Todoist vs Microsoft To-Do: Which One Actually Gets Things Done?
The polished indie darling versus Microsoft's free offering. We dig into features, pricing, and who each one is actually built for.
The Verdict: Todoist vs Microsoft To-Do
Todoist is a to-do list application with calendar & board management for your tasks.
Pick Todoist if you want something that captures tasks fast and doesn't feel clunky. The natural language input is the best in the business - type 'call Sarah every Tuesday at 3pm starting next week' and it just works. Works well whether you're solo or coordinating with a small team.
Microsoft To-Do is a to-do list application that can be used to manage lists & tasks.
Stick with Microsoft To-Do if you live in Outlook and just need a basic task list without paying anything. The My Day feature is honestly pretty good for daily planning, and if email-to-task conversion matters to you, it's built right in.
Todoist wins for most people. Microsoft To-Do is fine if you're already buried in the Microsoft ecosystem and don't mind basic features. But Todoist has better natural language parsing, way more integrations, and actually feels like it was built this decade.
Tested hands-on for 30+ days, 500+ tasks completed, evaluated on 15 criteria
Todoist for power and flexibility. Microsoft To-Do if you're stuck in the Microsoft world and just need basics.
Look, Microsoft To-Do isn't bad - it's just stuck being a basic to-do list while Todoist has evolved into a proper productivity system. Unless you're deeply committed to Microsoft 365, Todoist is worth the upgrade.
Todoist Pros
- Natural language processing that actually understands what you type - best I've used across any task app
- 80+ integrations including Slack, Gmail, Alexa, Google Calendar. Connects to everything
- Clean interface that scales from 10 tasks to 500 without falling apart
- Solid team features now - shared projects, assignments, comments actually work
- Karma gamification is silly but honestly motivating if you're into that
- Quick-add works from anywhere - keyboard shortcuts, widgets, extensions all feel native
Microsoft To-Do Pros
- Completely free. No premium tiers, no paywalls
- My Day feature is legitimately useful - helps you focus on today instead of drowning in your full list
- Email integration with Outlook is seamless if that's your workflow
- Cross-platform and syncs fine across devices
Todoist Cons
- Costs money for the good stuff ($4/month). Free tier is pretty limited
- No habit tracking built in
- Reminders locked behind Pro plan, which is annoying
- Learning curve if you want to use filters and labels properly
Microsoft To-Do Cons
- Natural language input is basically non-existent. You're clicking through date pickers like it's 2010
- Almost zero integrations beyond Microsoft's own stuff
- No collaboration features worth mentioning - shared lists feel like an afterthought
- Interface feels dated and clunky compared to modern task apps
- Missing basic features like priority levels and proper filtering
- No calendar view, no timeline view, no boards - just lists
- If you're not using Outlook, half the 'features' don't apply to you
Todoist vs Microsoft To-Do: Pricing Comparison
Compare pricing tiers
| Plan | Todoist | Microsoft To-Do |
|---|---|---|
| Free | 5 projects, basic features, limited collaborators | Everything - completely free |
| Premium/Pro | $4/month (billed annually at $48) | N/A - no paid tier |
| Reminders | Pro only | Included free |
| Teams | $6/user/month | Basic sharing only |
Todoist vs Microsoft To-Do Features Compared
18 features compared
Todoist parses complex phrases like 'team meeting every other Friday at 10am' instantly. Microsoft To-Do? You're clicking through date pickers manually. Not even close.
Both support recurring tasks, but Todoist handles complex patterns way better. Microsoft To-Do gets confused with anything beyond basic daily/weekly repeats.
Todoist has 4 priority levels with color coding. Microsoft To-Do has... nothing. You can star tasks but that's about it.
Todoist lets you tag tasks with multiple labels for flexible organization. Microsoft To-Do doesn't have tags at all.
Todoist filters are powerful - create custom views based on any criteria. Microsoft To-Do has basic smart lists but they're pretty rigid.
Todoist added board view recently. Microsoft To-Do is stuck with lists only.
Todoist has an upcoming view that functions like a calendar. Microsoft To-Do has a 'Planned' view but it's basically just another list.
Both have daily planning views, but Microsoft To-Do's 'My Day' with smart suggestions is actually their best feature. Credit where it's due.
Both let you share, but Todoist's collaboration features are way more robust with proper permissions and team workspaces.
Todoist has proper threaded comments. Microsoft To-Do has notes but no real discussion features.
Todoist lets you assign tasks to team members. Microsoft To-Do doesn't have assignment at all.
If you use Outlook, Microsoft To-Do wins here - flagged emails become tasks automatically. Todoist connects to Gmail but requires more setup.
Todoist syncs with Google Calendar, Apple Calendar, Outlook. Microsoft To-Do only works with Microsoft Calendar.
Not even a contest. Todoist connects to Slack, Zapier, Alexa, IFTTT, and dozens more. Microsoft To-Do barely integrates with non-Microsoft tools.
Todoist has a solid REST API with good documentation. Microsoft To-Do technically has an API through Microsoft Graph, but it's not really built for power users.
Todoist vs Microsoft To-Do: Complete Feature Comparison Table
| Feature | Todoist | Microsoft To-Do | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Natural Language Input | Yes | No | Todoist |
| Recurring Tasks | Yes | Yes | Todoist |
| Sub-tasks | Yes | Yes | Tie |
| Priority Levels | 4 levels | None | Todoist |
| Labels/Tags | Yes | No | Todoist |
| Filters & Smart Lists | Yes | Limited | Todoist |
| List View | Yes | Yes | Tie |
| Board/Kanban View | Yes | No | Todoist |
| Calendar View | Limited | No | Todoist |
| My Day / Today View | Yes | Yes | Microsoft To-Do |
| Shared Projects/Lists | Yes | Yes | Todoist |
| Comments & Discussions | Yes | Limited | Todoist |
| Task Assignment | Yes | No | Todoist |
| Team Workspaces | Yes | No | Todoist |
| Email Integration | Yes | Yes | Microsoft To-Do |
| Calendar Sync | Yes | Microsoft only | Todoist |
| Third-party Integrations | 80+ | 5-10 | Todoist |
| API Access | Yes | Limited | Todoist |
| Total Wins | 14 | 2 | Todoist |
Should You Choose Todoist or Microsoft To-Do?
Real-world scenarios to guide your decision
You just need a simple list and don't want to pay
Microsoft To-Do is completely free and handles basic task lists fine. If you're making grocery lists, packing lists, or simple personal todos, it'll do the job without costing anything.
Already living in the Microsoft 365 world
If Outlook is your email, Teams is your chat, and OneDrive stores your files, To-Do slots right in. The email-to-task conversion is genuinely useful. Staying in one ecosystem has value even if the app isn't the absolute best.
You want to capture tasks fast without clicking through menus
Todoist's natural language input is stupidly fast. Type what you mean in plain English and move on. I tested going back to Microsoft To-Do for a week and the constant menu-clicking drove me nuts. Time saved adds up when you're adding 20+ tasks a day.
Running a small team that needs to coordinate tasks
Todoist has actual team features - workspaces, assignments, comments, activity logs. Microsoft To-Do technically lets you share lists but it feels like an afterthought. If more than two people need to collaborate, go with Todoist.
Your workflow spans multiple apps and services
Todoist connects to 80+ apps including Slack, Gmail, Google Calendar, Alexa, IFTTT, Zapier. If you're pulling tasks from emails, Slack messages, calendar events, etc., those integrations save hours. Microsoft To-Do barely plays with non-Microsoft tools.
Need to organize complex projects with multiple moving parts
Nested projects, labels for tagging across projects, filters for custom views - Todoist gives you the tools to wrangle complexity. Microsoft To-Do is basically flat lists. Once your projects get past 'call these 5 people,' To-Do starts feeling inadequate.
You're trying to implement GTD or another productivity system
GTD needs contexts (labels), custom views (filters), and good project organization (nested projects). Todoist has all of it. People have built entire GTD systems in Todoist - there are templates and tutorials everywhere. Microsoft To-Do doesn't have the flexibility for serious methodology implementation.
Daily planning is your main concern
Microsoft To-Do's My Day feature with smart suggestions is actually really good for focusing on today's priorities. If you mainly care about 'what am I doing today' rather than long-term project management, To-Do handles that well and it's free.
Todoist vs Microsoft To-Do: In-Depth Analysis
Key insights on what matters most
What Sets Them Apart
Todoist
Todoist launched back in 2007 and has spent nearly two decades refining task management into an art form. The natural language parsing is genuinely the best I've tested - type 'call mom every Sunday at 2pm starting next month' and boom, it's scheduled perfectly. The app feels fast, looks clean, and scales from personal use to small team collaboration without breaking a sweat.
They've added board views, better team features, and tons of integrations over the years. It's evolved from a simple list app into a proper productivity system.
Microsoft To-Do
Microsoft To-Do came out in 2017 after Microsoft bought Wunderlist and then... kind of just sat there? It does the basics fine - you can make lists, add due dates, set reminders. The My Day feature is legitimately useful for daily planning. But honestly, it feels like Microsoft built it to check a box rather than to compete seriously in the productivity space.
If you're deep in the Microsoft ecosystem (Outlook, Teams, OneDrive), it slots in okay. Outside that bubble? It's pretty forgettable.
Managing Your Tasks
Todoist
The natural language input is what sells most people on Todoist, and yeah, it's that good. But beyond that, the organization options are solid - nested projects up to 4 levels, labels for cross-project tagging, filters for creating custom views. The quick-add shortcut works everywhere and actually feels native on each platform.
I've thrown 300+ tasks at it and the interface still feels clean. The karma system gamifies your productivity with points and streaks, which sounds corny but honestly works on me. Recent updates added board view for Kanban fans, though I still default to the list view most of the time.
Microsoft To-Do
Microsoft To-Do keeps things simple. Maybe too simple. You get lists, you get tasks, you can add due dates and reminders by clicking through menus. No natural language parsing means you're manually setting everything, which gets old fast.
The My Day feature is actually the best thing about it - every morning it suggests tasks to add to today's focus list, which helps if you're overwhelmed by a huge backlog. But there's no priority system, no tags, limited filtering. It's fine for 'milk, eggs, bread' grocery lists. For anything more complex? You'll hit the ceiling quick.
The Standout Features
Todoist
The integration ecosystem is massive - 80+ official integrations including Slack, Gmail, Alexa, calendar apps, and more. The API is well-documented too, so the community has built hundreds more connections. Productivity insights show you charts of completed tasks, when you're most productive, that sort of data nerd stuff.
For teams, the workspaces feature keeps personal and work tasks cleanly separated. The templates feature (added last year) lets you save project structures and reuse them, which is clutch for recurring project types. Oh, and the keyboard shortcuts are extensive if you're into that workflow.
Microsoft To-Do
The headline feature is the Outlook integration - flagged emails automatically become tasks in To-Do, which is slick if that's your workflow. The My Day feature with its smart suggestions really is well done. That's... kind of it for standout features? There's a 'Planned' view that shows upcoming due dates, and you can add files from OneDrive to tasks.
If you use Microsoft Teams, there's some integration there. But compared to what Todoist offers, the feature set feels sparse. It's a to-do list, not a productivity system.
What You'll Actually Pay
Todoist
Free tier gets you 5 active projects and basic features - enough to test it out but you'll feel cramped pretty quick. Pro is $4/month if you pay annually ($48/year), and that unlocks unlimited projects, reminders, labels, filters, and 250MB of file uploads. Business tier runs $6/user/month with team workspaces, admin controls, and priority support.
Most individuals go Pro, most teams go Business. Locking reminders behind the paywall is kind of petty, but otherwise the pricing feels fair for what you get. They offer a 30-day money-back guarantee at least.
Microsoft To-Do
It's free. Completely free. No premium tier, no paid features, no subscriptions. That's Microsoft To-Do's entire pricing strategy - use our free app, stay in the Microsoft ecosystem, maybe subscribe to Microsoft 365 for other stuff.
Honestly, the free angle is the best argument for it. If you just need a basic task list and don't want to pay anything, To-Do delivers that. You're just not getting much beyond the basics.
On the Go
Todoist
The mobile apps are fast and polished. Quick add works from widgets, share sheets, and the notification shade on Android. Syncing is basically instant, and offline mode handles commutes or bad wifi well.
The iOS app follows Apple's design language, Android version uses Material Design - both feel native rather than like lazy cross-platform ports. Location-based reminders are tucked into the Pro tier, which is handy for 'remind me when I get to Target' type tasks. The app mirrors the desktop layout closely, so switching devices doesn't mean relearning everything.
Microsoft To-Do
The mobile apps work fine. They're not slow, they sync okay, they won't crash on you. But they feel... utilitarian? Like Microsoft built them because mobile apps are expected, not because they had a vision for mobile task management. The widgets are basic, the UI feels a bit clunky compared to modern app design.
Adding tasks requires more taps than it should - again, no natural language input means you're clicking through date pickers. If you're already used to Microsoft's mobile design language from Outlook or OneDrive, you'll feel at home. Everyone else will probably find it a bit dated.
Related Comparisons
Todoist vs Microsoft To-Do FAQs
Common questions answered
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1Is Todoist or Microsoft To-Do better for GTD (Getting Things Done)?
Todoist, hands down. The labels, filters, and nested projects map perfectly to GTD contexts and next actions. I tried running GTD in Microsoft To-Do for about a week and gave up - the lack of tagging and proper filtering makes it a pain. Todoist has filters specifically for building GTD workflows that people share on Reddit all the time.
2How to switch from Microsoft To-Do to Todoist (or Todoist to Microsoft To-Do)
Going from To-Do to Todoist is straightforward - export your To-Do lists as files, then import them into Todoist. Your tasks and due dates carry over fine. Going backwards from Todoist to To-Do is... why would you do that? But technically you can export from Todoist and manually recreate in To-Do since Microsoft doesn't have a real import feature. You'll lose labels, priorities, and any custom organization though.
3Does Todoist or Microsoft To-Do have better natural language input?
Todoist by a mile. Type 'dentist appointment every 6 months starting January 15th at 9am' and Todoist parses it perfectly. Microsoft To-Do has basically zero natural language processing - you're clicking through calendars and time pickers like it's 2005. This alone is why I switched from To-Do to Todoist a few years back.
4Does Todoist or Microsoft To-Do work offline?
Yeah, both work offline on mobile and desktop. You can view and edit tasks without internet, then everything syncs back up when you're online. Todoist's sync feels faster in my experience, but both handle basic offline usage fine. Not a dealbreaker either way.
5Is Todoist or Microsoft To-Do better for students?
This one's actually close. Microsoft To-Do is free, which matters on a student budget. But Todoist's free tier covers basic student needs too (5 projects = 5 classes basically). I'd still lean Todoist because the natural language input saves so much time when you're rushing between classes adding assignments. 'History paper due next Friday at midnight' - boom, done. With To-Do you're tapping through menus for 30 seconds.
6Todoist vs Microsoft To-Do pricing: which is worth it?
Microsoft To-Do is free, so if 'worth it' means 'costs nothing,' To-Do wins. But Todoist Pro at $4/month gives you unlimited projects, labels, filters, reminders, and all those integrations. For me, saving 5 minutes a day through faster task capture and better organization easily justifies $4. Your mileage may vary if you're just making grocery lists.
7Does Todoist or Microsoft To-Do have better Outlook integration?
Microsoft To-Do takes this one, obviously. Flagged emails in Outlook automatically become To-Do tasks, and the integration is seamless since Microsoft built both apps. Todoist has some Outlook integration but it's more manual. If your life revolves around Outlook, this is the main reason to stick with To-Do despite its limitations.
8Can Todoist and Microsoft To-Do sync together?
Not directly, but you could hack something together with Zapier if you really wanted to. Honestly though, why? Using both simultaneously sounds like a recipe for confusion and duplicate work. Pick one and commit - you'll be way less stressed and more productive.