10 Best TickTick Alternatives in 2026
Looking for a TickTick alternative? Compare 10 task managers that improve on AI scheduling, planning depth, and design.
TickTick is feature-rich and affordable. But if you need AI scheduling, capacity awareness, or premium design, there are better options.
TickTick deserves credit—it’s one of the most complete task managers available at $2.99/month. Calendar view, habit tracking, Pomodoro timer, widgets, natural language entry, and cross-platform availability. For many people, it’s everything they need.
But if you’re reading this, TickTick isn’t meeting a specific need. Maybe you’re tired of manually scheduling every task and want AI to handle it. Maybe you need capacity-aware scheduling that respects your energy levels, not just your calendar availability. Maybe you want premium iOS-native design instead of cross-platform compromises. Or maybe you simply want a tool that learns and improves, not one that works the same way forever.
This guide covers 10 TickTick alternatives addressing its specific limitations—from AI-powered scheduling to energy-aware planning to simplified design. We’ll be honest about what each tool does better than TickTick and where TickTick still wins.
What TickTick Does Well
Before exploring alternatives, let’s acknowledge TickTick’s genuine strengths:
Feature-Rich Without Overwhelming Calendar view, habit tracker, Pomodoro timer, custom smart lists, multiple reminders, subtasks, priorities, tags, filters—TickTick includes features other apps charge premium prices for.
Affordable Pricing $2.99/month (or $27.99/year) for premium is remarkable value. Many alternatives cost 3-5x more with fewer features.
True Cross-Platform Works excellently on iOS, Android, Windows, Mac, and web. For teams or users switching between platforms, this matters enormously.
Reliable and Stable TickTick has been refined over years. It’s stable, regularly updated, and just works without bugs or drama.
Flexible Organization Lists, tags, priorities, custom filters, smart lists—organize however makes sense for your brain.
Calendar Integration Two-way sync with Google Calendar and other calendar apps provides decent unified view of tasks and events.
Why People Look for TickTick Alternatives
Despite its strengths, TickTick has specific limitations that drive users to alternatives:
1. No AI Scheduling
Everything in TickTick is manual. You decide when to work on each task, manually schedule time blocks, and reorganize when priorities shift. There’s no AI to automatically place tasks at optimal times or reschedule when your day explodes.
2. No Energy or Capacity Awareness
TickTick treats all hours as equal. It doesn’t know when you’re sharp versus exhausted. Can’t integrate with wearables. Doesn’t schedule demanding work during energy peaks or protect recovery time. For people who want capacity-aware productivity, TickTick falls short.
3. Design Compromises
Cross-platform availability requires design compromises. TickTick looks similar everywhere but doesn’t feel native anywhere. iOS users notice it’s not as polished as Things 3. The interface can feel cluttered with feature density.
4. Manual Task Capture
Every task requires manual entry. No automatic extraction from emails, meeting notes, or other sources. For busy professionals, typing everything in creates friction that leads to missed tasks.
5. Static System
TickTick doesn’t learn from your patterns or improve over time. It works the same way on day 1000 as day 1. No intelligence that adapts to your habits, predicts your needs, or proactively helps.
6. Basic Calendar Integration
While TickTick syncs with calendars, tasks and calendar events still feel separate. Not a truly unified timeline. Time-blocking requires manual dragging and coordination.
7. Feature Overwhelm
TickTick’s strength (many features) can become a weakness. Some users find the options overwhelming and want simpler, more focused tools.
What to Look for in a TickTick Alternative
Your reason for switching determines which alternative makes sense:
If you need AI scheduling: Motion, rivva If you want premium iOS design: Things 3 If you want simpler: Todoist, Any.do If you want more customization: Amazing Marvin, OmniFocus
If you want capacity awareness: rivva (only option) If you want intentional planning: Sunsama If you need task consolidation: Akiflow If you’re in Microsoft ecosystem: Microsoft To Do
The 10 Best TickTick Alternatives
1. rivva - AI Scheduling TickTick Lacks
If you love TickTick’s completeness but wish it had AI scheduling and energy awareness, rivva is the intelligent upgrade.
How rivva compares to TickTick:
TickTick gives you excellent tools to manage tasks manually. rivva uses AI to manage them for you automatically—scheduling tasks around your energy levels, extracting commitments from email, and adapting proactively when plans change.
What TickTick doesn’t do (but rivva does):
✗ No AI scheduling → rivva schedules tasks automatically
✗ No automatic capture → rivva extracts from email
✗ No energy awareness → rivva uses wearable data
✗ Manual planning → Nia handles planning/prioritizing
✗ Static system → rivva learns and adapts
Why rivva is the intelligent TickTick alternative:
1. AI Scheduling (TickTick Is Manual) TickTick: You manually decide when to do each task, drag to time slots, reorganize when things change. rivva: AI automatically schedules based on energy + calendar + priorities. Saves hours of planning weekly.
2. Capacity-Aware (TickTick Can’t Do This) TickTick: Treats all hours as equal capacity. rivva: Schedules demanding work during energy peaks using wearable data. Better results with less effort.
3. Automatic Capture (TickTick Requires Typing) TickTick: Manually type every task. rivva: Automatically extracts from email—meeting follow-ups, commitments, requests all captured without typing.
4. Proactive AI (TickTick Is Static) TickTick: Same experience forever, you handle changes. rivva: Nia learns your patterns, automatically reorganizes when your day changes, improves over time.
Best for:
TickTick users tired of manual planning who want AI scheduling and capacity-aware productivity. iOS users wanting premium native experience with intelligence TickTick lacks.
Pricing:
Monthly: $13.99/month
Quarterly: $31.50/quarter ($10.50/month billed quarterly)
7-day free trial
Pros over TickTick:
AI scheduling (TickTick is 100% manual)
Capacity-aware (TickTick ignores energy)
Automatic capture (TickTick requires typing)
Proactive adaptation (TickTick is static)
Premium iOS experience
Sustainable productivity focus
Cons vs. TickTick:
2. Todoist - Simpler, Cleaner, More Polished
How it compares: Todoist is more focused and polished than TickTick. Less features, but what’s there works beautifully.
If TickTick feels cluttered with options, Todoist is the clean, simple alternative that just works.
Pros over TickTick:
Cleaner, less overwhelming interface
More polished design
Natural language just as good
Larger user community
Better collaboration features
Cons vs. TickTick:
Fewer features (no calendar view, habits, Pomodoro in basic)
Pro costs $5/month (vs $2.99)
Less customization
Pricing: Free-$5/month
3. Things 3 - Premium iOS Design
How it compares: Things 3 is what TickTick would be if designed exclusively for iOS—beautiful, polished, Apple Design Award winner.
Pros over TickTick:
Premium iOS-native design
One-time purchase (no subscription)
Elegant, minimal interface
Things Cloud via iCloud (privacy-focused)
Cons vs. TickTick:
Apple-only (no Windows/Android)
Less features
Expensive upfront ($50+ for all platforms)
No AI scheduling
Pricing: $9.99-49.99 one-time
4. Motion - AI Scheduling + Project Management
How it compares: Motion provides AI scheduling like rivva but focuses on deadline-driven project management.
Pros over TickTick:
AI auto-schedules all tasks
Dynamic replanning
Project management features
All-in-one platform
Cons vs. TickTick:
Much more expensive ($19-34/month)
No capacity awareness (time-based only)
Complex for simple task management
Pricing: $19-34/month
5. Amazing Marvin - More Customizable
How it compares: Amazing Marvin offers more customization than TickTick through 90+ toggleable strategies.
Pros over TickTick:
Extreme customization (90+ strategies)
Better for ADHD/executive dysfunction
Cross-platform like TickTick
Time tracking built-in
Cons vs. TickTick:
More expensive ($8-12/month)
Overwhelming initial setup
Slower performance
Steeper learning curve
Pricing: $8-12/month
6. Sunsama - Intentional Daily Planning
How it compares: Sunsama provides guided daily planning versus TickTick’s free-form approach.
Pros over TickTick:
Forces realistic capacity planning
Mindful daily rituals
Better calendar integration
Prevents over-scheduling
Cons vs. TickTick:
Much more expensive ($16-20/month)
Requires daily planning time
Slower workflow
No AI automation
Pricing: $16-20/month
7. OmniFocus - Power User GTD
How it compares: OmniFocus provides more powerful GTD features than TickTick for serious practitioners.
Pros over TickTick:
Most powerful GTD implementation
Custom perspectives
Defer vs due dates
Review mode
Cons vs. TickTick:
Steeper learning curve
More expensive
Apple-only
Design feels dated
Pricing: $8.33/month or $99+ one-time
8. Akiflow - Task Consolidation + Time Blocking
How it compares: Akiflow consolidates tasks from multiple tools (including TickTick if you keep it) into unified interface.
Pros over TickTick:
Consolidates from 30+ tools
Keyboard-first power user interface
Good time-blocking
Multiple account support
Cons vs. TickTick:
Much more expensive ($19/month)
Manual time-blocking
No AI automation
Complex setup
Pricing: $19/month
9. Any.do - Simpler, More Visual
How it compares: Any.do is simpler and more visual than TickTick’s feature-dense approach.
Pros over TickTick:
Simpler, cleaner interface
More visual design
Good voice entry
Location-based reminders
Cons vs. TickTick:
Fewer features
Less powerful
Basic calendar integration
Smaller community
Pricing: Free-$5/month
10. Microsoft To Do - Free Microsoft Ecosystem
How it compares: Microsoft To Do is the free alternative for people in Microsoft ecosystem.
Pros over TickTick:
Completely free
Microsoft 365 integration
Outlook integration
Good for enterprise
Cons vs. TickTick:
Much fewer features
Basic functionality
Microsoft account required
Less polished
Pricing: Free
Frequently Asked Questions
Why would I switch from TickTick?
Most common reasons: want AI scheduling (Motion, rivva), need capacity awareness (rivva only), prefer simpler design (Todoist, Things 3), want premium iOS experience (Things 3, rivva), or need better integrations for specific workflows.
What’s better than TickTick?
“Better” depends on your needs. For AI: rivva or Motion. For design: Things 3. For simplicity: Todoist. For GTD: OmniFocus. TickTick is excellent for feature-rich cross-platform at affordable price—alternatives trade different strengths.
Is TickTick worth it?
Yes, for most people. $2.99/month for its feature set is exceptional value. Consider alternatives only if you need specific features TickTick lacks (AI scheduling, capacity awareness, premium iOS design) and are willing to pay more.
What has AI scheduling that TickTick doesn’t?
Motion (time and deadline-based AI), rivva (capacity-aware AI with energy forecasting), and Reclaim AI (habit scheduling). These cost significantly more than TickTick but provide automation it lacks.
Can I import my TickTick tasks to other apps?
Most apps support import via CSV or standard formats. TickTick allows export. Expect some manual cleanup—tags, priorities, and custom fields may not transfer perfectly. Plan for transition time.
Is there a free TickTick alternative?
Todoist (generous free tier), Microsoft To Do (completely free), Google Tasks (free), Any.do (free basic). None match TickTick’s free tier features, but they work for basic task management.
Conclusion
TickTick is excellent—feature-rich, affordable, cross-platform, and reliable. For many users, it’s the perfect task manager.
But if you need AI scheduling, capacity awareness, or premium native design, alternatives exist that trade TickTick’s breadth for depth in specific areas:
For intelligent automation: rivva (capacity-aware AI) or Motion (deadline-based AI) For premium design: Things 3 (iOS) or Sunsama (intentional planning) For simplicity: Todoist (cleaner) or Any.do (visual) For power: OmniFocus (GTD) or Amazing Marvin (customization)
The right choice depends on your specific unmet need. TickTick works wonderfully for its target audience—alternatives serve different priorities.
Upgrade from manual task management to AI intelligence.
rivva provides what TickTick can’t: capacity-aware AI scheduling that respects your energy patterns, automatic task capture from email, and proactive adaptation when your day changes. For iOS users wanting intelligent productivity beyond TickTick’s manual approach, rivva is the evolution.
Try rivva free for 7 days and experience AI scheduling that TickTick doesn’t offer.