Official-source comparison · 2026
Todoist vs Microsoft To Do: which should you choose?
Todoist gives you more ways to organise and schedule tasks. Microsoft To Do keeps daily planning close to Outlook and your Microsoft account. The right choice depends on how much structure you want and where your work already lives.
01 · Quick verdict
Choose Todoist for deeper organisation. Choose Microsoft To Do for a simpler Outlook-led daily routine.
Todoist is the better fit when projects, filters, flexible views and natural-language scheduling matter. Microsoft To Do is the cleaner fit when My Day, flagged email and a free personal Microsoft account cover the job. Choose on workflow, not brand loyalty.
Best for
Todoist
Flexible organisation and fast natural-language capture
Todoist combines projects, sections, subtasks, priorities, labels and filters with list, board and calendar views. Smart Quick Add and natural-language dates reduce the steps between thinking of a task and scheduling it.
- Type dates and recurring schedules in everyday language
- Organise work with projects, sections, labels, priorities and filters
- Connect either Google Calendar or Outlook Calendar
Watch for: The free Beginner plan is capped at five personal projects and three filter views. Calendar layout is on Pro and Business, and only one calendar provider can be connected at a time.
Best for
Microsoft To Do
A focused daily list connected to Outlook
Microsoft To Do centres on lists, tasks and Steps, then adds My Day, suggestions, due dates, reminders, repeating tasks and flagged Outlook email. Personal accounts can use it free.
- Build a fresh focus list with My Day and suggestions
- Turn flagged Outlook messages into tasks
- Share a list by invitation link and assign tasks to members
Watch for: List sharing works between personal Microsoft accounts or accounts in the same workplace or school. Work and school access also depends on an eligible account and Exchange Online.
02 · Side by side
Todoist vs Microsoft To Do comparison
| Feature | Todoist | Microsoft To Do | What it means |
|---|---|---|---|
| Task capture | Smart Quick Add can recognise dates, recurring schedules, priorities, labels and projects from typed text | Add a task, then use its detail view for dates, reminders, Steps, importance, notes, tags and connected Outlook categories | Todoist removes more clicks when you are comfortable typing task details. |
| Daily focus | Today gathers dated tasks across projects; priorities, grouping and filters can narrow the view | My Day starts as a daily focus list and offers suggestions after you have used To Do | Microsoft To Do gives daily planning a dedicated ritual; Todoist gives you more ways to shape the list. |
| Organisation | Projects, sections, subtasks, labels, priorities and custom filters | Lists, Steps, importance, tags, categories from the connected Outlook account, sorting and search across task details | Todoist provides more layers for a larger personal system. Microsoft To Do keeps the hierarchy lighter. |
| Views | List and board layouts, plus day, week and month calendar layouts on eligible paid plans | My Day and smart lists, with sorting by importance, due date, My Day, alphabet or creation date | Todoist is more visual; Microsoft To Do is more list-led. |
| Dates and repetition | Natural-language recurring dates with start, end and custom patterns, plus reminders and deadlines by plan | Due dates, reminders and daily, weekday, weekly, monthly, yearly or custom repetition | Both handle routines. Todoist documents the more expressive text-based scheduler. |
| Calendar and email | Show Google or Outlook Calendar events in Today and Upcoming; sync time-blocked personal-project tasks and shared-project tasks assigned to you, with date-only tasks included when all-day sync is on | Flag Outlook email to create To Do tasks that stay connected through Exchange Online | Microsoft To Do is native to Outlook; Todoist can sit beside either Google or Outlook Calendar. |
| Shared work | Share a project, assign one person per task, and use comments and file attachments | Share a list by invitation link and assign tasks to people who join it | Todoist carries more project context. Microsoft To Do suits a bounded shared list. |
| Account and plan fit | Beginner is free with five personal projects; paid plans raise limits and add features such as calendar layout | Free with a personal Microsoft account; work and school use requires a supported account setup | Microsoft To Do is simpler for a no-cost personal setup. Todoist has a broader paid upgrade path. |
03 · Category deep dives
Where the differences show up in real work
Capture and daily planning
Both apps can run a daily task list, but they take opposite routes from capture to focus.
Todoist starts with fast capture
- Quick Add recognises task details such as dates, priorities, labels and projects.
- Natural-language recurring dates cover simple habits and more specific schedules.
- Today brings every dated task across your projects into one view.
Microsoft To Do starts with today's shortlist
- My Day lets you choose a fresh focus list without moving the original tasks.
- Suggestions can bring unfinished or relevant tasks back into view.
- Planned collects tasks with due dates while Important collects starred tasks.
Bottom line: Todoist suits people who want to encode detail while capturing a task. Microsoft To Do suits people who prefer choosing a short list at the start of each day.
Structure and views
The gap becomes clearer once your list grows beyond today's errands.
Todoist can become a layered system
- Projects and sections group work before labels and filters cut across it.
- List and board layouts are available on Beginner; calendar layouts require Pro or Business.
- Views can be grouped, sorted and filtered by fields including assignee, date, deadline, priority and label.
Microsoft To Do keeps the model compact
- Lists hold tasks, while Steps break a task into smaller actions.
- Importance, tags and categories from the connected Outlook account add signals without another project layer.
- Search covers tasks, Steps, tags and notes across your account.
Bottom line: Todoist gives you more tools to model complex personal work. Microsoft To Do asks for less setup and offers fewer layers to maintain.
Calendar, email and sharing
Your existing account and collaboration boundaries may decide the comparison before the feature list does.
Todoist crosses ecosystems
- Connect Google Calendar or Outlook Calendar, but only one provider at a time.
- Time-blocked tasks in personal projects and shared-project tasks assigned to you can sync; date-only tasks require the all-day-sync setting.
- Shared projects include assignments, comments and file attachments; each task has one assignee.
Microsoft To Do stays inside Microsoft
- Flagged Outlook email appears in To Do when both use the same account.
- Invitation links share lists between personal accounts or inside one work or school organisation.
- Microsoft positions To Do for individual tasks and shared lists, with Planner for visual team planning.
Bottom line: Todoist is less tied to one email stack. Microsoft To Do is the natural fit when Outlook and Microsoft accounts already define your workflow.
04 · Best fit
Who each tool suits
Todoist
Choose Todoist if your task list needs room to grow
It fits people who want rapid capture now, but also expect to organise work across projects, views and custom filters later.
- You use natural-language dates and recurring schedules
- You want boards, calendar layouts or cross-project filters
- You need project comments and attachments around shared tasks
Microsoft To Do
Choose Microsoft To Do if Outlook already runs your day
It fits people who value a short daily focus list, direct flagged-email capture and straightforward sharing over a configurable project system.
- Flagged Outlook email should become actionable tasks
- My Day matches how you choose daily priorities
- A free personal account and simple shared lists are enough
05 · The TaskGuru alternative
Where TaskGuru fits between a list and a project suite
TaskGuru is an independent workspace for seeing multiple project boards together, moving current priorities into an Immediate Board, and keeping team chat attached to the task it concerns.
- Multiple project boards on one page
- Immediate Board for current priorities
- Task-based team chat and board roles
- Due dates, priorities, statuses, subtasks and reminders
TaskGuru does not advertise native Todoist or Microsoft To Do imports or integrations. Eligible new desktop-web accounts may receive the limited Free rollout; paid plans are $5/month or $41.88/year.
06 · Evidence ledger
Sources checked
Checked 12 August 2026
- 01TodoistPlans and pricing
- 02Todoist HelpGet started with Todoist
- 03Todoist HelpUse keyboard shortcuts in Todoist
- 04Todoist HelpPlan your day with the Today view
- 05Todoist HelpIntroduction to recurring dates
- 06Todoist HelpCustomize views in Todoist
- 07Todoist HelpUse the Calendar integration
- 08Todoist HelpIntroduction to projects
- 09Todoist HelpCollaborate with friends or family in Todoist
- 10Microsoft SupportManaging Tasks in Microsoft To Do
- 11Microsoft SupportAdd steps, importance, notes, tags, and categories to your tasks
- 12Microsoft SupportAdd due dates and reminders in Microsoft To Do
- 13Microsoft SupportPlan and connect with Microsoft To Do
- 14Microsoft SupportSort and search in lists
- 15Microsoft SupportCreate and share lists
- 16Microsoft SupportAssign tasks in shared lists
- 17Microsoft SupportWhich accounts can I use Microsoft To Do with?
- 18Microsoft SupportTo Do vs. Planner
07 · Questions answered
Frequently asked questions
Which is better, Todoist or Microsoft To Do?
Todoist is the better fit for natural-language capture, projects, filters and flexible views. Microsoft To Do is the better fit for My Day, flagged Outlook email and a simpler free personal setup. The best choice depends on the workflow you will actually maintain.
Is Todoist free?
Yes. Todoist's Beginner plan is free and currently includes five personal projects, Smart Quick Add, reminders, list and board layouts, and three filter views. Features and limits expand on Pro and Business.
Does Microsoft To Do work with Outlook?
Yes. When you use the same account, Microsoft To Do can surface flagged Outlook email as tasks. Microsoft says To Do tasks are stored on Exchange Online and appear in Outlook automatically.
Which app is better for recurring tasks?
Both support repeating tasks. Todoist accepts detailed recurring schedules in natural language, including start and end dates. Microsoft To Do provides daily, weekday, weekly, monthly, yearly and custom repeat options. Todoist suits text-based flexibility; Microsoft To Do suits a standard picker.
Can Todoist and Microsoft To Do share tasks with other people?
Yes, within different models. Todoist shares projects and supports assignments, comments and files. Microsoft To Do shares lists by invitation link and lets members assign tasks. Microsoft limits sharing to personal accounts or accounts in the same workplace or school.
What if neither app gives me the cross-project view I need?
Consider TaskGuru when you want multiple project boards visible together, an Immediate Board for today's priorities, and team chat attached to tasks. It is an independent workspace, not a native Todoist or Microsoft To Do integration.
08 · Next step
Need one view across more than one list?
Open TaskGuru to bring project boards together, pull current work into an Immediate Board and keep team discussion beside each task.
Try TaskGuru