Best Planner App in 2026: 5 Free Picks and 1 Paid Option

TickTick is the best free all-round planner app here, because its free plan has 9 lists, 99 tasks per list and basic calendar views in one app. Todoist captures tasks faster but keeps its calendar layout on a paid plan. Super Productivity is the open-source pick that stores data on your device. Prices below were read on October 28, 2026.

What matters in a planner app

A planner needs two things at once: a task list and a view of your time. Roundups such as Planyway's and Upbase's rank many apps, but both are written by a vendor that appears in its own list.

The criteria used here:

• what the free tier allows;
• whether a calendar view is built in;
• where data is stored;
• which platforms are covered;
• what it costs when you outgrow free.

Readers' own words point the same way. In a November 2024 Hacker News thread on software that improved people's lives, one commenter praised Microsoft To Do for being simple, free and shareable with family, and another used Google Sheets as a lightweight place to think. For a wider view of tools beyond these picks, see our Todoist alternatives and TickTick alternatives pages.

TickTick

TickTick is a task and calendar app for web, iOS, Android, Windows and macOS. According to its upgrade page, the free plan allows 9 lists, 99 tasks per list, and basic calendar views. Premium raises these to 299 lists, 999 tasks per list and unlimited calendar views, at $49.99 a year.

It is the one pick here whose pricing page lists calendar views on the free plan, though basic ones. Its platform list comes from our tool data, checked October 25, 2026.

Who should not pick it: anyone with big projects, since 99 tasks per list is a hard ceiling.

Todoist

Todoist is a task manager built around projects and quick capture. Its pricing page lists the free Beginner plan with 5 personal projects, 3 filter views and basic task reminders. The calendar layout is included on Pro, which is $7 a month or $5 a month billed annually ($60 a year), and Pro raises the limits to 300 projects and 150 filter views.

If you want to leave Todoist later, see our Todoist self-hosted alternatives.

Who should not pick it: people who want calendar planning on a free plan.

Super Productivity

Super Productivity is a free, open-source planner that combines tasks, timeboxing and time tracking. Its site says you can import your calendar and timebox tasks, and it offers a Pomodoro timer, lists, Kanban and an Eisenhower Matrix. Data stays on your device by default, it works offline with no account, and optional sync runs through Super Sync, WebDAV or Dropbox.

Its repository shows an MIT licence and a release dated October 25, 2026. Apps cover Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS and the web.

Open GitHub issues show rough edges: one reports that time-blocked tasks are not written to Google Calendar, and another asks for imported event dates to become deadlines rather than planned times.

Who should not pick it: anyone who needs two-way calendar sync to work flawlessly.

Google Tasks

Google Tasks is a lightweight list tool inside Google's apps. According to Google's product page, you can note, sort and track tasks inside Gmail, Calendar, Chat and Docs, and create a task by clicking an empty spot in Google Calendar. Tasks sync across phone, tablet and computer when you use the same Google Account, and tasks with a date and time can send push notifications.

The page states no price for basic Tasks. It has far fewer planning tools than the apps above.

Who should not pick it: people who want projects, filters or time tracking.

Vikunja

Vikunja is an open-source task manager you can host yourself. Its pricing page says self-hosting is free forever under AGPLv3, with List, Kanban, Gantt and Table views, and that you handle maintenance, updates and backups. Vikunja Cloud Personal is listed at EUR 4 a month or EUR 40 a year, with a 14-day free trial.

The page does not mention a calendar view, so confirm that before choosing it as a daily planner.

Who should not pick it: anyone who does not want to run a server and does not need project views.

When a paid tool is the better answer

Pay when a limit stops your routine. Todoist Pro at $5 a month billed annually adds the calendar layout and 300 projects. TickTick Premium at $49.99 a year lifts the 99-task ceiling to 999. Both are small amounts for a daily tool.

Sunsama is the only paid-only option here: Pro is $17 a month billed yearly or $22 monthly, with a 14-day trial and no free plan; its FAQ quotes different figures, so check the price at checkout. It suits people who want a guided daily planning routine and will pay for it. If you are happy with a plain list, stay free.

Comparison

How to choose

• You want one app with tasks and a calendar, and no setup. TickTick.
• You want data on your own device or server. Super Productivity for personal use, Vikunja if you will run a server.
• You already live in Gmail and Google Calendar. Google Tasks, then add a planner later.

Planning something narrower? Try our guides to free calendar apps, free habit trackers, free kanban boards, free meal planners, free journal apps, Notion alternatives, Microsoft To Do alternatives, Motion alternatives, Google Calendar alternatives and free time tracking software. For notes, boards and other calendars, see free note-taking apps, open-source kanban boards, Trello alternatives, open-source calendar apps and ClickUp alternatives for personal use.