Reminders for a simple option for Apple-only users Todoist for Mac users who need to sync with other platforms Things for a blend of powerful features with elegant design All offer free trials of some sort, so try out anything that looks useful to you. With these criteria in mind, here are the best to-do list apps you can find for macOS. Offer a clean interface, with native macOS features like notifications, widgets, and integration with the menu bar. Make it fast to add new tasks without opening the app, ideally using a keyboard shortcut. Offer multiple ways to organize tasks, such as tags, lists, due dates, or projects. In my opinion, the very best Mac to-do lists apps need to do five key things: Which one you prefer may well boil down to personal taste.

There's an incredible range of options out there, all looking to serve different kinds of users. I thought about all of these things while I tested every macOS to-do list app I could get my hands on. That disrupts your workflow, which defeats the entire point of productivity software.

Applications that don't feel like they were designed for macOS are distracting because things like keyboard shortcuts, notifications, and menus don't work the way they do in other applications. They, perhaps more than users of any other platform, are picky and expect things to look and work a certain way. And it's particularly hard to make Mac users happy.