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The Free vs Paid Question That Matters Feature-by-Feature Comparison Where Apple Reminders Surprisingly Wins Where Todoist Is Clearly Better Real User ScenariosThe Free vs Paid Question That Matters
Apple Reminders is free, built into every Apple device, and genuinely good. Todoist costs $5/month for Pro features. Is the paid app worth it when the free one is already on your phone? This guide breaks it down based on how you actually use a task manager.
u/apple_user_2026 on Reddit: I paid for Todoist for 3 years before realizing 90% of my tasks could live in Apple Reminders. Switched back and saved $180. But the 10% that needs Todoist's features — I do miss them.
Feature-by-Feature Comparison
| Dimension | Apple Reminders | Todoist |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free (built into iOS/macOS) | Free tier / $5/mo Pro |
| Platform | Apple devices only | iOS, Android, Mac, Windows, Web, Linux |
| Natural Language | Basic (Siri integration, limited to simple phrases) | Excellent ("/every 2 weeks Fri 4pm write weekly report #work p1 @meeting room" parsed in one go) |
| Smart Lists | Built-in (Today, Flagged, Scheduled, All) | Custom filters with boolean queries (Pro) |
| Location Reminders | Built-in, excellent | Available (Pro) |
| Collaboration | Shared lists (Apple IDs only) | Shared projects, comments, assignments |
| Recurrence | Flexible, natural language | Flexible, natural language |
| Subtasks | Supported (indented) | Supported (indented) |
| Tags/Labels | Tags (added 2021) | Labels (Pro, unlimited) |
| Calendar Integration | Native (appears in Apple Calendar) | 2-way sync (Pro) |
| Siri Integration | Native, best-in-class | Via Shortcuts (limited) |
| Widgets | Native iOS/macOS widgets | Native widgets |
| G2 Rating | N/A (system app) | 4.6/5 (1,300 reviews) |
Where Apple Reminders Surprisingly Wins
Location-based reminders are Apple Reminders' killer feature. 'Remind me when I get to the grocery store' works flawlessly because Reminders has deep integration with Apple's location services. Todoist supports location reminders but they're less reliable and less configurable.
Where Todoist Is Clearly Better
Todoist pulls ahead in four key areas: cross-platform support, collaboration depth, power-user features, and natural language input. If you use an Android phone or Windows PC, Apple Reminders isn't an option. For keyboard-heavy users, Todoist's natural language parsing is vastly superior - you can type "/every 2 weeks Fri 4pm write weekly report #work p1 @meeting room" and it parses everything in one go, while Reminders requires tapping through separate fields for date, repeat, list, priority, etc. In collaboration, Todoist allows comments, @mentions, and file attachments on tasks (Pro), making it suitable for team workflows, whereas Reminders only offers basic checkmarks and simple notes. For productivity tracking, Todoist provides Karma heatmaps, completion trends, and productivity visualization - features Reminders completely lacks. And if you have 100+ active tasks with complex filters, Todoist's custom queries are indispensable.
Real User Scenarios
u/minimalist_life on Reddit: I use Apple Reminders for personal tasks and Todoist for work. Reminders for groceries, bills, and home stuff. Todoist for project tracking and team collaboration. Best of both worlds.
- Personal life management (groceries, bills, appointments) -> Apple Reminders. Free, integrated with Siri, location reminders work perfectly.
- Professional task management (projects, deadlines, team tasks) -> Todoist. Filters, collaboration, and cross-platform support are essential.
- Students on a budget -> Apple Reminders. Free, good enough for assignments and study schedules.
- Freelancers managing client work -> Todoist. Labels, filters, and project organization handle complex workloads.
- Mixed Apple/Android households -> Todoist. Shared lists need to work for everyone.
Frequently Asked Questions
❓ Can Apple Reminders replace Todoist entirely?
For personal use on Apple devices, yes. Apple Reminders has gotten significantly better with tags, smart lists, and natural language input. For professional use with collaboration, cross-platform needs, or complex filtering - no. Todoist's power features still justify the subscription.
❓ Is the Todoist free tier enough?
For basic task management, yes. The free tier includes 5 projects, 5 people per project, and 5MB file uploads. You'll miss filters, labels, and reminders (push notifications) - these are Pro features. If you need any of those, the $5/month Pro tier is worth it.
❓ Does Apple Reminders work with Shortcuts?
Yes, and this is a powerful combination. You can create Shortcuts automations that add tasks to Reminders based on time, location, or other triggers. For Apple power users, Shortcuts + Reminders can replicate many Todoist Pro features.
❓ Can I sync Apple Reminders with Google Calendar?
Indirectly. Apple Reminders appears in Apple Calendar but not Google Calendar. For Google Calendar integration, Todoist's 2-way sync (Pro feature) is the better option.