10 Best Sunsama Alternatives for Automated Daily Planning
Sunsama requires 15-20 minutes of manual planning daily. Discover automated alternatives that give you the same intentional structure without the time investment.
You love the idea of Sunsama’s daily planning ritual. You hate spending 20 minutes every morning dragging tasks around.
The concept is solid: start each day with a clear, realistic plan instead of reacting to whatever seems urgent. Review what you did yesterday, pull in tasks from other tools, time block everything onto your calendar, set intentions.
But here’s the reality: Sunsama requires 15-20 minutes of manual planning every single day. That’s over 80 hours per year just organizing your to-do list. And when your morning is already chaotic, when you’re running late or exhausted or dealing with a crisis, that 20-minute ritual becomes one more thing you’re failing at.
What if you could get Sunsama’s intentional approach without the daily time investment? What if your day could be planned automatically, based on your energy levels and priorities, with the flexibility to adjust when things change?
This guide covers the best Sunsama alternatives for automated daily planning, ranging from full AI auto-scheduling to faster manual approaches, so you can find what actually works for your schedule.
Why Look Beyond Sunsama?
Sunsama isn’t a bad tool. For people who have the time and discipline for daily rituals, it works beautifully. The guided planning creates structure, the shutdown ritual helps you disconnect, and the intentional approach prevents reactive work.
But Sunsama has real limitations that drive people to look for alternatives:
15-20 minutes of manual planning daily. Every morning, you’re dragging tasks from various sources, manually time blocking them onto your calendar, adjusting durations, and setting focus modes. When you multiply this over weeks and months, the time investment becomes substantial.
All manual, no AI automation. Sunsama doesn’t schedule anything for you. It provides a structured workflow for manual planning, but you’re still making every decision about what goes where and when.
Expensive for a manual tool. At $20/month (or $16/month annual), Sunsama costs more than many AI-powered alternatives. You’re paying premium pricing for a tool that doesn’t reduce your planning workload.
Rigid daily ritual. The Sunsama workflow expects you to plan at the start of each day and shut down at the end. If your morning is already chaotic, if you’re running late, if you have an early meeting, the ritual breaks down. And once you skip a day, getting back on track feels harder.
Manual rescheduling when plans change. When your day falls apart (urgent meeting, sick kid, project pivot), you’re manually rebuilding your entire plan. Dragging everything around, re-estimating durations, re-blocking time.
Sunsama works when your schedule is relatively stable, when you have time for daily rituals, and when you value the meditative aspect of manual planning. It struggles when your work is chaotic, when mornings are unpredictable, or when you just want the results (an intentional day) without the process (20 minutes of organizing).
The Automation Spectrum: From Manual to AI
Daily planning tools exist on a spectrum from fully manual to fully automated:
Fully Manual (Sunsama, Akiflow): You decide what to work on, when to work on it, and how long it takes. The tool provides structure and integrations, but all planning decisions are yours.
AI-Assisted (rivva, Morgen, Reclaim): The AI suggests or auto-schedules tasks based on your calendar, priorities, and capacity. You can adjust, but the system handles the initial planning.
Fully Automated (Motion): The AI makes all scheduling decisions. You set priorities and deadlines, the system figures out when everything happens.
None of these approaches is inherently better. The right choice depends on how you work:
If you love control and find planning meditative → Manual tools work
If you want structure without time investment → AI-assisted tools work
If you’re overwhelmed and need the system to decide → Fully automated tools work
The key is matching the tool’s philosophy to your actual work patterns, not your aspirational ones.
1. rivva - Energy-Aware AI Scheduling Without Manual Rituals
rivva solves the core problem Sunsama creates: it gives you an intentional, realistic daily plan without requiring 20 minutes of manual planning every morning.
Nia, rivva’s AI assistant, automatically schedules your tasks based on when you’ll actually have the energy to do them well, not just when your calendar is empty. Strategic work gets your peak morning hours. Admin work goes to afternoon dips. The system adapts to your daily capacity instead of treating all hours equally.
Why rivva works for Sunsama users:
You get the same end result Sunsama provides (a realistic, intentional daily plan) without the time investment. Instead of spending 20 minutes planning, you spend 30 seconds reviewing what Nia scheduled and maybe adjusting a few things through chat.
Energy-based scheduling is something Sunsama doesn’t offer at all. rivva understands that your 9am brain is different from your 3pm brain and schedules accordingly. Demanding work goes to peak hours automatically.
Automatic task extraction from email means you’re not manually importing from multiple sources like you do in Sunsama. Tasks from meeting notes, Notion comments, GitHub issues, and direct requests get captured automatically.
Flexible rescheduling through chat replaces Sunsama’s manual drag-and-drop. When your day changes, just tell Nia: “Move my afternoon tasks to tomorrow, something came up.” Everything adjusts instantly.
Best for: Professionals who want Sunsama’s intentional planning philosophy but can’t sustain 20 minutes of manual planning daily. Perfect for chaotic schedules that break rigid rituals.
Key Features:
AI assistant (Nia) auto-schedules based on energy and priorities
Automatic task extraction from email, Notion, Slack, calendar
Energy-based timeline shows when you work best
Flexible rescheduling through natural language chat
Two-way calendar sync (Google, Outlook)
iOS, iPad, Mac, and web apps
Pricing:
Monthly: $13.99/month
Quarterly: $10.50/month (billed quarterly)
7-day free trial
Pros:
$6-10 cheaper than Sunsama while offering automation
No daily ritual required (plan appears automatically)
Energy awareness Sunsama completely lacks
Faster adjustments (chat vs. drag-and-drop)
Works for unpredictable schedules
Cons:
Less “mindful ritual” feeling if you value that process
Newer than Sunsama (smaller community)
Requires health app for full energy features
How it compares to Sunsama: rivva automates what Sunsama makes you do manually. Same goal (intentional daily plan), different path (AI vs. ritual). Choose rivva if you want the results without the time investment.
2. Motion - Full AI Auto-Scheduler for Project Management
Motion takes automation to the extreme. You set priorities and deadlines, Motion figures out when everything happens. It auto-schedules tasks, rebuilds your plan when things change, and handles complex project dependencies.
It’s powerful for people managing multiple projects with hard deadlines, but it can feel rigid. Motion makes decisions for you, and while you can override them, fighting the AI gets tedious.
Best for: Executives and team leads managing complex projects who trust AI to organize their entire work life. Works well if you’re overwhelmed and need the system to decide.
Key Features:
AI automatically schedules all tasks across your calendar
Project management with dependencies and milestones
Meeting scheduling assistant
Real-time rescheduling when plans change
Team coordination features
Pricing:
Individual Pro: $29/month (annual) or $49/month (monthly)
Individual Business: $39/month (annual) or $69/month (monthly)
Team plans: $19-29/seat/month (annual)
Pros:
Powerful auto-scheduling removes all planning decisions
Great for complex project dependencies
Automatically adjusts when priorities shift
Strong team coordination features
Cons:
Most expensive option ($29-69/month for individuals)
Can feel rigid (AI decides, you adjust)
No energy or capacity awareness
Team features you might not need as individual
How it compares to Sunsama: Opposite philosophies. Sunsama wants you to plan manually and mindfully. Motion wants to remove you from planning entirely. Choose Motion if you want zero planning time and can handle losing control.
3. Morgen - Calendar-First with AI Planning Suggestions
Morgen is a calendar app that layers tasks and AI scheduling suggestions on top. It’s a middle ground between Sunsama’s manual approach and Motion’s full automation.
The AI suggests optimal times for your tasks based on your calendar, but you make final decisions. It feels more collaborative than controlling.
Best for: Calendar-heavy users who want task management integrated with AI assistance but not full automation.
Key Features:
Unified calendar across all accounts
AI scheduling suggestions for tasks
Time blocking with drag-and-drop
Scheduling links (Calendly-style)
Team availability features
Pricing:
Free plan available
Pro: $9/month
Pros:
Much cheaper than Sunsama ($9 vs. $20)
AI suggestions without being pushy
Great calendar management
Supports multiple calendar accounts seamlessly
Cons:
Task management feels secondary to calendaring
No automatic task extraction
AI is suggestive, not proactive
Less robust than dedicated task managers
How it compares to Sunsama: Morgen suggests, Sunsama structures. Both require manual decisions, but Morgen’s AI suggestions reduce mental load. Cheaper and faster than Sunsama’s full ritual.
4. Akiflow - Fast Keyboard-Driven Manual Planning
Akiflow is for people who like Sunsama’s manual planning approach but want it faster. It consolidates tasks from everywhere into one unified inbox, then you time block them using keyboard shortcuts.
It’s Sunsama’s philosophy (manual, intentional planning) with power-user speed. If Sunsama feels slow, Akiflow might click.
Best for: Keyboard-driven power users who want manual control but faster workflow than Sunsama’s guided rituals.
Key Features:
Universal inbox from 20+ integrations
Keyboard shortcuts for everything
Manual time blocking
Command bar for fast task management
Integrates with email, Slack, Notion, Asana, Todoist, etc.
Pricing:
$19/month (annual) or $34/month (monthly)
Pros:
Best-in-class integrations (pulls tasks from everywhere)
Much faster than Sunsama if you use keyboard shortcuts
Powerful consolidation of scattered work
Beautiful interface
Cons:
Same price range as Sunsama without automation
All planning still manual
Steeper learning curve (keyboard-focused)
No mobile app yet
How it compares to Sunsama: Both are manual planning tools. Akiflow is faster if you’re keyboard-driven. Sunsama is more guided if you want structure. Similar pricing, different execution speeds.
5. Ellie Planner - Budget Sunsama Alternative
Ellie offers Sunsama-style guided planning at a fraction of the cost. You get daily planning rituals, task consolidation, and time blocking for about $5/month.
The interface is simpler, integrations are fewer, but the core workflow is similar: plan your day manually with structure and guidance.
Best for: People who like Sunsama’s approach but can’t justify $20/month for manual planning.
Key Features:
Guided daily planning workflow
Task import from calendar and lists
Time blocking and focus modes
Daily review and shutdown
Simpler than Sunsama but similar philosophy
Pricing:
Around $5/month
Pros:
75% cheaper than Sunsama
Same intentional planning approach
Simple, focused feature set
Good for Sunsama users on a budget
Cons:
Fewer integrations than Sunsama
Smaller community and less polish
Still requires daily manual planning time
Less established (newer tool)
How it compares to Sunsama: Budget version of the same philosophy. You trade polish and integrations for price. If Sunsama’s approach works but price doesn’t, try Ellie.
6. Routine - Personal Planner with Tasks, Notes, Calendar
Routine combines calendar, tasks, and notes in one integrated workspace. It’s less structured than Sunsama’s guided rituals but offers similar integration of tasks and calendar.
Currently in beta, so pricing is uncertain, but it offers a cleaner alternative to Sunsama’s ritual-heavy approach.
Best for: People who want tasks and calendar integrated without Sunsama’s structured rituals.
Key Features:
Calendar, tasks, and notes unified
Time blocking (manual)
Meeting notes linked to calendar events
Keyboard shortcuts for navigation
Task capture from notes
Pricing:
Free during beta
Pricing TBD at launch
Pros:
Clean integration of calendar and tasks
Free while in beta
Less ritual-heavy than Sunsama
Good for note-takers
Cons:
Still in beta (future pricing unknown)
No AI scheduling
Smaller integration ecosystem
Manual time blocking
How it compares to Sunsama: Less opinionated. Sunsama guides you through specific rituals. Routine gives you integrated tools but less structure. Choose Routine if you want flexibility over guidance.
7. Reclaim.ai - AI Habit and Task Scheduling
Reclaim focuses on automatically protecting time for habits, tasks, and focus work. It’s more automated than Sunsama but less project-focused than Motion.
Good for people with regular habits and recurring work who want AI to defend that time.
Best for: People with recurring habits and tasks who want AI protection without full project management complexity.
Key Features:
AI automatically schedules habits and tasks
Focus time protection
Calendar defense against meeting overload
Smart 1:1 scheduling
Time tracking
Pricing:
Free plan available
Pro: $10/month
Pros:
Much cheaper than Sunsama ($10 vs. $20)
AI handles scheduling automatically
Great for protecting recurring habits
Defends calendar against meeting creep
Cons:
Less comprehensive than Sunsama for project work
Focused on habits more than tasks
No guided planning ritual
Learning curve for scheduling rules
How it compares to Sunsama: Automation vs. ritual. Reclaim automatically protects time for what matters. Sunsama makes you manually plan everything. Choose Reclaim if habits and recurring work are your focus.
8. TickTick - Affordable Task Manager with Calendar
TickTick is a comprehensive task manager with calendar view and time blocking. It’s not as intentional as Sunsama’s guided planning, but it covers the basics at 10% of the cost.
Best for: Budget-conscious users who want task-calendar integration without premium pricing or guided rituals.
Key Features:
Full task management (lists, tags, filters)
Calendar view with time blocking
Natural language input
Habit tracking and Pomodoro timer
Collaboration features
Pricing:
Free plan available
Premium: $27.99/year (about $2.33/month)
Pros:
Incredibly affordable ($28/year vs. $240/year for Sunsama)
Comprehensive features
Calendar integration included
Works offline
Cons:
No AI or automatic scheduling
No guided daily planning ritual
Manual time blocking required
Less polished than Sunsama
How it compares to Sunsama: Basic task-calendar integration at 1/10th the price. No rituals, no guidance, but functional. Choose TickTick if budget is primary concern.
9. Todoist - Simple Task Lists with Basic Calendar
Todoist is the classic task manager. Simple, reliable, does lists extremely well. Calendar integration exists but it’s basic—you can see tasks on calendar view, but there’s no real time blocking or planning workflow.
Best for: Minimalists who want simple task tracking without Sunsama’s planning overhead.
Key Features:
Clean task lists with projects and labels
Natural language input
Basic calendar view
Collaboration features
Integrations with many tools
Pricing:
Free plan available
Pro: $4/month (annual) or $5/month (monthly)
Pros:
Very affordable
Simple and reliable
Strong mobile apps
Established tool (since 2007)
Cons:
No real time blocking
Very basic calendar integration
No AI or automation
No daily planning features
How it compares to Sunsama: Opposite ends of spectrum. Sunsama is structured rituals and intentional planning. Todoist is simple lists. Choose Todoist if Sunsama feels like overkill.
10. Sunsama - The Baseline for Comparison
Sunsama is what we’re comparing against, so here’s the full picture:
What Sunsama does well:
Guided daily planning creates intentional work
Beautiful, calming interface reduces stress
Strong integrations pull tasks from many sources
Daily shutdown ritual helps you disconnect
Structured approach prevents reactive work
What Sunsama struggles with:
15-20 minutes daily planning required
All manual (no AI automation)
Expensive ($20/month for manual tool)
Rigid ritual breaks when mornings are chaotic
Manual rescheduling when plans change
Pricing: $20/month (annual) or $16/month (billed annually)
Choose Sunsama if: You have time for daily rituals, value the meditative process of manual planning, have stable schedules, and can sustain 20 minutes of planning every morning.
Look for alternatives if: You want automated planning, need flexibility for chaotic schedules, can’t justify $20/month for manual tools, or don’t have 15-20 minutes daily for rituals.
How to Choose Your Sunsama Alternative
Here’s a decision framework based on what matters most:
If you want automated planning without rituals: Go with rivva (energy-aware AI) or Motion (full project automation). rivva is more flexible and affordable. Motion is more rigid but handles complex dependencies.
If you like manual planning but want it faster: Try Akiflow for keyboard-driven speed or Morgen for AI suggestions that reduce decisions.
If budget is primary concern: TickTick ($28/year) or Ellie ($5/month) get you task-calendar integration without premium pricing.
If you want energy-aware scheduling: rivva is the only tool in this list that schedules based on when you’ll actually have capacity, not just calendar availability.
If you value Sunsama’s philosophy but need flexibility: rivva gives you the same intentional approach without requiring daily rituals. Morgen gives you AI assistance while keeping some manual control.
If you’re okay with manual planning: Akiflow (if keyboard-focused) or Ellie (if budget-focused) maintain the manual approach at different price points.
The biggest question is whether you want to trade time for control. Sunsama gives you complete control but costs 15-20 minutes daily. Automation (rivva, Motion, Reclaim) gives you back that time but requires trusting the AI.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Sunsama worth $20/month?
Depends entirely on your situation. If you have the time and discipline for 15-20 minute daily planning rituals, if you find the process meditative and valuable, and if the structured approach keeps you from reactive work, then yes—$20/month is reasonable.
But if you’re constantly skipping the ritual because mornings are chaotic, if the manual planning feels like a chore, or if you wish someone would just plan your day for you, then no—there are cheaper, more automated alternatives that deliver similar results.
What’s the best automated alternative to Sunsama?
rivva if you want energy-aware scheduling with flexibility. Motion if you want full automation and can handle rigid AI decisions. Reclaim if your focus is protecting time for habits and recurring work.
Each handles automation differently, so the “best” depends on how much control you want to keep.
Can I get Sunsama’s benefits without manual planning?
Yes. The benefit of Sunsama is an intentional, realistic daily plan that prevents reactive work. You can get that through AI automation (rivva, Motion) without spending 20 minutes planning.
The ritual itself is valuable to some people, but it’s not required for the outcome. Automation can deliver the same intentional structure without the time investment.
How much time does Sunsama daily planning actually take?
Sunsama’s own onboarding suggests 15-20 minutes for daily planning and 10 minutes for shutdown. That’s 25-30 minutes per day, or about 2 hours per week.
Over a year, that’s 100+ hours spent on planning rituals. Whether that’s worthwhile depends on how much you value the meditative process versus the outcome.
Conclusion
Sunsama’s intentional planning philosophy is valuable. Daily planning prevents reactive work, creates realistic schedules, and helps you focus on what matters. The shutdown ritual genuinely helps people disconnect.
But Sunsama’s execution requires significant time investment: 15-20 minutes of manual planning every single day. For people with chaotic mornings, unpredictable schedules, or limited patience for rituals, that time investment is unsustainable.
The alternatives above solve this in different ways. Some automate the planning (rivva, Motion, Reclaim). Some make manual planning faster (Akiflow, Morgen). Some offer the same approach at lower cost (Ellie, TickTick).
The right choice depends on whether you value the process (manual rituals) or just want the results (intentional daily plan). If it’s the latter, automation delivers Sunsama’s benefits without the time cost.
Get Sunsama’s structure without the daily time investment. rivva plans your day automatically based on your energy and priorities. Try it free for 7 days at www.rivva.app