Todoist, TickTick, OpenProject – or stick with Microsoft To Do?

Todoist, TickTick and OpenProject became my comparison after Microsoft To Do stopped being enough as a task management tool.

Todoist is fast and flexible. TickTick brings in focus and habits. OpenProject handles full-scale planning and documentation. Together, they cover more ground than Microsoft To Do ever could.

Here’s how I use them and what other users are saying.

Todoist

Todoist is a fast, flexible task management tool that helps you organize projects, track progress, and stay focused.

• Fast and minimal UI
• Works across all platforms
• Natural language input for tasks
• Tags, filters, and color-coding for clarity
• Shared projects and team task assignment
• Lightweight alternative to tools like Asana
• Great for freelancers and small teams
• Lacks advanced admin controls or deep team reporting

TickTick

TickTick is a task manager with built-in productivity tools — including a calendar, habit tracker, and focus timer.

• Built-in calendar view
• Pomodoro timer and habit tracker
• Quick setup, responsive app
• Shared task lists with basic collaboration
• Supports Kanban, list, and calendar views
• Ideal for freelancers and solo workflows
• Not ideal for teams needing structured dashboards
• No proper role-based task ownership or reporting tools

OpenProject

OpenProject is an open-source task management tool designed for structured projects — with Gantt charts, wikis, agile boards, and time tracking built in.

• Self-hosted or cloud-based options
• Gantt charts, timelines, and agile boards
• Supports time tracking and budgets
• Includes wiki pages and internal documentation
• Role-based permissions and logs
• Trusted by developer teams and enterprises
• Powerful but with a steep learning curve
• UI feels outdated compared to modern tools

Todoist

Best for clean, flexible task lists and small team tracking

Setup & Ease of Use

Todoist is quick to start. Signup is simple, and syncing between devices is near-instant. I got going in minutes and didn’t have to watch a tutorial to figure things out.

One Reddit user shared how they onboarded their team to Todoist effortlessly. It just worked. Another noted how Todoist avoided the bloated feel of bigger platforms like Asana.

Features & Feedback

• Natural language input: type “invoice client every 30 days” and it understands.
• Cross-platform: works on web, mobile, desktop.
• Shared projects and comments for teams.
• Filtered views and color tags for organization.

Users love the speed and clarity. But the team workspace experience still needs work — some say it feels clunky if you’re managing bigger groups.

Pros & Cons

Pros:

• Super fast and intuitive UI
• Great for freelancers and light team tasks
• Powerful filters and tagging

Cons:

• No robust team admin controls
• Team Workspaces still in development
• Limited reporting for group work

TickTick

Great for blending personal productivity with team sharing

Setup & Ease of Use

I started using TickTick for its built-in calendar and Pomodoro timer — two things Microsoft To Do doesn’t offer. It’s quick to set up and runs smoothly.

In this Reddit thread, one user explained how they run multiple business projects solo and just share task lists with collaborators when needed.

Features & Feedback

• Task views: list, Kanban, calendar
• Pomodoro timer + habit tracker
• Smart lists and filters
• Task sharing and comments

TickTick is ideal for individual planning and light team coordination. But once you go beyond 2–3 people, things start to get messy. Tasks assigned to others still show on your “Today” view. No team dashboards, no performance reporting.

Pros & Cons

Pros:

• Excellent calendar and focus tools
• Ideal for solo workers or small partner teams
• Mobile app is responsive and well designed

Cons:

• Confusing task ownership in teams
• No real team workspace or permission layers
• Not suitable for structured team reporting

OpenProject

Best for deep project planning and long-term task tracking

Setup & Ease of Use

OpenProject takes longer to set up — I ran it using Docker on a private server. But once it’s live, it’s stable and powerful.

Reddit users and Hacker News commenters confirm this: not flashy, but rock solid. One team uses it daily for ticket tracking and internal docs.

Features & Feedback

• Gantt charts, timelines, work packages
• Time tracking and budgets
• Wiki pages and agile boards
• Multi-role permissions and logs

It’s ideal if you want structure and full control. Especially good for teams managing complex or long-term client projects.

Pros & Cons

Pros:

• Enterprise-grade features
• Full project lifecycle support
• Self-host or use their paid cloud

Cons:

• Learning curve is real
• Interface feels outdated
• Some features are only in the paid tier

Which to Pick?

• Todoist: Fast and clean — perfect for freelancers and task-focused teams.
• TickTick: Best if you need personal productivity tools that scale to light collaboration.
• OpenProject: Use it when you need full project control, timelines, and team roles.

Each tool has its place. I still use all three — depending on the kind of workday I’m facing.

Test them. Use what feels natural. You’ll know the right fit when you stop thinking about the tool and just get stuff done.

Comparison: Todoist vs TickTick vs OpenProject

Integrations

•  Todoist: Connects with 80+ tools (Google Calendar, Slack, Outlook, Zapier)
• TickTick: Basic integrations, supports Zapier/IFTTT, fewer direct links
• OpenProject: Mostly internal tools, limited native integrations

Templates

• Todoist: Offers built-in task/project templates, easy to reuse
• TickTick: Minimal template support, mostly manual workarounds
• OpenProject: Full project templates available, great for recurring setups

Mobile Experience

• Todoist: Smooth, intuitive apps across all platforms
• TickTick: Full-featured mobile apps, slightly less polished UI
• OpenProject: No native app, browser access only, clunky on phones

Calendar Sync

• Todoist: Two-way Google Calendar sync, clean controls
• TickTick: Built-in calendar + sync, shows completed tasks
• OpenProject: Internal calendars only, limited iCal export options

Ease of Onboarding

• Todoist: Quick to learn, beginner-friendly
• TickTick: Easy start, more features to discover
• OpenProject: Steep learning curve, built for structured teams

Best Use Case

• Todoist: Solo freelancers and small teams needing fast, flexible tasks
• TickTick: Users who want a task list + habits + built-in calendar
• OpenProject: Teams managing long-term, multi-phase projects

Conclusion

For me, Todoist, TickTick, and OpenProject each earned their place. I use them differently, but all three do more than Microsoft To Do ever could.

Try one. See how it fits your workflow. Then tell me what stood out. Your feedback could save someone else a lot of trial and error.

FAQs

Do I have to pay to use these tools?

All three offer free plans. Todoist and TickTick are fully usable solo. OpenProject’s self-hosted version is free but takes more setup.

What’s the biggest difference between Todoist and TickTick?

Todoist is cleaner for task lists. TickTick adds extras like calendar, Pomodoro, and habit tracking — better if you like all-in-one tools.

Is OpenProject too complex for non-tech users?

It has a learning curve. If you’re not used to Gantt charts or project boards, expect to spend some time figuring it out.

Which tool is best for small teams?

Todoist is great for quick collaboration. Just don’t expect deep reporting. OpenProject is better if your team needs structure.

Do any of these apps work offline?

Todoist and TickTick both offer offline access on mobile and desktop. Tasks sync once you’re back online — no lost updates.