Reviewland
6 apps · Ranking
Best simple to-do list apps for iPhone in 2026
The simplest to-do list on iPhone is one that limits you: 3 Tasks (ours) lets you write only three priorities a day and times each one, free, with no account and no in-app purchases. If you want a normal list that stays simple, Do! and MinimaList add reminders and widgets, and Microsoft To Do is completely free with sync through a Microsoft account.
Todoist is the most complete of the six, but its Pro plan is a subscription ($6.99 a month or $59.99 a year in the US).
At a glance
| App | Price (US) | What makes it simple | Account | App Store privacy label | Version (date) | Rating (US) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 Tasks - Daily Our app | Free, no in-app purchases | Only 3 tasks a day, one screen, a timer per task | No account | Data Used to Track You (usage data); Data Not Linked to You (usage data) | 1.2.0 (13 Oct 2026) | 5.0 (5 ratings) |
| Do! – Simple To Do List | Free with ads; remove ads $20.00 once; tip $0.99 | Add a task, double-tap when done; groups and colours | Not stated | Data Used to Track You; Data Linked to You; Data Not Linked to You | 7.7.2 (1 Oct 2026) | 4.7 (26,187 ratings) |
| To Do List MinimaList & Widget | Lifetime from $5.99 (offers) to $9.99; family $14.99; or $2.99 a month | Coloured lists, smart input that detects times | Not stated | Data Not Linked to You | 2.27.3 (11 Oct 2026) | 4.8 (48,222 ratings) |
| Clear: To Dos & Reminders | Clear Pro $3.99; legacy Pro $2.99 a month or $24.99 a year; sound packs | Gesture-only lists, colour heatmap of priority | Not stated | Data Used to Track You; Data Not Linked to You | 2.8.0 (30 Sep 2026) | 4.6 (5,144 ratings) |
| Microsoft To Do | Free, no in-app purchases | My Day with suggested tasks | Microsoft account for sync | Data Linked to You | 2.177 (6 Jul 2026) | 4.7 (268,432 ratings) |
| Todoist: To Do List & Calendar | Pro $6.99 a month or $59.99 a year | Natural-language quick add and voice capture | Yes | Data Linked to You | 26.10.8 (8 Oct 2026) | 4.8 (129,694 ratings) |
Prices are the US App Store in-app purchases on 11 October 2026; all six are free to download. Ratings are the App Store average and number of ratings that day. The row for our own app was updated on 16 October 2026.
3 Tasks - Daily Our app
Best for: people who drown in long lists and want to pick the three things that matter today.
- Write down three daily priorities; nothing else to configure.
- Start and pause each task, Pomodoro-style, and see the time spent on it.
- No ads and no account. The app uses Firebase Analytics to count how tasks and timers are used, which is why its privacy label lists tracking data.
- English only, iOS 18 or later, 7 MB, the smallest app here.
Limits: no reminders, no recurring tasks, no widgets and no sync between devices: it is deliberately a one-day list of three. Only 5 ratings in the US so far.
Do! – Simple To Do List
Best for: a paper-like daily list with reminders and repeating tasks.
- Themes, fonts and pen-and-paper sounds.
- Groups for work, study and shopping; pinned tasks.
- Repeating tasks (daily to yearly) and reminders.
- 5 languages, iOS 13 or later, 157 MB.
Limits: shows ads unless you pay $20 once, and its privacy label includes data used to track you.
To Do List MinimaList & Widget
Best for: a minimal-looking list that still has widgets, shared lists and location reminders.
- Home Screen and Lock Screen widgets.
- Time- and location-based reminders, sub-tasks and shared lists.
- Works with Siri; on iPhone, iPad and Mac according to the developer.
- 10 languages, iOS 15 or later, 126 MB.
Limits: several overlapping prices for the same lifetime upgrade, which makes it hard to know what you will pay.
Clear: To Dos & Reminders
Best for: people who like swiping lists with no buttons on screen.
- Swipe to complete, pinch and drag to reorder; a heatmap shows priority.
- Daily kanban (Today, Tomorrow, Next Day), routines and reminders.
- 2 languages, iOS 16 or later, 203 MB.
Limits: gestures take a few minutes to learn, and its privacy label includes data used to track you.
Microsoft To Do
Best for: a free list that syncs everywhere, especially if you use Outlook or Microsoft 365.
- My Day and Suggestions help plan the day from all your lists.
- Syncs with Microsoft 365; flagged Outlook emails can become tasks.
- Shared lists for personal accounts.
- 34 languages, iOS 17.6 or later, 167 MB.
Limits: it is a full task manager with lists, steps and suggestions, so it can grow into the long lists a simple app avoids.
Todoist: To Do List & Calendar
Best for: people whose list is outgrowing a simple app and who want projects, dates and teams.
- Quick Add understands dates in plain language; Ramble turns speech into tasks.
- Projects, calendar view and team workspaces.
- Works with Siri. 19 languages, iOS 17 or later, 384 MB.
Limits: Pro is a subscription, and it is the least simple app in this list.
Who should use what
- You keep writing lists you never finish: 3 Tasks (ours), three a day and nothing more.
- You want reminders and repeating tasks but a calm design: Do! or MinimaList.
- You want everything free and synced: Microsoft To Do.
- You like gestures and no buttons: Clear.
- You need projects, dates and shared work: Todoist.
Use cases
- Picking the three things that must happen today before opening email.
- A shopping or errands list that reminds you when you get to the shop (MinimaList).
- Work tasks that come from flagged Outlook emails (Microsoft To Do).
- Timing focused work blocks on each priority (3 Tasks).
How we checked
On 11 October 2026 we opened each app's US App Store page and Apple's lookup data: in-app purchases, version and release date, rating and number of ratings, languages, size, minimum iOS and the privacy label. Features are the ones each developer lists on its App Store page. "Not stated" means the listing does not say whether an account is needed. We did not invent ratings or reviews.
Frequently asked questions
What is the simplest to-do list app for iPhone?
3 Tasks only lets you write three tasks a day on one screen. Among classic list apps, Do! and Clear are the most minimal.
Is there a free to-do list app with no subscription?
3 Tasks and Microsoft To Do are free with no in-app purchases. Do! is free with ads and a one-time $20 to remove them; MinimaList and Clear also offer one-time upgrades.
Which to-do app works without an account?
3 Tasks needs no account. Microsoft To Do uses a Microsoft account to sync, and Todoist uses its own account.
Why limit yourself to three tasks a day?
A short list forces you to choose what matters most, so the list gets finished instead of growing. That is the idea behind 3 Tasks.
Which simple to-do app has widgets?
MinimaList has Home Screen and Lock Screen widgets. 3 Tasks does not have widgets.
Sources
- 3 Tasks (App Store): https://apps.apple.com/us/app/id1553693943 (11 October 2026)
- Do! (App Store): https://apps.apple.com/us/app/id421819675 (11 October 2026)
- MinimaList (App Store): https://apps.apple.com/us/app/id993066159 (11 October 2026)
- Clear (App Store): https://apps.apple.com/us/app/id493136154 (11 October 2026)
- Microsoft To Do (App Store): https://apps.apple.com/us/app/id1212616790 (11 October 2026)
- Todoist (App Store): https://apps.apple.com/us/app/id572688855 (11 October 2026)