Todoist and Google Tasks both manage your to-do list, and both are free to start. That's about where the similarities end. Todoist is a full-featured task manager built for people who need projects, subtasks, filters, and priorities. Google Tasks is a lightweight checklist that lives inside Gmail, Google Calendar, and other Google apps, designed for quick task capture without getting in the way.

The right choice depends almost entirely on what you need from a task manager. If you just want a checklist that shows up next to your calendar, Google Tasks does that well for free. If you want to manage complex projects, track priorities across contexts, and build recurring workflows, Todoist handles that at a price that's hard to argue with.

We tested both tools in 2026 on web and mobile. Here's how they compare.

Key Takeaways

• Google Tasks is the right choice if you live in Google apps and want a free, low-friction task list that integrates with Calendar

• Todoist wins on features: projects, subtasks, priority levels, filters, labels, and 80+ integrations not available in Google Tasks

• Todoist's free plan covers basic use; the Pro plan at $5/month adds reminders, comments, file attachments, and advanced filters

Quick Verdict

• Todoist: Best for anyone who needs real project organization, recurring task logic, and cross-platform flexibility

• Google Tasks: Best for Google Workspace users who want a simple, free checklist embedded in their existing tools

Todoist Overview

Todoist is built around projects: each project is a container for tasks, subtasks, and sections. You can add priority flags (P1-P4), labels, due dates with times, recurring schedules, and task comments. The Quick Add bar accepts natural language so typing "meeting prep tomorrow 2pm every Monday" creates a recurring Monday task with the right time and date automatically.

The free plan allows up to 5 personal projects with basic features. The Pro plan at $5/month (annual) adds 300 projects, reminders, task duration, file attachments, comments, advanced filters, and Todoist Assist, the AI feature for breaking down tasks and suggesting subtasks. The Business plan at $8/user/month adds team collaboration features.

• What Works: Clean interface across web, iOS, Android, Mac, Windows; natural language task entry; powerful recurring task logic; 80+ integrations including Slack, GitHub, and Google Calendar; Karma points gamification for habit building

• Limitations: Free plan limited to 5 projects; reminders require Pro; calendar view is added in Pro only; no built-in time tracking

Pricing: Free (5 projects); Pro $5/month billed annually ($60/year) or $7/month; Business $8/user/month annually

Best for: Power users, freelancers, and teams who need structured project and task management

Google Tasks Overview

Google Tasks is intentionally simple. You create lists, add tasks with optional due dates and notes, and check them off. Tasks with due dates appear on your Google Calendar automatically, which is its main value proposition: your to-dos live alongside your meetings without any extra setup. It's available in Gmail, Google Calendar, and as a standalone app on iOS and Android.

There are no projects, no subtasks beyond one level, no priority flags, and no labels. You can create multiple task lists (think of them as simple categories), set recurrence on tasks, and add notes to individual tasks. That's the full feature set. Google Tasks is completely free with any Google account. For tools that add functionality on top of Google Tasks, see our guide to the best apps to use with Google Tasks.

• What Works: Completely free; native Google Calendar integration shows tasks on the calendar; available directly in Gmail sidebar; fast task entry; syncs across all devices automatically

• Limitations: No priority levels or labels; no subtasks beyond one level; no collaboration; very limited integrations; no reminders with notification alerts; no Kanban or calendar views within the app itself

Pricing: Free (included with any Google account)

Best for: Google Workspace users who want a quick, free checklist that syncs with Calendar

Head-to-Head Comparison

• Task organization: Todoist wins clearly. Projects, subtasks, priority flags, labels, and sections give you multiple ways to structure work. Google Tasks has flat lists only

• Google Calendar integration: Google Tasks wins here. Tasks appear directly on the calendar grid with zero setup. Todoist integrates with Google Calendar but requires subscribing via iCal link, which is one-way

• Recurring tasks: Todoist wins. Its natural language engine handles complex schedules ("every other Tuesday", "last day of the month"). Google Tasks handles basic daily/weekly/monthly recurrence

• Mobile apps: Todoist wins on features; Google Tasks wins on simplicity. Both are fast and reliable

• Reminders: Todoist wins (requires Pro). Google Tasks shows tasks on Calendar but doesn't send standalone push notification reminders

• Integrations: Todoist wins by a large margin. 80+ integrations vs Google Tasks' limited API access. If you use Slack, GitHub, or project tools, Todoist connects directly

• Collaboration: Todoist wins (requires Business plan). Google Tasks has no sharing or collaboration features at all

• Price: Google Tasks wins. It's free. Todoist's free plan covers basic use but its best features require Pro

• AI features: Todoist wins (Pro). Todoist Assist helps break tasks into subtasks and suggests next actions. Google Tasks has no AI features

Which Should You Choose?

Choose Google Tasks if: You primarily use Gmail and Google Calendar, you want tasks that show up directly on your calendar grid without any setup, you don't need subtasks or priority levels, and you want a free solution with zero ongoing cost.

Choose Todoist if: You manage multiple projects with varying priorities, you want recurring tasks with complex schedules, you need integration with Slack or other work tools, you want time-based reminders on tasks, or you need any collaboration features. The Pro plan at $5/month is worth it for anyone using it seriously.

If you're already on Todoist and wondering whether the grass is greener, our guide to the best Todoist alternatives covers other options worth considering. And if you use both alongside Google Calendar, see the best apps to use with Google Calendar for a broader ecosystem view.

A Note on Scheduling Around Your Tasks

Both Todoist and Google Tasks tell you what to do. Neither one decides when to do it based on your energy and available time. If you're using either tool alongside a full calendar and want your tasks automatically scheduled into your open time blocks, Lifestack connects to both Google Tasks and your calendar to handle that scheduling layer. It reads your tasks, your meetings, and your energy data, then builds a prioritized daily plan. The best weekly planner apps guide covers how tools like this fit into a broader planning workflow.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I sync Todoist with Google Tasks?

Not natively. Todoist and Google Tasks don't have a direct sync. You can use a third-party automation tool like Zapier or Make to create workflows that push tasks between them. Todoist also has a Google Calendar integration via iCal, but that syncs due dates to Calendar, not to Google Tasks specifically.

Does Google Tasks have a desktop app?

Not as a standalone app. Google Tasks is accessible via the Tasks panel in Gmail and Google Calendar on the web, and through the mobile app on iOS and Android. There's no dedicated Windows or Mac desktop application. Todoist has native apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android.

Is Todoist worth paying for over Google Tasks?

If you're hitting the limits of a flat list (needing subtasks, priority sorting, reminders that push to your phone, or project organization), then yes. The gap between Google Tasks and Todoist Pro is large, and $5/month is a reasonable price for that jump. If a simple checklist in Gmail covers your needs, there's no reason to pay for Todoist.

Which is better for work: Todoist or Google Tasks?

Todoist is better for work in almost every dimension: projects, priorities, team sharing, integrations with Slack and GitHub, and AI-assisted task breakdown. Google Tasks works for work if your tasks are simple and you live in Gmail. For complex work with multiple projects, Todoist handles it better. For more options in this space, see our guide to the best applications for organization.

Can I use Todoist and Google Tasks together?

Some people use Todoist for their main task management and Google Tasks for quick tasks that need to appear on Google Calendar. The two can coexist since they don't conflict. The challenge is keeping two systems in sync manually. If you need goals alongside your daily tasks, see our guide to the best goal-setting apps for tools that bridge task management and goal tracking.