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Last Updated: Nov 2024

Top To Do List Software Tools of 2024
Unclutter your day one task at a time

Finding the right to do list tool is essential to productivity. Compare the brands below and find the right solution to get the most out of your work day.

Top picks for your business
We Recommend
monday.com
monday.com
exceptional
9.9
Join 152,000+ companies worldwide
Get Started
ClickUp
ClickUp
excellent
9.3
Customize your workflow
Get Started
Smartsheet
Smartsheet
very good
8.9
Over 3 million users
Get Started

What Is An Online To Do List?

Let’s be honest, not many people walk around with pencils and notepads anymore, but everyone walks around with their phones. So for people who need to keep track of their to do lists, an online to do list or app is the easiest, most convenient way. 

The need to stay organized is one that is felt by many, especially in today’s fast-paced environment in which people are often juggling work, family, and social lives all at the same time. Staying organized can help people feel calmer and more confident in tackling the many tasks they have. For businesses, an online to do list is essential in making sure that all team members are on the same page, that everyone knows which project is theirs and for overall tracking of progress. 

Who Needs Shared To Do Lists? 

Shared to do lists are a great tool for families and businesses. For families, shared to do lists can be a way of making sure that kids and spouses participate in family life and complete their household chores. Everyone knows what they’re responsible for, and they can happily mark that their task is completed once they do it. It’s motivational, encouraging, and most of all, practical.

Shared to do lists for businesses can be the difference between a company that succeeds and a company that doesn’t. When you’re managing a team, it’s essential that everyone knows what they’re responsible for, can report on their progress, ask questions if necessary, and update the team when the task is completed. This is true for small businesses and larger businesses. 

How to Choose The Best To Do List Software?

There are many different kinds of online to do lists, ranging from the most basic to the most comprehensive project management package. There’s not necessarily one solution that’s best, but there are lots of great solutions that cater to various needs. For example, if you need an online to do list to keep track of your personal affairs, you won’t choose one that has all the reporting and time tracking tools that small business might require. And large businesses may require features that a small business doesn’t need, such as scalable software, collaborative features, multiple communication tools, and more. 

On both the personal and business level, there are different options as well. People who need visual cues to help them stay organized should look for a solution that offers a visual online to do list, color coding, charts, or something in that vein. Company managers might look for a solution that includes an online to do list progress board so they can keep track of the team’s progress. 

Of course, cost is another consideration when choosing an online to do list software. While personal to do list software typically don’t run too expensive, it’s still another monthly bill — so it needs to be worthwhile. Businesses are also careful about how they spend money, but it’s understood that an online to do list that increases productivity is worth the expense. (Of course, only the effective to do list software will do this.) Still, the solution will need to offer everything the business needs. This can include a to do list Windows program, an interactive to do list, a to do list with done dates, responsive customer support, integration with other apps, and overall ease of use. 

The bottom line is, since everyone has different needs, it’s important to choose the to do list software that caters specifically to you. 

Our Top 3 Picks

  • 1
    monday.com

    monday.com

    • PriceFrom $27/month ($9/user/month)
    • Team collaboration toolsCollaborative docs, updates, Zoom integration, whiteboards
    • Free trial14 days

    monday.com unifies your team’s tasks and processes into one user-friendly and visually pleasing interface. This work operating system (OS) provides teams with a clear overview of who’s responsible for what and when tasks are due, which can enhance transparency, instill accountability, and enable efficient resource management.

    The tool also offers over 200 templates that you can easily adapt using 20+ customizable columns and numerous integrated applications. These ready-made templates and apps can significantly reduce how much time you spend on setting up projects or tasks, leading to improved productivity.

    Additionally, you can tailor dashboards to provide detailed, team-specific views of tasks, project progression, and upcoming deadlines to enhance your team’s workflow clarity. Samyuktha Shivakumar, Global Marketing Operations Manager at Thoughtworks, reinforces this, stating that monday.com enables them “to budget the team’s time and efforts much more scientifically.”

    Why we chose monday.com: monday.com earns the top spot on our list because it unifies power, flexibility, and intuitiveness and can cater to the most complex project needs. It also allows you to import data from spreadsheets and integrate it with your current tools. With this functionality, you won’t have to manually input any data, giving you more time for other tasks.

    Our experience: monday.com has revolutionized my team’s information management. It let me implement processes that would’ve previously taken days or weeks within a few minutes. The platform’s communication tools, such as document sharing, comment annotation, and direct communication within the task manager, also improved collaboration within my team.

    Pros
    • Color-rich interface for improved organization and coordination
    • Robust list of supported, third-party integrations
    • Drag and drop project charting and timeline construct
    Cons
    • Pricing structure is fragmented and unclear
    • Certain features (Gantt charts, timelines, etc.) are paywalled by higher-tier plans
  • 2
    ClickUp

    ClickUp

    • PriceFrom $7/month/user
    • Team collaboration toolsCollaborative docs, real-time chat, file sharing, proofing
    • Free trialFree plan available

    ClickUp’s variety of visualization options for tracking project statuses is truly remarkable, with tools like Gantt charts, mind maps, and Kanban boards catering to various management styles. These tools give you a blend of flexibility and control in your projects, enabling you to stay on top of your tasks, track progress, and pinpoint roadblocks.

    The platform’s “Timeline View” brings about a new level of resource management. By enabling you to visualize your schedule linearly, it helps you plan work over time and create visual roadmaps. It also allows task grouping by assignee, priority, tags, custom fields, and more, so you can create a flexible organizational structure.

    Additionally, ClickUp enhances team visibility with the “Pulse ClickApp.” This feature provides high-level activity reporting, showing who’s online and their current tasks. Its global timer function also lets you track time both automatically and manually, linked directly to your desktop, mobile, or browser.

    Why we chose ClickUp: What sets ClickUp apart is its seamless integration with over 1,000 other apps, including Slack, GitLab, GitHub, and Webhooks. This capability makes it a go-to choice for development teams, allowing them to streamline their existing workflows.

    Our experience: I was particularly impressed with ClickUp’s unique features, such as notepads, time tracking software, goal-setting tools, and pre-made templates. I also liked that I could use slash commands (typing “/” in any text field to trigger a command menu) to assign tasks, set due dates, or create subtasks quicker.

    Pros
    • AI Compatible
    • Can integrate with over 1,000 apps
    • Offers numerous project tracking tools
    Cons
    • Extensive feature list can be overwhelming for new users
    • Steep learning curve for beginners
  • 3
    Smartsheet

    Smartsheet

    • Price From $9/user/month
    • Team collaboration toolsReal-time chat, forms, surveys, proofing
    • Free trial30 days

    Smartsheet is a cloud-based work management platform that allows teams to manage dynamic work regardless of their location. With all data stored on the cloud and updated in real-time, you can track progress, identify potential issues early, and make data-driven decisions quickly.

    This tool is also very user-friendly. A testament to Smartsheet’s ease of use comes from Janina Hill, Marketing Program Manager at WebEx, who notes, “Everybody has different levels of Smartsheet skills. But with drag and drop, all solutions are easy to use. Also, the workflow is much smoother when all processes are automated, and all information is in one place.”

    This single-platform solution fosters interconnectivity across the entire organization, letting you share sheets with team members and effectively collaborate on projects. By centralizing data, it also reduces time spent on information management, boosting efficiency and enabling your team to focus on their primary responsibilities.

    Why we chose Smartsheet: Smartsheet’s spreadsheet-like interface allows you to add new rows and columns as your project grows. This functionality can help you seamlessly expand small tasks into enterprise-wide initiatives. Additionally, its integration with apps like Slack, Teams, and Jira consolidates your data onto a single platform.

    Our experience: Smartsheet allowed my team to strategically plan, implement, and monitor work on a large scale. This led to more streamlined processes, fostered innovation, and positively impacted overall business results within our own context. I found it invaluable in effectively navigating the complexities of today’s ever-changing work landscape.

    Pros
    • Large template collection
    • Efficient content approval workflows
    • Surveying and form creation for both external and internal stakeholders
    Cons
    • Latency for real-time updates
    • Some features have a steeper learning curve

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monday.com
monday.com
monday.com
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ClickUp
ClickUp
ClickUp
Read Review
Smartsheet
Smartsheet
Smartsheet
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