflow, Structured, Routine and Morgen.
How does Ellie compare with other daily planner apps?
Ellie's GPA of 2.4 is higher than 17 of the 69 other daily planner apps we grade, and level with 17.
Is Ellie good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Ellie C for value for money. Its paid plans start at $9.99 a month, against a middle price of $4.17 for the category: 41 of the 52 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of Ellie?
The plain part of Ellie you could make: tasks, calendar, time blocking, time tracking and Pomodoro timer.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Ellie’s own pages on Oct 4, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 10, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Ellie's own pages on 4 October 2026. Also tested with a demo account on 2026-02-13.
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 Chris Raroque. Prices change, so check ellieplanner.com before you buy.
Part 07 · 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
- Ellie, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/ellie
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
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:
ToolGPA, "Ellie: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 4, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/ellie
Know someone choosing between daily planner apps?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/ellie/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded daily planner apps after Ellie, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Daily Planner Apps Insider's GuideEvery one of the 70 daily planner apps we grade, compared
- Hero Assistant Insider's GuideDaily assistant app combining calendar, to-dos, habits and notes3.4 GPA
- LiveIt Insider's GuidePersonal organizer joining planner, journal, notes and habits3.4 GPA
- Open Sunsama Insider's GuideSelf-hostable daily planner with time blocking and an MCP server3.2 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Ellie’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. Ellie is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Chris Raroque. Prices and plans change: check ellieplanner.com before you buy.