14 Best Digital Planners (Free and Paid)
Ideas and daily tasks float around and pile up on endless to-do lists. It doesn’t make sense to struggle to remember tasks. Instead, use a digital planner.
Digital planning adds structure to your daily work schedule, helps you quickly create recurring tasks, and is always at hand. Whether it’s managing work commitments, studying, keeping a work-life balance, or staying on top of client interactions, a digital planner is super valuable.
If you’re interested in finding out more, Dr. Budson’s book “Why We Forget and How to Remember Better: The Science Behind Memory,” explores this topic in thoroughly.
Methodology: How did I curate this list?
First of all, I’ve used (and still use) some of these apps and rigorously tested others. Of course, this list would not have been top-notch if I hadn’t picked our team’s brains and their experience with some of the digital planners in the list.
On top of that, I’ve read user recommendations and reviews, and ensured I’m centering my evaluation on features, functionalities, integrations, and usability.
Best digital planners
1. Todoist
Todoist is one of the most complex and appreciated to-do list apps on the market. In testing it, you’ll discover that it covers all the needs you have from a digital planner, it’s practical, and it delights you with its super clean interface.
Pricing: Free plan ( with considerable limitations ) and premium plans starting at $4 per user per month.
Key features: To-do list interface, color-coded task prioritization, customization of themes, labels, and reminders, hierarchical task structure made of sections/tasks/subtasks, recurring tasks view, automation of repetitive tasks.
Available platforms: Android, iOS.
What we like is the super clean interface (to-do list type), all-platform accessibility, efficient prioritization, and ease of collaboration.
One notable feature of this to-do list app is its integration capability, which makes it convenient for you to easily create integrations with email, Google Calendar, comms channels, or your time-tracking app. Another thing we love is the Upcoming view option. This feature makes it obviously visible what task is next without scrolling down and anxiously thinking about all your projects and to-dos. Simpler said it makes it easy to stay organized.
There are two more aspects we’re enjoying: the wide range of templates to create tasks and its proactive approach to productivity – with quizzes into time management techniques like the eat the frog method.
Start tracking your time to identify the most time-consuming tasks and change time-wasting behaviors
What we would have liked: The mobile app should have more of the desktop app features ( one of them being the top-down view of task lists), and its pro features should be available in a free digital planner version.
Final notes: Give Todoist a try, as it’s simple and enjoyable to use, and their YouTube channel gives a ton of guidance in getting a grip on it, which is quite helpful.
2. TickTick
TickTick marks loads of boxes for a digital planner, and we’re actually finding it great for freelancers or individual users.
Pricing: 14-day free trial and paid plans start at $2.80 per user per month ( billed monthly ).
Key features: Reminders, integrated Pomodoro timer, customized filters, visual timeline view, stats based on your app history, calendar view, pictures file adding to tasks, and Kanban board view.
Available platforms: Android, iOS, Linux, Windows, macOS
What we like: Simplicity, its cheerful themes, the timers and reminders that won’t let us with unfinished task lists, and the notes feature.
What we would have liked: It lacks a two-way sync with calendars on desktop ( though it worked on mobile), and the voice command was unstable during our testing.
Note that TickTick also plays white noise in the background so you can focus on your work-related tasks.
Final notes: Coming back to the idea that it’s the best daily planner app in the freelance category, TickTick can be super effective in a freelancer’s daily planning. As freelancers handle multiple clients at a time, they also need a clean and quick personal planner app that easily drops tasks to which to come back. That will impact how they’re handling each client project.
As a freelancer, you might be interested in a freelance time tracking app or a free pomodoro timer.
3. Any.do
Any.Do is designed as a habit tracker for those who are looking for a customized planner. For us, it was noteworthy for its adaptability features.
Pricing: Free digital planner version, free basic plan, and premium version costs $6 per month
Key features: Smart planning assistant, smart grocery list feature, location-based reminders, recurring tasks, color labels, and tags, focus mode option, customizable themes, and habit tracker.
Available platforms: Android, iOS.
What we like: The interface, its adaptability features, its focus on context-based task management, and its integration capabilities.
What we would have liked is the desktop version to integrate easily and seamlessly with the Apple calendar and send the same Apple reminders as the mobile version. Another problem was not being able to create recurring tasks, but manually add them.
Final notes: You could definitely use Any.do as a free daily planner app, just remember that its main features impact automating and speeding up your daily planning might take time. The level of granularity in organizing subtasks and checklists is unique to Any.do could help you stay productive and get better planning overall.
4. Paperlike Digital planner
Paperlike’s Digital Planner proved to be a great choice for someone transitioning from paper to digital planning, as it has a paper-look, but it’s digital. 👀 And honestly, it’s a gorgeous planner.
Pricing: the free digital planner version includes basic yearly, monthly, daily, and weekly pages. The Pro Planner is priced at $12.99
Key features: Yearly, monthly, weekly, and daily planner pages, hyperlinked navigation, customizable layouts and cloud storage compatibility.
Available platforms: Android, iOS.
What we like about it are its flexibility, the dark mode feature, and the planner variations.
What we would have liked: We sometimes felt as if we needed too many actions to move between sections, and no planner template entirely fulfilled our needs.
One notable feature: The split-screen capability is particularly noteworthy. It allows users to view and edit their weekly and daily schedules side by side, making it easier to transfer tasks and manage time effectively.
5. Things 3
Apple enthusiasts, brace yourselves – Things 3 was created only for you, and it’s a to-do list app for the entire Apple environment.
Available Platforms: iOS, macOS, iPadOS,watchOS
Pricing: 15-day free trial, $10 (one-time purchase for iPhone or Apple Watch), $20 (one-time purchase for iPad) or $50 (one-time purchase for macOS)
Reviews: App Store
Key features: Quick find, smooth integration with Siri for voice commands, task grouping, reminders, shortcuts, tags, and home screen interactive widgets.
What we like: The drag-and-drop function to add tasks super fast, and its smart arrangements feature that separates personal life tasks from other projects.
One Notable Feature: Let’s be honest: Siri is great whenever you want to quickly dump an idea that popped into your brain rather than writing it. So, daily planning via a quick voice command is the best choice for keeping track of everything on the go.
Image courtesy of culturecode.com
6. Asana
Though Asana’s primary function is as a project management tool, it can also be used as a digital planner in which you drop tasks.
Pricing: Free version ( with the basic plan), the premium plan starts at €10,99, and the business plan starts at €24,99.
Key features: List view, Gantt charts, project list with to-dos, files attachment and marked up with comments, multiple team members access and edit. Also, you’ll find AI features like smart answers, AI-identified project risks, or smart goals.
Available platforms: iOS, Android, Windows
What we like: The newly implemented smart answers that respond to your questions about your projects or goals by scouting through your lists. That’s how you can determine the next steps in your projects or gain insights into your tasks.
One notable feature is smart goal-setting, which generates AI goals based on your historical ones, better goals in your next projects. I wrote more about its AI capacity in the top-rated AI tools for productivity article.
What we would have liked: We thought that the set-up was quite time-consuming, and the first email comms from Asana were quite numerous and unnecessary.
In case you might be interested in tracking your time, too, check our comprehensive overview on time tracking in Asana.
7. Trello
Trello is the Kanban-based perfect planner. It’s used for multiple purposes but is loved for its simple UI, which is relatively straightforward. It’s unusual if you haven’t heard of it, but I’ll clarify that you can use it as a project management tool for work projects, a personal planner for personal growth, or a day-to-day task management tool.
FYI: The reviewing platform G2 classified Trello as the number 1 planner for Windows, so I’d reinforce it is one of the best productivity apps for Windows.
Pricing: Free version (with a basic plan); the premium plan is $13.49 /month /per user; the business plan is $30.49 /month /per user, while the enterprise plan is available by quote.
Key features: Kanban board, card view, visual timeline, due dates with reminders, attachments, members assignment to a card, checklists, extra templates to create tasks on or for personal use, and a file-sharing feature
Available platforms: iOS, Android, Mac, and Windows
What we like: The simplicity of this online planner is something that we did not find in similar apps. I’ve used it for daily planning and enjoyed the Kanban board view ( it seemed as if I checked the daily pages of a calendar view).
What we would have liked is for it to include more complex features like task or project dependencies.
If you’re looking to track time on to-do lists or tasks, a digital planner is not the best in this pursuit, but you can try a standalone time-tracking tool.
8. Notion
Notion is used for virtually any type of project, from personal projects to project management needs to habit tracking.
I first discovered it as a knowledge management tool that then expanded into a task manager, business planner, and knowledge manager, and we dare to say you’ve added even your daily chores in Notion for another layer of structure.
Did you know… that some of its massive popularity is owed to the book “Building a Second Brain,” written by the productivity expert Tiago Forte? The expert emphasizes the idea of creating an external digital brain to store and manage data and ideas, which can lead to higher productivity and creativity and reduce information overload.
Pricing: Free version (basic plan), the premium plan is at $8/user/month, while the business plan is $15/user/month
Key features: Automatic to-do lists and key takeaways generated from meeting notes, large template collection, Notion Academy (not a feature per se, but it’s super useful for learning), daily calendar, and project interconnections.
Available platforms: iPhone, iPad, Android, Windows, and Mac
What we like is its flexibility – Notion works as a hybrid between other apps, specifically Google Docs, Dropbox, Excel, and Todoist.
Note: We’re avid users and fans of Notion, so that is the reason it’s hard to find weaknesses. However, if we’re being honest, if you’re someone that needs a structured workplace from the beginning, you might have a steep learning curve. In this case, you might find the guide to Notion time tracking useful.
9. Google calendar
Since you might already use Google Calendar, there’s no point in utilizing another digital planner. The very same calendar where you have your meetings can be your daily planner, where you create tasks with to-do’s.
Pricing: Free digital planner
Key features: calendar view, event creation in a few taps, smart suggestions for people to invite, places or event titles, sync with iOS to receive Apple reminders, email events synced with the calendar.
Available platforms: iOS, Android, Windows
Reviews: Capterra | G2
What we like: Besides being simple to use, I can immediately check my meetings and book time for other tasks in between calls without cumbersome daily planning. I just open the calendar I already use to plan and add tasks using the same tool.
Read: How many work days in a year?
10. Structured
Structured is considered a top planner app for macOS and iOS, while for Android devices, according to their website, it’s still a work in progress. I’ve tried it on macOS. The app works as a daily planner that you can use to organize your private and work life into daily tasks.
Structured picked my interest as I found it in many best free planner lists for Mac. It seems like its creator, Leonard Mehlig, is recognized for developing Mac and iOS apps.
Pricing: Free version, Pro monthly $ 2.99, Pro yearly $9.99, Pro lifetime $29.99
Key features: daily schedule-timeline visualization, customizable notifications, color coding for all your tasks, customized reminders, plan recurring tasks, timeline view.
Available platforms: Mac, iPad, and iPhone (Android, too, but limited)
Reviews: Google Play
What we like is its main functionality of merging to-do lists with calendars – it integrates with Microsoft Outlook, Google Calendar, Yahoo!, and AOL.
What we would have liked: A monthly overview and the integration with any calendar app to be under a free version, not a paid one.
11. Fantastical
As the name says, Fantastical is one of the best digital planners out there – it’s been awarded as such. First, it won the Apple Design Award in 2016, and four years later, in 2020, it won the Mac App of the Year Award.
Pricing: Free version, Individual Pro $6.99, Family Pro $10.49
Key features: Interest calendars (create and customize different calendars for each aspect of your life), easy-to-use interface, daily, weekly, monthly, and quarterly overviews.
Available platforms: Mac, iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch.
What I like about it is the smooth navigation in any daily planning activity log I am performing, as well as its eye-catching interface that makes adding tasks a breeze for me.
One notable feature
What we would have liked: Most of its key features to be accessible for free, not locked behind a paid subscription
12. Planner Pro
Planner Pro is a daily planner app that syncs with Google Calendar, tasks, and notes. The software adapts to any kind of user needs: from more organized people with a specific to-do list or repetitive tasks to creative people who might need to schedule tasks diligently or even start using a Google calendar.
Pricing: Free version, Pro version $29.99
Key features: Sketch directly in notes to edit tasks, task prioritization, add tasks with notes, automatic drag and drop to next day for uncompleted tasks, and integration with multiple calendars in one place.
Available platforms: iPad, iOS, Apple Watch, Android.
Reviews: Google Play | App store
What I like about it is its powerful sketching and note-taking functionality, which I’ve tested and is quite useful on my iPad.
What we would have liked: for it to work without any shutdowns, as I experienced one shutdown unexpectedly during sketching. Though, it might need some simple bug fixes.
13. iStudiez (best for students)
If you’re a student, you’ll need to organize your exams, study sessions, and classes thoroughly. As the best digital planner for students, I picked iStudiez. This software and its key features were tailor-made with a student in mind
Pricing: The weekly Plan is $0.99 (iOS/macOS only), the monthly Plan is $1.99 USD, the annual plan is $9.99 USD, and the 2-Year Plan is $14.99 ( only on Windows )
Key features: GPA tracker, color coding ( for different classes ), class grade adding, fields for class schedule, including the professor’s name, contact info, office hours, data sync across other devices
Available platforms: iOS, macOS, Windows, Android
Reviews: Google Play | App store
What I like about it is its icons that can be added to every class, which are visually exciting and easy to scan.
What we would have liked: There’s no flaw I identified – only if I had this app when I was a student!
14. Lunatask (best for ADHD)
All-in-one encrypted to-do and daily planner app built with ADHD brains in mind. After some digging and research, I discovered this hidden gem. This productivity app has a simple and friendly interface and different time and project management built-in features such as Kanban boards, Eisenhower Matrix, and Pomodoro.
Pricing: Free version, Pro is $6/month
Key features: End-to-end encryption (no one has access to your data except you), habit tracker, note-taking feature, ready-made workflows for grouping tasks, and multiple integrations
Available platforms: macOS, Windows, and Linux
Reviews: Appstore | ProductHunt
What I like about it is its rich documentation on how to get started, as it might feel overwhelming at the beginning.
What I would have liked is to embed images and attach files, keyboard shortcuts, and a time-tracking feature.
How to choose the best digital planner
This depends on your needs. Pick a planner that adapts well to your lifestyle and your habits. Consider ease of use, budget, and integrations available. Ask yourself the following questions before acquiring a daily planner:
Why do you need digital planners? To use them only for the monthly pages feature, as daily planners or simply as a journal and mood tracker ?
Is it easy to use and feels natural to me, or does it interrupt my workflow?
How tech-savvy are you? Would a paper planner suit your needs or not?
Do you need reminders for upcoming tasks? Then, ensure your digital planner includes notifications.
Do you want the best-in-kind features that only the best daily planner apps would have?
What is your budget? Would you rather pay once or monthly?
Do you need to share the space with other people?
Which other apps are you using that you need to integrate with the tool?
How often do you want to use the planner? Is it something you’ll use daily, monthly, or yearly?
Conclusion
You’re now equipped to make the right decision in choosing your best daily planner app, and hopefully, you’ll reach peak productivity and sharpen your time management skills.
Whether you choose paper or digital planners, remember that each one has its peculiarity, but most daily planner apps have a degree of customization, flexibility, and key features that a physical planner does not.