The topydo Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about topydo 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.
topydo
The Insider’s Guide
Console todo.txt manager with dependencies and recurring tasks
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among to-do list apps, read from topydo’s own pages.
Made by Bram Schoenmakers · 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 topydo’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on topydo’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
2.6
GPA, above 48 of the 123 other to-do list apps we grade
topydo is a free, open-source to-do list application for the console that reads and writes the todo.txt format. It uses tags inside the plain-text file to add due and start dates, dependencies between items and recurring items, and it can be run as one-off shell commands, as a prompt with auto-completion or as a text interface made of columns. It is written in Python and installed with pip.
To get you started, here are 8 things to know about topydo, taken from its own pages and our grades.
A console program installed with pip and driven by typed commands or vim-like keys, and anything needing a command line sits at a D here.
- 1
Best for todo.txt in a terminal, with dependencies
Skip it if you don't already work in a terminal.
- 2
It is free
topydo has no paid plan at all. The whole program is free and open source under the GNU General Public License v3, with no paid edition. It is installed from PyPI with pip.
- 3
It runs on 3 platforms
macOS, Linux and Windows.
- 4
Command line, prompt and column modes
Runs as one-off shell commands, as a prompt with Tab auto-completion, or as a text interface of side-by-side columns with vim-like keys, where each column has its own filter and sort order.
- 5
Due dates, start dates and relative dates
Due and start dates are stored as tags on the todo.txt line. When adding items you can type relative dates such as tomorrow, 1w or fri, which are written to the file as absolute dates.
- 6
Dependencies between items
The dep subcommand links a parent item to child items that should be done first. A parent with open children is hidden from the default list, and a Graphviz Dot export can draw the dependency tree.
- 7
A 2.6 GPA, above 48 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
topydo is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
topydo at a glance
- Pricing
- Free
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- macOS, Windows, Linux
- Made by
- Bram Schoenmakers, since 2014
- Category
- To-Do List Apps
- Our grade
- 2.6 GPA, good
The report card
Best for todo.txt in a terminal, with dependencies
topydo is a console app that adds due and start dates, repeats and dependencies to a todo.txt file, so a task can stay hidden until the ones before it are done. It's free and open source, but it's console only, installed with pip, with no sync, no phone app, tags other todo.txt tools may misread, and infrequent releases. Skip it if you don't already work in a terminal.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | A | Free and open source under the GNU General Public License v3, with no paid edition. You install it from PyPI with pip and that's the end of the matter. Nothing to buy now or later. |
| Free plan and trial | A | The full program is free, with all three interfaces: one-off commands, a prompt with auto-completion and a column view. Prompt mode, column mode and iCalendar output each need an extra pip dependency, but none costs anything. |
| Features | C | Due and start dates, rec:1w style repeats, dependencies that hide a parent until its children are done, filters like due:<today, and a revert command. It extends todo.txt fully, and that's a smaller job. Its own docs name the gaps: no sync, and other todo.txt tools may misread its tags. |
| Ease of use | D | A console program installed with pip and driven by typed commands or vim-like keys, and anything needing a command line sits at a D here. Relative dates like tomorrow or fri help, and Tab completes in prompt mode, but there's no graphical app at all. |
| Platforms and integrations | C | Mac, Linux and Windows, though column mode doesn't work natively on Windows and needs Cygwin. Computers only: there's no native Android build, with the docs describing Termux instead, and no web app. No integrations are listed and no sync is described. |
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 topydo is for
- Fits if you keep tasks in a todo.txt file and already work in a terminal
- Works for tasks that can't start until another is done, since it tracks dependencies
Who it is not for
- Skip it if you want a graphical or phone app, as it's console only, and Android means Termux
- Not for you if you share your todo.txt with other apps, which may not understand its tags
- Not for you if you need sync between machines, because the documentation describes none
- Tight if you're on Windows, since column mode needs Cygwin there
- Watch out: releases are infrequent, with 0.14 in December 2020, 0.15 in April 2025 and 0.16 in February 2026
Good to know
Good for
- People who keep tasks in a todo.txt file and work in a terminal
- todo.txt users who want dependencies and recurring items
- Keyboard users who want several filtered lists side by side
Worth knowing
- Console only: there is no graphical, web or mobile app. The docs say there is no native Android build and describe running it under Termux.
- Column mode does not work natively on Windows; the docs point Windows users to Cygwin for it.
- Dependencies, recurrence and start dates rely on tags that, the README says, other todo.txt tools may not interpret properly.
- The documentation describes no sync feature, and releases are infrequent: PyPI shows 0.14 in December 2020, 0.15 in April 2025 and 0.16 in February 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
topydo is free to use.
You install it from PyPI with pip and that's the end of the matter.
Free
$0
The full program with its command-line, prompt and column interfaces. Prompt mode, column mode and iCalendar output each need an extra pip dependency.
The free plan
The whole program is free and open source under the GNU General Public License v3, with no paid edition. It is installed from PyPI with pip.
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
Console todo.txt manager with dependencies and recurring tasks. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: open source, local-first, keyboard-first, tasks.
It extends todo.txt fully, and that's a smaller job.
- Command line, prompt and column modes
- Runs as one-off shell commands, as a prompt with Tab auto-completion, or as a text interface of side-by-side columns with vim-like keys, where each column has its own filter and sort order.
- Due dates, start dates and relative dates
- Due and start dates are stored as tags on the todo.txt line. When adding items you can type relative dates such as tomorrow, 1w or fri, which are written to the file as absolute dates.
- Dependencies between items
- The dep subcommand links a parent item to child items that should be done first. A parent with open children is hidden from the default list, and a Graphviz Dot export can draw the dependency tree.
- Recurring items
- A rec tag such as rec:1w creates a new instance of an item when it is completed, counted from the completion date or, in strict mode, from the original due date.
- Filtering, sorting and output formats
- Filter expressions select items by text and by tag comparisons such as due:<today, and sort and group expressions order the result. The ls command can also output iCalendar, JSON and Graphviz Dot.
- Backups and revert
- After each change topydo stores a backup of the todo and archive files, 5 by default, and the revert subcommand undoes the last command or a numbered earlier one.
Where it runs
- macOS
- Windows
- Linux
What it works with
Its own pages name no integrations.
topydo is made by Bram Schoenmakers, and has been around since 2014.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
48/123
Other to-do list apps it is graded above
topydo's GPA of 2.6 is higher than 48 of the 123 other to-do list apps we grade, and level with 43.
It stands best on free plan and trial (A, above 87 of 123) and worst on ease of use (D, above 0).
topydo has no paid plan.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 1.7 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. topydo’s own letter is outlined.
- AValue for moneyAbove 69 of 123
- AFree plan and trialAbove 87 of 123
- CFeaturesAbove 8 of 123
- DEase of useAbove 0 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. topydo 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
topydo is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
What you could make
- Tasks: an app builder makes this well.
What you could not
- Apps for macOS, Windows and Linux that stay in step with each other.
What this rests on. topydo’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, Taskwarrior, dstask, sleek and Dooit
The 5 tools topydo 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.
- 2.8GPA
Taskwarrior
Free
Free, open-source to-do list manager for the command line.
- Only topydo lists a Windows app.
- 2.6GPA
dstask
Free
Terminal task tracker with git sync and a markdown note per task.
- dstask also covers Markdown.
- 3.0GPA
sleek
Free
Free, open-source todo.txt manager for Windows, macOS and Linux.
- sleek also covers Markdown and natural-language input.
- 2.6GPA
Dooit
Free
Terminal to-do manager configured with a Python file.
- Only topydo lists a macOS app.
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 topydo free?
Yes. topydo is free to use. The whole program is free and open source under the GNU General Public License v3, with no paid edition.
How much does topydo cost?
topydo lists one plan. Free: $0.
What platforms does topydo work on?
topydo is available on macOS, Linux and Windows.
Does topydo have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 9, 2026. topydo is listed for macOS, Linux and Windows.
Does topydo have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 9, 2026. topydo is listed for macOS, Linux and Windows.
Is topydo open source?
Yes. topydo is open source, according to its own site.
Who makes topydo?
topydo is made by Bram Schoenmakers. It dates from 2014.
What are the alternatives to topydo?
The closest alternatives to topydo in our directory are Todo.txt, Taskwarrior, dstask, sleek and Dooit.
How does topydo compare with other to-do list apps?
topydo's GPA of 2.6 is higher than 48 of the 123 other to-do list apps we grade, and level with 43.
Is topydo good value for money?
ToolGPA grades topydo A for value for money. topydo has no paid plan. On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 1.7 out of 4.
Could I make my own version of topydo?
topydo is free, so making your own would save you nothing. What you could not make: Apps for macOS, Windows and Linux that stay in step with each other.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from topydo’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 topydo's own pages on 9 October 2026. Also tested with a demo account on 2026-01-21.
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 Bram Schoenmakers. Prices change, so check github.com before you buy.
- github.com/topydo/topydo
- raw.githubusercontent.com/topydo/topydo/master/README.md
- raw.githubusercontent.com/topydo/topydo/master/docs/index.html
- raw.githubusercontent.com/topydo/topydo/master/CHANGES.md
- pypi.org/pypi/topydo/json
- api.github.com/repos/topydo/topydo
- api.github.com/repos/topydo/topydo/releases
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
- topydo, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/topydo
- 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, "topydo: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 9, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/topydo
Know someone choosing between to-do list apps?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/topydo/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded to-do list apps after topydo, 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 topydo’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. topydo is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Bram Schoenmakers. Prices and plans change: check github.com before you buy.