33 To-Do List Apps (And More!) That Will Streamline Your Life in 2021
In a world where new apps are created daily, it feels sometimes like it’s hard to stay organized and on top of all the tasks that we have to do.
It’s gotten so pervasive that there’s even a movement to re-focus our attention using technology called Time Well Spent. “We check our phones 150 times per day,” the site says. “Every time we are interrupted, it takes up to 23 minutes to resume focus, fragmenting our attention and leaving us constantly distracted.”
Here are 33 to streamline your life and help you regain control over where you direct your attention.
1. InboxWhenReady
Key Features
InboxWhenReady helps you minimize the total amount of time you spend in your Gmail inbox by allowing you to only view your inbox when you choose to, pre-set an inbox budget, and set a schedule for locking your inbox so you can focus on other things — not just your email.
Advantages
- Lock your inbox to avoid using it as a distraction or being distracted by constant emails
Disadvantages
- Takes up space on your device when you can just turn off notifications instead
Pricing
Free
2. Freedom
Key Features
Freedom lets you temporarily block certain websites or apps that you’d like to avoid, or block the Internet altogether, for pre-determined amounts of time that you set. This app is only compatible with ios devices, including your Macbook, iPhone and iPad, however; Android device owners should seek liberation elsewhere!
Advantages
- Block apps or the internet altogether for set periods of time to avoid distractions
Disadvantages
- Not free for all devices
Pricing
Just under $2.50/month for all devices
3. AdBlock Plus
Key Features
AdBlock Plus lets you block intrusive ads so you can surf the web in peace.
Advantages
- Blocks ads you don't want to see
Disadvantages
- May block ads you would have wanted to see
Pricing
Free
4. Pocket
Key Features
Pocket lets you save resources and articles directly from your browser onto your device so you can keep organized, share with others, or view later when you’re ready. Bonus: It’s available for both ios and android devices!
Advantages
- Save articles to share or view later
Disadvantages
- Takes up space on your phone, when you can also just keep tabs open
Pricing
Free
5. Boomerang
Key Features
Boomerang lets you schedule emails from your Gmail account for later. It’s great for reminders — and for not letting anyone see that you were responding to them at 3am on Saturday.
Advantages
- Send emails later on
Disadvantages
- May send emails after you don't want them to be sent anymore and you forget to unschedule them
Pricing
Free
6. Paprika
Key Features
Paprika (Apple, Android, Kindle, Windows) is the recipe and grocery list app you’ve been waiting for. You can look up any recipe online, or manually input a special family recipe of your own, and Paprika will automatically create a shopping list for all of the ingredients you’ll need. You can also set up the app to help while you’re cooking, show instructions, and set timers. Bon appetit!
Advantages
- Look up recipes
- Input your own recipes
- Create shopping lists
- Set timers
Disadvantages
- Not free
Pricing
$4.99
7. Reminders
Key Features
If you’ve got an iPod, iPhone, or iPad, then take advantage of iCloud and use the built-in Reminders feature to set reminders for deadlines, bills, appointments, you name it. Your ios device/task manager will remind you, wherever you are — talk about making technology work for you!
Advantages
- Sends reminders for anything you need
Disadvantages
- Reminders can be annoying
Pricing
Free
8. KeePass
Key Features
Tired of keeping track of approximately one billion passwords? KeePass features the headache-skipping ability to let you use one master password instead, keeping your other passwords safe.
Advantages
- Keeps passwords in one place so you don't forget them
Disadvantages
- Risk of keeping passwords in one place
Pricing
Free
9. Clean Master
Key Features
Clean Master frees up storage space on your phone by cleaning up the junk.
Advantages
- Frees up space on your phone
- Gets rid of stuff you don't need
Disadvantages
- Users have called it glitchy before, slowing down their devices
Pricing
Free
10. Mint
Key Features
Mint can be a bit overwhelming to set up, but once you do, it’s worth it. You can set up budgets and track your spending in each area; track and pay bills; monitor your credit score; and see all of your money in one place. It’s a life changer.
Advantages
- Helps you track your spending
- Helps your budget
- Send reminders for bills
- Monitors your credit score
Disadvantages
- Reminders can be stressful
Pricing
Free
11. Clue
Key Features
Clue lets you track your menstrual cycle and any related health concerns. After a few months, the app can even begin to give you insight on your cycle, helping you stay on top of what symptoms to expect when, track ovulation and fertility, and (of course) remind you when to stock up on menstrual products.
Advantages
- Helps you track your cycle and symptoms, sharing insights
- Helps you track ovulation and fertility
- Sends reminders
Disadvantages
- Graphs can be a little overwhelming
Pricing
Free
12. RescueTime
Key Features
Rescue Time helps you do just that by allowing you to track how much time you spend on different mobile apps and websites. Make changes wherever you’re surprised or unhappy with the findings and, as the site proclaims, "find your ideal work-life balance."
Advantages
- Lets you know how much time you are wasting every day on your device
Disadvantages
- Is an app on your phone, which requires you to spend more time on your phone (an oxymoron)
Pricing
Free
13. Yelp
Key Features
Yelp lets you look up nearby everything (restaurants, shopping, services, and more) so you can read reviews and make a choice you’ll be happy with in advance.
Advantages
- Offers recommendations with reviews, photos and information
Disadvantages
- Takes the adventure out of hunting down your own ideas
- Isn't always accurate because reviews are subjective
Pricing
Free
14. Gboard
Key Features
Thanks to 50 percent faster “glide typing,” Gboard's in-app keyboard lets you respond to a message and get off of your phone more quickly.
Advantages
- Types for you, saving you time
Disadvantages
- De-humanizes the experience
Pricing
Free
15. Venmo
Key Features
Venmo is king for when you don’t have cash, want to easily split the check, or need to pay back a friend. You sync it with your bank account and can charge or request money from anyone else who’s signed up, easily. No more waiting to split the check, having to go to an ATM for cash, etc. etc.
Advantages
- Easily send and receive money
Disadvantages
- Can accidentally send to unknown users
- Takes time to transfer to the bank
- Only available in the US
Pricing
Free
16. Overdrive
Key Features
Overdrive lets you rent e-books from your local library without having to actually go to the library. It’s like Netflix for bookworms!
Advantages
- Rent ebooks without having to buy them or go anywhere
Disadvantages
- You don't get to hang onto the book
Pricing
Free
17. Time Doctor
Key Features
If you want to take charge of your life and free yourself from time-pressure, then Time Doctor is just for you! The ideal time tracking and productivity monitoring app that allows you to stay on top of all the tasks and assignments.
Advantages
- Tracks time and productivity
- Offers alerts
- Sends reminders
Disadvantages
- Isn't always the most accurate
Pricing
$9.99/month
18. NightShift
Key Features
Nightshift is more so one of your phone’s features than an app, but enabling it makes the light from your screen warmer (the regular blue light disrupts our ability to sleep).
Advantages
- Helps your eyesight over time
Disadvantages
- Can be frustrating when you need more light
Pricing
Free
19. Flux
Key Features
Similarly, Flux also helps cut blue light from our screens and even adapts your screen color based on the time of day.
Advantages
- Helps your eyesight over time
Disadvantages
- Can be frustrating when you need more light
Pricing
Free
20. Habitbull
Key Features
Habitbull helps you track new habits so you can more easily maintain them over time. It could also be used to help you break bad habits, too.
Advantages
- Tracks new habits over time
- Offers community
- Displays graphs
Disadvantages
- Doesn't offer advice on breaking bad habits
Pricing
Free
21. MyFitnessPal
Key Features
MyFitnessPal is an incredible tool for tracking your health and fitness goals. You can track calories, weight, meals, and macros seamlessly. There’s even a function that lets you scan or enter in a new food if you can’t find it by searching.
Advantages
- Offers workouts
- Offers calorie tracker
Disadvantages
- Doesn't necessarily hold you accountable
Pricing
Free
22. DuoLingo
Key Features
DuoLingo is sort of like the free version of Rosetta Stone. It helps you learn languages whenever you have a spare moment, making becoming multi-lingual seem more like a way to pass a commute than a test you have to study for.
Advantages
- Helps you learn multiple languages
- Sends you reminders
- Gamifies learning
Disadvantages
- Doesn't necessarily teach you real-world scenarios
- Difficult to learn a language without in-person practice
Pricing
Free
23. Learn CSS
Key Features
Similarly, Learn CSS and its related series of apps help you learn in-demand, relevant skills that will boost your career on-the-go.
Advantages
- Teaches you CSS skills
Disadvantages
- Takes time and lacks in-person accountability
Pricing
Free
24. Vouchercloud
Key Features
Vouchercloud helps you search the best coupon and discount codes available from leading retailers to help you save money easily.
Advantages
- Offers coupons to save you money
Disadvantages
- Can only be used for online shopping
- No longer available in the US
Pricing
Dependent upon country
25. Honey
Key Features
Honey automatically syncs the best possible coupon codes for you at check-out when browsing online, helping you find better deals instantly.
Advantages
- Offers coupons to save you money
Disadvantages
- Can only be used for shopping
Pricing
Free
26. Google Tasks
Key Features
Google Tasks is great for digital task management and taking notes because it works in conjunction with your Google Calendar account, meaning you can have a quick visual of your tasks for that day and the week ahead all in one place. It’s super basic (and free!), but will be enough for those who aren’t interested in the bells and whistles of fancier apps.
Advantages
- Easy user interface
- Combines with Google Calendar account
Disadvantages
- Not great for minimalists
Pricing
Free
27. Todoist
Key Features
The Todoist app remains one of the popular app store choices for those in need of an online task manager, and for good reason. You can separate tasks into projects, drag-and-drop projects to form a hierarchy, color-code priorities, and set separate reminders for when you should start working on a task versus when that task is due. Todoist Premium even rewards you for productivity by scoring your daily work ethic!
Advantages
- Online task manager
- Separate tasks by project
- Color-coding capabilities
- Reminders
- Rewards for work ethic
Disadvantages
- Free version is limited
Pricing
Free with in-app purchases
28. Firetask
Key Features
Firetask is a great way for big-picture thinkers to manage to-do lists and comes with two “views.” The first, Organize, gives you a quick-glance rundown of all your upcoming projects for the next two days, as well as further down the road. The Scratchboard view then lets you jot down notes.
Advantages
- Two views
- Easy organization
- Quick rundowns of projects
- Scratchboard view for notes
Disadvantages
- Not free
Pricing
$26.99
29. Any.do
Key Features
Any.do enables you to sync your various task lists and to-do’s across all your devices, create recurring tasks, and make notes via voice-entry. Plus, this task management app helps you compartmentalize what can wait a couple days and what has to be done immediately. Most of its best features come ready to go on the free version!
Advantages
- Simple userface
- Can add different lists
- Can add tags
- Flexible calendar views
Disadvantages
- Not great for minimalists
Pricing
Free
30. TickTick
Key Features
TickTick is another simple yet effective to-do list app. You just list your tasks and tap any of the more complex ones to add subtasks, this turning the task into a project. Todo lists are also automatically organized according to their due date, which takes some of the pressure off of yourself!
Advantages
- Simple userface
- Can add subtasks
- Automatic organization
- Flexible calendar views
- Syncable across platforms
Disadvantages
- Not great for minimalists
Pricing
Free
31. Microsoft To Do
Key Features
Formerly Wunderlist, Microsoft To Do has an intuitive, easy-to-use interface when you can add tasks, integrate with Outlook, sync tasks and much more. It's attractive and highly functional, allowing you to prioritize your tasks.
Advantages
- Offers mobile integrations
- Enables collaboration
- Has an appealing UI
- Easy to use
Disadvantages
- Difficult to assign tasks
- No ability to add details within subtasks
Pricing
Free
32. Habitica
Key Features
Habitica gamifies your task list in order to motivate you to complete your responsibilities. Characters, rewards and punishments, along with support from peers, help you achieve your goals, all while having fun.
Advantages
- It's fun
- Receive support from a community
- Easy-to-use interface
Disadvantages
- Some bugs
- Not ideal for longer-term projects
Pricing
Free
33. TeuxDeux
Key Features
Pronounced "to-do," TeuxDeux serves up your task list in an appealing interface, allowing you to visualize your responsibilities. You can simply drag and drop your tasks from list to list, and if you don't complete them, the app will automatically assign it to your next to-do- list.
Advantages
- Attractive, intuitive interface
- Easy to use
- Enables sharing with others
- Functions on multiple devices
- Intuitive, uncluttered, minimalist interface that looks beautiful
- Enables markdown
Disadvantages
- Some features are not available with the free plan
- Requires an internet connection
- Some users complain about frequent bugs.
Pricing
Free
What will you do with all of the time and resources you’ve saved by streamlining?
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Chelsea is a career coach, trainer, and resume writer with over 5 years of experience working with diverse adults throughout the New York City area. She has worked with jobseekers across industries and professional levels, including immigrants and formerly incarcerated individuals. She loves poetry, travel, and arctic dogs, and lives in Brooklyn, NY.
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