Todoist Free vs Paid — Do You Actually Need Premium?

Todoist is one of the most popular task managers in the world — and for good reason. But if you've been using the free plan, you've probably hit a wall. Reminders? Paid. Labels? Limited. Filters? Locked. So is the upgrade worth it — or is there a better path entirely?

In one sentence: Todoist's free plan is deliberately limited to push you toward paying — but TODO gives you everything Todoist charges for, completely free.

What Todoist Locks Behind Its Paywall

Todoist's free plan covers the basics — adding tasks, setting due dates, and using up to 5 projects. But the moment you want to get serious about productivity, you hit paywalls:

Reminders: You can't set task reminders on the free plan. This is arguably the most important feature for staying on track.
Filters & Labels: Custom views and organisation are locked behind Pro ($5/mo).
Task Duration: Time blocking? Pro only.
Calendar Integration: Syncing with Google Calendar requires the paid plan.
Project Limit: Free users are capped at 5 active projects.
File Uploads: Attaching files to tasks is a Pro feature.
Activity History: Seeing your productivity trends is paywalled.

The frustrating part? These aren't luxury features. They're basic productivity tools that Todoist holds back to convert free users into paying customers.

Todoist Free vs Todoist Pro vs TODO — Feature Comparison

Feature	Todoist Free	Todoist Pro ($5/mo)	TODO (Free)
Unlimited projects	❌ (5 max)	✅ (300)	✅ Unlimited
Reminders	❌	✅	✅ Built-in
Repeating tasks	✅ Basic	✅	✅ Full
Smart rollover	❌	❌	✅ Automatic
Weekly planning view	❌	❌	✅
Productivity dashboard	❌	✅ (Karma)	✅ Free
Labels & filters	❌ Limited	✅	✅ Lists
Offline access	✅ App only	✅	✅ PWA
Ads	None	None	None
Price	Free	$5/month	Free forever

The pattern is clear: features that Todoist reserves for paying customers are available for free in TODO. Not in a limited way — fully.

Who Should Stay With Todoist (And Who Shouldn't)

To be fair, Todoist is a well-built app. Its natural language processing is excellent, and it has deep integrations with tools like Slack, Gmail, and Zapier. If you're already embedded in that ecosystem and the $5/month doesn't bother you, Todoist Pro is a solid choice.

But if you're asking whether the upgrade is necessary — the answer depends on what you need:

You just need a clean daily task list? TODO does this better and for free.
You want repeating tasks and weekly planning? TODO includes both, no upgrade needed.
You want productivity tracking? TODO's dashboard is free; Todoist charges for it.
You need 50+ integrations? Todoist Pro wins here.
You work in a team of 25+? Todoist Business might make sense.

For most individual users, the features locked behind Todoist's paywall are exactly the features that TODO offers for free. Learn why TODO will always stay free.

Comparing Todoist with something else? See TickTick vs Todoist, Notion vs Todoist, Google Tasks vs Todoist, Any.do vs Todoist and Things 3 vs Todoist.

What TODO Does That Todoist Doesn't (Even on Pro)

Beyond matching Todoist's paid features, TODO offers some things Todoist doesn't at any price:

Automatic Smart Rollover: Unfinished tasks roll to the next day automatically. Todoist leaves them in the past — you have to manually reschedule each one.
Dedicated Weekly View: TODO's weekly planning view connects your weekly goals to daily tasks. Todoist has a calendar view but no native weekly planning flow.
Calm, Minimal Design: TODO's Apple-inspired design is deliberately calming. No gamification, no productivity guilt. Learn about calm productivity.
No Sign-Up Required: You can start using TODO instantly without creating an account. See how no-signup works.

Making the Switch: Todoist to TODO

Switching from Todoist to TODO takes about 5 minutes:

Open TODO — no account needed to start.
Add your active tasks — focus on today and this week only. Don't import your entire Todoist history.
Set up repeating tasks for your daily habits and routines.
Create lists for your main projects or life areas.
Use the weekly view to plan your week ahead.

The simplicity is intentional. Complex productivity apps often fail because they demand too much setup. TODO gets you productive in minutes, not hours.

FAQ

Is Todoist Pro worth the upgrade?

→ It depends. If you need deep integrations with Slack, Gmail, or Zapier, Pro adds value. But for core task management — daily lists, repeating tasks, reminders, weekly planning — TODO offers all of that free. Most individual users won't need Todoist Pro.

What features does Todoist lock behind its paywall?

→ Reminders, custom filters, labels, calendar integration, file uploads, activity history, and more than 5 projects are all restricted to the Pro plan ($5/month) or Business plan ($8/month).

Can I switch from Todoist to TODO easily?

→ Yes. TODO requires no account to start, so you can try it immediately. Just add your active tasks and set up repeating tasks — you'll be productive in under 5 minutes.

Does TODO have features that Todoist Pro doesn't?

→ Yes. TODO's automatic smart rollover, dedicated weekly planning view, and instant no-signup access are unique features not available in Todoist at any price tier.

Is TODO really free with no hidden costs?

→ Yes. TODO is 100% free with no ads, no premium tiers, no feature limits, and no data selling. All features are available to all users forever.

Bottom Line

Todoist is a good app — but its free plan is intentionally limited to push you toward paying. If you're wondering whether to upgrade, consider this: everything Todoist charges for, TODO gives you free. No compromises, no paywalls, no "upgrade to unlock" popups.

👉 Try TODO Free — Everything Todoist Charges For, Without the Price Tag

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