Task Coach review (2026): is it any good?
Free open-source desktop to-do manager for composite tasks
Task Coach report card
Very good · out of 4.0 · graded Nov 12, 2026
Best for a free desktop to-do list with effort tracking
Task Coach is a free, open-source desktop to-do list with subtasks and effort tracking. Its latest release on the site is from April 2019, and it has no cloud sync or phone app of its own.
Who Task Coach is for
- Fits if you want a free desktop to-do list that also tracks effort
- Works for people who like nested tasks and categories
Who Task Coach is not for
- Skip it if you want phone apps or sync, as only a Funambol server option is listed
- Watch out: the site names version 1.4.6, released April 2019, as the latest
- Not for you if you work in a team, as no built-in sharing is described
- Skip it if you want a web version, as it is a desktop program only
Why Task Coach gets a 3.0
Five grades, each with its reason. The GPA is their average: an A is 4 points, an F is none.
- AValue for moneyFree under the GPL, the whole application, against a to-do middle of $3.99 a month.
- AFree plan and trialFree outright, with donations accepted and no paid plans.
- CFeaturesTasks, subtasks, categories, effort tracking and export do the job; there is no built-in sharing.
- BEase of useNo store rating on record, but it is a program you install and start using with nothing to set up.
- CPlatforms and integrationsWindows, Mac and Linux programs only; the Android version is separate and not supported by the project.
What these grades rest on. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Task Coach's own pages on 12 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews. How we review and grade.
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<a href="https://toolgpa.com/tools/task-coach#review"><img src="https://toolgpa.com/badge/task-coach.svg" alt="Task Coach: 3.0 GPA on ToolGPA" width="196" height="56"></a>Where Task Coach stands among to-do list apps
Task Coach's GPA of 3.0 is higher than 106 of the 127 other to-do list apps we grade, and level with 10.
It stands best on free plan and trial (A, above 89 of 127) and worst on features (C, above 8).
Task Coach 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 128 to-do list apps we grade, cut by the letter each got. Task Coach’s own letter is outlined.
- AValue for moneyAbove 70 of 127, level with 57
- AFree plan and trialAbove 89 of 127, level with 38
- CFeaturesAbove 8 of 127, level with 76
- BEase of useAbove 59 of 127, level with 49
- CPlatforms and integrationsAbove 19 of 127, level with 57
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 101 to-do list apps. Further left costs less, and higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Point at a dot to see which tool it is.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
Keep Task Coach, or make your own?
Keep it
Task Coach 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 3.0 is higher than 106 of the 127 other to-do list apps we grade.
What you could make
- Tasks and time tracking: an app builder makes these well.
What you could not
- Apps for macOS, Windows and Linux that stay in step with each other.
- It plugs into other products, Outlook, Thunderbird and Claws Mail among them.
- People on the other end: coaches. No app builder makes those.
What this rests on. Task Coach’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.
What is Task Coach?
Task Coach is a free, open-source desktop to-do manager built around tasks that contain subtasks. It adds effort tracking with budgets, categories and notes. Data is kept in an XML file on your own computer.
Worth knowing
- Desktop only: the site lists Windows, Mac, Linux and BSD downloads, and says the Android version is developed separately and not supported by the project.
- The site names version 1.4.6, released April 27, 2019, as the latest release.
- The site's sync option is a Funambol server, rather than a built-in cloud service.
- No built-in team sharing is described on the features page.
Key features
- Tasks and subtasks
- Tasks have a subject, description, priority, start and due dates, completion date and an optional reminder, and can recur daily, weekly or monthly.
- List and tree views
- View tasks as a flat list or a tree, sort by any attribute, and filter out completed tasks or show only those due today.
- Effort tracking
- Track time spent on tasks, set budgets, and view time by effort period, day, week or month.
- Categories and notes
- Assign tasks and notes to user-defined categories.
- Attachments and email drag-in
- Attach files, URLs or email messages by dragging them onto a task; dragging an email from Outlook, Thunderbird, Claws Mail or Apple Mail creates a task.
- Export and print
- Export tasks, notes, effort and categories to HTML and CSV, effort to iCalendar, and print the current view.
Task Coach pricing
As of Nov 12, 2026, Task Coach is free to use.
- Starts at
- Free
- Free plan
- Everything is free: the site says Task Coach is completely free and it is released under the GNU GPL version 3.
- Free trial
- None listed
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | The full application, open source under the GPL; the site accepts donations. |
Read from taskcoach.org on Nov 12, 2026. Prices change, so confirm with Task Coach before you buy.
Works with
- Outlook
- Thunderbird
- Claws Mail
- Apple Mail
- iCalendar
Task Coach alternatives
- Task Coach vs MyLifeOrganized
Free plan · from $29.99
Common questions
Does Task Coach have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 12, 2026. Task Coach is listed for Windows, macOS and Linux.
Does Task Coach have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 12, 2026. Task Coach is listed for Windows, macOS and Linux.
Is Task Coach open source?
Yes. Task Coach is open source, according to its own site.
Sources for this page
The prices, plans, platforms and features above were read from these pages on Nov 12, 2026.