The sleek Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about sleek 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.
sleek
The Insider’s Guide
Free, open-source todo.txt manager for Windows, macOS and Linux
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among to-do list apps, read from sleek’s own pages.
Made by Robin Ahle · checked Oct 9, 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 sleek’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on sleek’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 9, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
3.0
GPA, above 103 of the 123 other to-do list apps we grade
sleek is a free, open-source desktop app for managing tasks kept in todo.txt files. It reads and writes the plain-text todo.txt format, adding pickers, filters and search for priorities, contexts, projects, due dates, recurrence and deferred dates, and it watches each file so that changes made by other todo.txt apps show up. It runs on Windows, macOS and Linux and is released under the MIT license.
To get you started, here are 8 things to know about sleek, taken from its own pages and our grades.
Its README also says the backlog is growing while capacity is limited.
- 1
Best for a friendly face for your todo.txt file
There's no phone or web version, no sync of its own and no integrations, so getting the file onto another device is your job.
- 2
It is free
sleek has no paid plan at all. Free and open source under the MIT license on Windows, macOS and Linux; the Mac App Store listing is free with no in-app purchases. The developer asks for optional sponsorship toward app store fees.
- 3
It runs on 3 platforms
macOS, Windows and Linux.
- 4
Works on todo.txt files
sleek opens existing todo.txt files or creates new ones and can manage several at once. A file watcher picks up changes made to a file by other todo.txt apps.
- 5
todo.txt attributes with pickers
Todos carry priorities, contexts, projects, due dates, recurrence, threshold dates for deferred todos and pomodoro intervals, set by typing the syntax or through built-in pickers.
- 6
Filter, sort, group and search
Todos can be filtered, sorted and grouped by any attribute, with the order of each group invertible, and an advanced search accepts filter expressions based on todo.txt syntax.
- 7
A 3.0 GPA, above 103 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
Keep it
sleek is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
sleek at a glance
- Pricing
- Free
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- macOS, Windows, Linux
- Made by
- Robin Ahle, since 2020
- Category
- To-Do List Apps
- Our grade
- 3.0 GPA, very good
The report card
Best for a friendly face for your todo.txt file
sleek is a free, open-source desktop app for a todo.txt file, with pickers for dates and priorities, filters, search and recurring tasks, on Windows, Mac and Linux. There's no phone or web version, no sync of its own and no integrations, so getting the file onto another device is your job. Its README also says the backlog is growing while capacity is limited.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | A | A full desktop app for nothing, open source under the MIT licence, free on the Mac App Store with no in-app purchases, where the rest of this category charges $2.42 to $5.00 a month. The developer only asks for sponsorship toward app store fees. |
| Free plan and trial | A | Free outright with no paid tier, so nothing is held back: take it from the Mac App Store, Microsoft Store, Snap Store, Flathub, Homebrew, the AUR or a direct download. |
| Features | C | It does todo.txt completely: priorities, contexts, projects, due dates, recurrence, threshold dates, pomodoro intervals, grouping, an advanced search and archiving to done.txt. But that is a smaller job than this category's, with no sync of its own and no integrations at all. |
| Ease of use | B | No rating on record, but nothing needs setting up and you don't even have to learn todo.txt's syntax, since pickers write it for you and dates can be typed the way you'd say them. The Flatpak build does need extra file permissions after a restart. |
| Platforms and integrations | C | Desktop only: Windows, Mac and Linux, with no mobile or web version and nothing it connects to. The file watcher is the way out, since another todo.txt app can work on the same list. |
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 sleek is for
- Fits if you already keep your tasks in a todo.txt file and want pickers and filters on top
- Works for people on Linux, Windows or Mac who want tasks in a plain text file they own
Who it is not for
- Skip it if you want your list on your phone, as there's no mobile or web version
- Not for you if you expect sync out of the box, because moving the file between devices is up to you
- Too light for teams, since tasks sit in a text file and there's no built-in way to share it
- Watch out: the Flatpak build needs extra file permissions before it can reopen your file after a restart
- Watch out: the README says the backlog is growing while capacity is limited, and asks for contributors
Good to know
Good for
- People who keep their tasks in a plain todo.txt file
- Using one task file from several todo.txt apps
- Desktop users who want a free graphical todo.txt app
- Keyboard users: the app is navigable with shortcuts
Worth knowing
- Desktop only: sleek is offered for Windows, macOS and Linux, with no mobile or web version.
- Tasks live in todo.txt files, and the README and wiki describe no built-in sync service, so sharing a file between devices is left to other tools.
- The Flatpak build runs in a sandbox and needs extra file permissions before it can reopen a todo.txt file after a restart.
- The README says the backlog is growing while capacity is limited, and asks for contributors and sponsors.
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
sleek is free to use.
The developer only asks for sponsorship toward app store fees.
Free
$0
The complete app from the Mac App Store, Microsoft Store, Snap Store, Flathub, Homebrew, the AUR or a direct download.
The free plan
Free and open source under the MIT license on Windows, macOS and Linux; the Mac App Store listing is free with no in-app purchases. The developer asks for optional sponsorship toward app store fees.
Read from github.com on Oct 9, 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: macOS, Windows and Linux
Free, open-source todo.txt manager for Windows, macOS and Linux. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: open source, local-first, Markdown, tasks, natural-language input.
But that is a smaller job than this category's, with no sync of its own and no integrations at all.
- Works on todo.txt files
- sleek opens existing todo.txt files or creates new ones and can manage several at once. A file watcher picks up changes made to a file by other todo.txt apps.
- todo.txt attributes with pickers
- Todos carry priorities, contexts, projects, due dates, recurrence, threshold dates for deferred todos and pomodoro intervals, set by typing the syntax or through built-in pickers.
- Filter, sort, group and search
- Todos can be filtered, sorted and grouped by any attribute, with the order of each group invertible, and an advanced search accepts filter expressions based on todo.txt syntax.
- Recurring todos and notifications
- Marking a recurring todo complete creates the next one, and due dates can trigger notifications.
- Archiving completed todos
- Completed todos can be shown, hidden or archived into a separate done.txt file.
- Markdown and human-friendly dates
- Descriptions support Markdown, including links with custom protocols such as file://. Due and threshold dates can be typed as spoken dates, and todos can be created multi-line or in bulk.
Where it runs
- macOS
- Windows
- Linux
What it works with
Its own pages name no integrations.
sleek is made by Robin Ahle, and has been around since 2020.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
103/123
Other to-do list apps it is graded above
sleek's GPA of 3.0 is higher than 103 of the 123 other to-do list apps we grade, and level with 9.
It stands best on free plan and trial (A, above 87 of 123) and worst on features (C, above 8).
sleek has no paid plan.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.3 out of 4. Nothing scores higher for less, though at least one tool matches that score at a lower price.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 124 to-do list apps we grade, cut by the letter each got. sleek’s own letter is outlined.
- AValue for moneyAbove 69 of 123
- AFree plan and trialAbove 87 of 123
- CFeaturesAbove 8 of 123
- BEase of useAbove 56 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. sleek 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
sleek is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
It is one of the better ones too: its GPA of 3.0 is higher than 103 of the 123 other to-do list apps we grade.
What you could make
- Tasks, Markdown and natural-language input: an app builder makes these well.
What you could not
- Apps for macOS, Windows and Linux that stay in step with each other.
What this rests on. sleek’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
Todo.txt, TaskPaper, topydo, Taskwarrior and Super Productivity
The 5 tools sleek is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.6GPA
Todo.txt
Free
Plain-text to-do list format with an open-source command-line tool.
- sleek also covers Markdown and natural-language input.
- 2.4GPA
TaskPaper
Free trial · from $24.99 one-time
Plain-text to-do lists with an outliner, for Mac.
- sleek has a free plan. TaskPaper does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only sleek lists Windows and Linux apps.
- sleek is open source, according to its own site.
- 2.6GPA
topydo
Free
Console todo.txt manager with dependencies and recurring tasks.
- sleek also covers Markdown and natural-language input.
- 2.8GPA
Taskwarrior
Free
Free, open-source to-do list manager for the command line.
- Only sleek lists a Windows app.
- sleek also covers Markdown and natural-language input.
- 3.4GPA
Super Productivity
Free
Free, open-source to-do app with time tracking and a Pomodoro timer.
- Only Super Productivity lists a web app.
- Only Super Productivity lists iOS and Android apps.
- sleek also covers Markdown and natural-language input.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
11
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 sleek free?
Yes. sleek is free to use. Free and open source under the MIT license on Windows, macOS and Linux; the Mac App Store listing is free with no in-app purchases.
How much does sleek cost?
sleek lists one plan. Free: $0.
What platforms does sleek work on?
sleek is available on macOS, Windows and Linux.
Does sleek have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 9, 2026. sleek is listed for macOS, Windows and Linux.
Does sleek have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 9, 2026. sleek is listed for macOS, Windows and Linux.
Is sleek open source?
Yes. sleek is open source, according to its own site.
Who makes sleek?
sleek is made by Robin Ahle. It dates from 2020.
What are the alternatives to sleek?
The closest alternatives to sleek in our directory are Todo.txt, TaskPaper, topydo, Taskwarrior and Super Productivity.
How does sleek compare with other to-do list apps?
sleek's GPA of 3.0 is higher than 103 of the 123 other to-do list apps we grade, and level with 9.
Is sleek good value for money?
ToolGPA grades sleek A for value for money. sleek has no paid plan. On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.3 out of 4.
Could I make my own version of sleek?
sleek is free, so making your own would save you nothing. It is one of the better ones too: its GPA of 3.0 is higher than 103 of the 123 other to-do list apps we grade.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from sleek’s own pages on Oct 9, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 10, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from sleek's own pages on 9 October 2026. Also tested with a demo account on 2026-04-15.
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 Robin Ahle. Prices change, so check github.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
- sleek, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/sleek
- 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, "sleek: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 9, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/sleek
Know someone choosing between to-do list apps?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/sleek/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded to-do list apps after sleek, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- To-Do List Apps Insider's GuideEvery one of the 124 to-do list apps we grade, compared
- Apple Reminders Insider's GuideApple's free to-do app for iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple Watch3.6 GPA
- Microsoft To Do Insider's GuideFree to-do list from Microsoft that syncs with Outlook tasks3.6 GPA
- Google Tasks Insider's GuideGoogle's to-do list, built into Gmail, Calendar, Chat and Docs3.4 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 sleek’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. sleek is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Robin Ahle. Prices and plans change: check github.com before you buy.