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Microsoft To Do vs Planner: Key Differences
Microsoft To Do vs Planner: Key Differences
Microsoft To Do vs Planner: Key Differences
Microsoft 365 includes two task management apps, and many users are genuinely unsure which one to use. Microsoft To Do is a personal task list. Microsoft Planner is a team project board. The confusion is understandable because both live inside Microsoft 365, both manage tasks, and Microsoft has been actively merging them into a unified "Planner" experience since 2023.
The short version: use To Do for your individual to-do list. Use Planner when you need to coordinate work across a team. For most Microsoft 365 users, the answer is both, used for different things.
Here is a full breakdown of how they differ, what each does best, and how to choose between them for your specific workflow.
Key Takeaways
Microsoft To Do is for personal task management. Planner is for team project coordination. They solve different problems and are increasingly integrated in the new unified Planner experience.
To Do is free for everyone. Planner requires a Microsoft 365 subscription.
Both apps now appear together in Microsoft Teams through the unified Planner app, which surfaces To Do personal tasks and Planner team boards in one place.
Quick Verdict
Microsoft To Do: Best for personal to-do lists, daily task organization, and simple reminders. Works well for individuals who live in Outlook and want tasks integrated with email.
Microsoft Planner: Best for team projects, Kanban-style task boards, and tracking work across multiple people. Requires Microsoft 365 and is most useful when everyone on the team uses it.
Microsoft To Do Overview
Microsoft To Do is a personal task manager built for individuals. It replaced Wunderlist after Microsoft acquired it in 2015, and has steadily grown into one of the more capable free task apps available.
The core experience is a clean list interface with daily planning built in. The My Day feature lets you pick tasks to focus on each day, pulling from any list you have created. Tasks can have due dates, reminders, notes, file attachments, and subtasks. Recurring tasks are well-supported. The app syncs across iOS, Android, Windows, Mac, and web.
The Outlook integration is To Do's strongest feature for Microsoft 365 users. Flagged emails in Outlook automatically become tasks in To Do, and tasks assigned to you in Planner sync into To Do's Assigned to Me list. This makes it a surprisingly useful inbox for tasks generated from across the Microsoft ecosystem.
My Day daily planning view with smart suggestions
Outlook flagged emails sync as tasks automatically
Planner-assigned tasks appear in Assigned to Me
Subtasks, due dates, reminders, file attachments
Lists that can be shared with other people
Available on iOS, Android, Windows, Mac, and web
What Works:
My Day makes daily prioritization fast and low-friction
Outlook integration means work emails become actionable tasks without switching apps
Clean, fast mobile apps with reliable sync
Completely free, no subscription required
Limitations:
No Kanban board view or project-level progress tracking
No built-in time tracking or workload management
Collaboration features are limited compared to Planner
No dependency management between tasks
Pricing: Free for everyone. No Microsoft 365 subscription required.
Microsoft Planner Overview
Microsoft Planner is a team project management tool built around Kanban boards and task assignment. It is designed for groups that need to track who is doing what, by when, across a shared project.
Each Planner project (called a Plan) has a board with buckets (columns) and cards (tasks). Tasks can be assigned to team members, given due dates, priority labels, checklists, and attachments. Planner shows a progress chart view and a schedule view alongside the board. Plans are connected to Microsoft 365 Groups, so each plan has an associated Teams channel, SharePoint site, and shared mailbox.
In 2023, Microsoft unified Planner with Microsoft Project for the web and To Do under a single "Planner" app experience, particularly visible in Teams. The new Planner shows personal To Do tasks alongside team plans in one sidebar, making the two tools more connected than they have ever been.
Kanban board, schedule (Gantt-style), grid, and chart views
Task assignment to team members with due dates and priority
Integrated with Teams channels, SharePoint, and Microsoft 365 Groups
New Planner unifies team plans and personal To Do tasks
Premium tier adds goals, sprints, and advanced reporting
What Works:
Kanban boards are genuinely useful for managing team workflows without overcomplicating things
Deep Microsoft 365 integration means no separate account or SSO setup needed
New unified Planner in Teams surfaces both personal and team tasks in one place
Chart view gives managers a quick project status read without opening every task
Limitations:
Requires a Microsoft 365 subscription. Not available as a standalone free tool.
Advanced features (sprints, goals, timeline) only available on Planner Premium
Can feel overkill for small teams doing lightweight coordination
Search and filtering are weaker than dedicated project management tools like Asana or Jira
Pricing: Included with Microsoft 365 Business Basic ($6/user/month), Business Standard ($12.50/user/month), and most other Microsoft 365 plans. Planner Premium (with Project features) requires a separate Microsoft 365 add-on.
Head-to-Head: Microsoft To Do vs Planner
Audience: To Do is for individuals. Planner is for teams.
Task views: To Do offers list view only. Planner offers Kanban board, schedule, grid, and chart views.
Collaboration: To Do supports shared lists with simple assignment. Planner supports full multi-person project tracking with workload views.
Outlook integration: To Do syncs flagged emails as tasks automatically. Planner has no direct Outlook flagging integration.
Teams integration: Both appear in the new unified Planner app inside Teams. Planner also creates a Teams channel per plan.
Mobile apps: To Do has polished, fast mobile apps. Planner's mobile app is more limited than the web version.
Cost: To Do is free. Planner requires Microsoft 365.
Which Should You Choose?
Use To Do if you need a personal task list that ties into your Outlook inbox and daily planning. It is better for capturing and organizing your own work. If you spend most of your day in email and need tasks to follow from emails naturally, To Do's Outlook integration makes it the stronger choice for personal productivity.
Use Planner if you are coordinating work across a team. Any project where multiple people need to see who owns what, track progress toward completion, or run regular sprints belongs in Planner, not To Do.
Use both together if you work in a Microsoft 365 organization. This is actually the intended use case. Tasks assigned to you in Planner appear in To Do's Assigned to Me view, so you can manage your personal workload in To Do while your team coordinates in Planner. The new unified Planner experience in Teams makes switching between the two even lower friction. For related Microsoft 365 workflow tips, the guide on viewing someone's calendar on Teams and fixing Teams calendar sync with Outlook cover adjacent productivity challenges in the same ecosystem.
A Note on the New Unified Planner
As of 2024, Microsoft is unifying To Do, Planner, and Microsoft Project under a single "Planner" app experience, most visibly in Microsoft Teams. Personal tasks from To Do appear in the My Tasks section. Team plans from Planner appear in the My Plans section. This means the distinction between the two apps is increasingly a distinction within a single interface rather than between two separate apps.
The underlying products still exist separately, and both are still available as standalone apps. But if you are using Teams, the unified Planner app is the most efficient way to access both without switching contexts.
If you find that neither To Do nor Planner is giving you the kind of scheduling that actually matches how you work, an AI scheduling tool like Lifestack takes a different approach. Rather than tracking what needs to be done, it schedules tasks against your personal energy patterns throughout the day, so your deep work happens when you have the focus for it and routine tasks fill in the gaps. It syncs with Outlook and Google Calendar. See the best task management apps for inconsistent energy guide for a broader comparison, and the time management strategies guide for frameworks that work alongside task apps.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between Microsoft To Do and Planner?
Microsoft To Do is a personal task list for individuals. Microsoft Planner is a team project board for groups. To Do is best for capturing and organizing your own work. Planner is best for tracking shared projects across multiple people.
Is Microsoft To Do replacing Planner?
No. Microsoft is unifying both under a single "Planner" app experience, particularly in Teams, but both underlying products continue to exist. Personal tasks live in To Do. Team projects live in Planner. The new unified interface shows both together.
Can I use Microsoft To Do for free?
Yes. Microsoft To Do is free for everyone, including users without a Microsoft 365 subscription. It is available on iOS, Android, Windows, Mac, and web.
Does Microsoft Planner work with Teams?
Yes. Planner is deeply integrated with Teams. Each Plan has an associated Teams channel. The new unified Planner app inside Teams surfaces both personal tasks and team plans in one place.
Can I see my Planner tasks in Microsoft To Do?
Yes. Tasks assigned to you in any Planner plan automatically appear in the Assigned to Me list inside Microsoft To Do. This makes To Do a useful personal inbox for tasks that originate across different team plans. For productivity challenges around task paralysis and executive dysfunction, the guide covers why task lists alone sometimes are not enough and what to pair them with.
Microsoft To Do vs Planner: Key Differences
Microsoft 365 includes two task management apps, and many users are genuinely unsure which one to use. Microsoft To Do is a personal task list. Microsoft Planner is a team project board. The confusion is understandable because both live inside Microsoft 365, both manage tasks, and Microsoft has been actively merging them into a unified "Planner" experience since 2023.
The short version: use To Do for your individual to-do list. Use Planner when you need to coordinate work across a team. For most Microsoft 365 users, the answer is both, used for different things.
Here is a full breakdown of how they differ, what each does best, and how to choose between them for your specific workflow.
Key Takeaways
Microsoft To Do is for personal task management. Planner is for team project coordination. They solve different problems and are increasingly integrated in the new unified Planner experience.
To Do is free for everyone. Planner requires a Microsoft 365 subscription.
Both apps now appear together in Microsoft Teams through the unified Planner app, which surfaces To Do personal tasks and Planner team boards in one place.
Quick Verdict
Microsoft To Do: Best for personal to-do lists, daily task organization, and simple reminders. Works well for individuals who live in Outlook and want tasks integrated with email.
Microsoft Planner: Best for team projects, Kanban-style task boards, and tracking work across multiple people. Requires Microsoft 365 and is most useful when everyone on the team uses it.
Microsoft To Do Overview
Microsoft To Do is a personal task manager built for individuals. It replaced Wunderlist after Microsoft acquired it in 2015, and has steadily grown into one of the more capable free task apps available.
The core experience is a clean list interface with daily planning built in. The My Day feature lets you pick tasks to focus on each day, pulling from any list you have created. Tasks can have due dates, reminders, notes, file attachments, and subtasks. Recurring tasks are well-supported. The app syncs across iOS, Android, Windows, Mac, and web.
The Outlook integration is To Do's strongest feature for Microsoft 365 users. Flagged emails in Outlook automatically become tasks in To Do, and tasks assigned to you in Planner sync into To Do's Assigned to Me list. This makes it a surprisingly useful inbox for tasks generated from across the Microsoft ecosystem.
My Day daily planning view with smart suggestions
Outlook flagged emails sync as tasks automatically
Planner-assigned tasks appear in Assigned to Me
Subtasks, due dates, reminders, file attachments
Lists that can be shared with other people
Available on iOS, Android, Windows, Mac, and web
What Works:
My Day makes daily prioritization fast and low-friction
Outlook integration means work emails become actionable tasks without switching apps
Clean, fast mobile apps with reliable sync
Completely free, no subscription required
Limitations:
No Kanban board view or project-level progress tracking
No built-in time tracking or workload management
Collaboration features are limited compared to Planner
No dependency management between tasks
Pricing: Free for everyone. No Microsoft 365 subscription required.
Microsoft Planner Overview
Microsoft Planner is a team project management tool built around Kanban boards and task assignment. It is designed for groups that need to track who is doing what, by when, across a shared project.
Each Planner project (called a Plan) has a board with buckets (columns) and cards (tasks). Tasks can be assigned to team members, given due dates, priority labels, checklists, and attachments. Planner shows a progress chart view and a schedule view alongside the board. Plans are connected to Microsoft 365 Groups, so each plan has an associated Teams channel, SharePoint site, and shared mailbox.
In 2023, Microsoft unified Planner with Microsoft Project for the web and To Do under a single "Planner" app experience, particularly visible in Teams. The new Planner shows personal To Do tasks alongside team plans in one sidebar, making the two tools more connected than they have ever been.
Kanban board, schedule (Gantt-style), grid, and chart views
Task assignment to team members with due dates and priority
Integrated with Teams channels, SharePoint, and Microsoft 365 Groups
New Planner unifies team plans and personal To Do tasks
Premium tier adds goals, sprints, and advanced reporting
What Works:
Kanban boards are genuinely useful for managing team workflows without overcomplicating things
Deep Microsoft 365 integration means no separate account or SSO setup needed
New unified Planner in Teams surfaces both personal and team tasks in one place
Chart view gives managers a quick project status read without opening every task
Limitations:
Requires a Microsoft 365 subscription. Not available as a standalone free tool.
Advanced features (sprints, goals, timeline) only available on Planner Premium
Can feel overkill for small teams doing lightweight coordination
Search and filtering are weaker than dedicated project management tools like Asana or Jira
Pricing: Included with Microsoft 365 Business Basic ($6/user/month), Business Standard ($12.50/user/month), and most other Microsoft 365 plans. Planner Premium (with Project features) requires a separate Microsoft 365 add-on.
Head-to-Head: Microsoft To Do vs Planner
Audience: To Do is for individuals. Planner is for teams.
Task views: To Do offers list view only. Planner offers Kanban board, schedule, grid, and chart views.
Collaboration: To Do supports shared lists with simple assignment. Planner supports full multi-person project tracking with workload views.
Outlook integration: To Do syncs flagged emails as tasks automatically. Planner has no direct Outlook flagging integration.
Teams integration: Both appear in the new unified Planner app inside Teams. Planner also creates a Teams channel per plan.
Mobile apps: To Do has polished, fast mobile apps. Planner's mobile app is more limited than the web version.
Cost: To Do is free. Planner requires Microsoft 365.
Which Should You Choose?
Use To Do if you need a personal task list that ties into your Outlook inbox and daily planning. It is better for capturing and organizing your own work. If you spend most of your day in email and need tasks to follow from emails naturally, To Do's Outlook integration makes it the stronger choice for personal productivity.
Use Planner if you are coordinating work across a team. Any project where multiple people need to see who owns what, track progress toward completion, or run regular sprints belongs in Planner, not To Do.
Use both together if you work in a Microsoft 365 organization. This is actually the intended use case. Tasks assigned to you in Planner appear in To Do's Assigned to Me view, so you can manage your personal workload in To Do while your team coordinates in Planner. The new unified Planner experience in Teams makes switching between the two even lower friction. For related Microsoft 365 workflow tips, the guide on viewing someone's calendar on Teams and fixing Teams calendar sync with Outlook cover adjacent productivity challenges in the same ecosystem.
A Note on the New Unified Planner
As of 2024, Microsoft is unifying To Do, Planner, and Microsoft Project under a single "Planner" app experience, most visibly in Microsoft Teams. Personal tasks from To Do appear in the My Tasks section. Team plans from Planner appear in the My Plans section. This means the distinction between the two apps is increasingly a distinction within a single interface rather than between two separate apps.
The underlying products still exist separately, and both are still available as standalone apps. But if you are using Teams, the unified Planner app is the most efficient way to access both without switching contexts.
If you find that neither To Do nor Planner is giving you the kind of scheduling that actually matches how you work, an AI scheduling tool like Lifestack takes a different approach. Rather than tracking what needs to be done, it schedules tasks against your personal energy patterns throughout the day, so your deep work happens when you have the focus for it and routine tasks fill in the gaps. It syncs with Outlook and Google Calendar. See the best task management apps for inconsistent energy guide for a broader comparison, and the time management strategies guide for frameworks that work alongside task apps.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between Microsoft To Do and Planner?
Microsoft To Do is a personal task list for individuals. Microsoft Planner is a team project board for groups. To Do is best for capturing and organizing your own work. Planner is best for tracking shared projects across multiple people.
Is Microsoft To Do replacing Planner?
No. Microsoft is unifying both under a single "Planner" app experience, particularly in Teams, but both underlying products continue to exist. Personal tasks live in To Do. Team projects live in Planner. The new unified interface shows both together.
Can I use Microsoft To Do for free?
Yes. Microsoft To Do is free for everyone, including users without a Microsoft 365 subscription. It is available on iOS, Android, Windows, Mac, and web.
Does Microsoft Planner work with Teams?
Yes. Planner is deeply integrated with Teams. Each Plan has an associated Teams channel. The new unified Planner app inside Teams surfaces both personal tasks and team plans in one place.
Can I see my Planner tasks in Microsoft To Do?
Yes. Tasks assigned to you in any Planner plan automatically appear in the Assigned to Me list inside Microsoft To Do. This makes To Do a useful personal inbox for tasks that originate across different team plans. For productivity challenges around task paralysis and executive dysfunction, the guide covers why task lists alone sometimes are not enough and what to pair them with.
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Copyright 2026 © Lifestack. All rights reserved
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