Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Org mode VS Todoist

Compare Org mode VS Todoist and see what are their differences

Org mode logo Org mode

Org: an Emacs Mode for Notes, Planning, and Authoring

Todoist logo Todoist

Todoist is a to-do list that helps you get organized, at work and in life.
  • Org mode Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-04-15
  • Todoist Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-10-20

Org mode features and specs

  • Seamless Integration with Emacs
    Org mode is tightly integrated with Emacs, allowing users to take full advantage of Emacs' powerful text-editing capabilities and extensive customization options.
  • Outline-Based Workflow
    Org mode supports hierarchical organization of information, which makes it easy to structure content in a clear, logical manner and manage complex documents or projects.
  • Task Management
    Built-in TODO lists, scheduling, and deadline management features make it a powerful tool for personal productivity and project management.
  • Export Capabilities
    Org mode can export documents to a variety of formats including HTML, LaTeX, PDF, and Markdown, making it versatile for different publishing needs.
  • Customizability
    Highly customizable through Emacs Lisp, allowing users to tailor Org mode to their specific workflow requirements.
  • Community and Extensions
    A robust community and numerous extensions are available, providing additional functionality and support.

Possible disadvantages of Org mode

  • Steep Learning Curve
    Requires significant time and effort to learn, especially for users who are not already familiar with Emacs.
  • Emacs Dependency
    Org mode is dependent on Emacs, which might not appeal to users who prefer different text editors or Integrated Development Environments (IDEs).
  • Complexity
    While it's powerful, the extensive features and customization options can become overwhelming and lead to a complex setup.
  • Lack of Standalone Version
    There is no standalone version of Org mode; it requires Emacs, which can be a barrier for those who do not want to use Emacs.
  • User Interface
    The text-based interface might not be as intuitive or visually appealing as modern, graphical task management or note-taking applications.

Todoist features and specs

  • Cross-Platform Availability
    Todoist is available on multiple platforms, including web, iOS, Android, macOS, and Windows, ensuring that you can access your tasks from virtually any device.
  • Collaboration Features
    Allows users to share projects, assign tasks, and add comments, making it ideal for team collaboration.
  • User-Friendly Interface
    Offers a clean and intuitive design that is easy to navigate, making task management straightforward.
  • Advanced Task Management
    Supports advanced features such as recurring tasks, labels, filters, and priorities, allowing for detailed and structured task organization.
  • Integration with Other Apps
    Integrates seamlessly with a variety of other productivity tools like Google Calendar, Slack, and Dropbox to enhance workflow.
  • Karma System
    Incorporates a gamification aspect where users earn points (Karma) for completing tasks, helping to boost motivation and productivity.
  • Offline Mode
    Offers offline access, allowing users to manage their tasks even without an internet connection.

Possible disadvantages of Todoist

  • Limited Free Version
    The free version has limited features and storage, which might hinder full utilization for more complex task management.
  • Subscription Costs
    The premium and business plans can be relatively expensive compared to some alternatives, potentially being a barrier for budget-conscious users.
  • Steep Learning Curve for Advanced Features
    While the basic features are user-friendly, mastering the more advanced functions can take some time.
  • Lack of Native Time Tracking
    Todoist does not have built-in time tracking features, which might be a drawback for users looking to log the time spent on tasks.
  • Dependence on Third-Party Integrations
    Many advanced functionalities rely heavily on third-party integrations, which may require additional subscriptions and complicate the setup.
  • Notification Overload
    Users may find themselves overwhelmed with notifications, particularly in collaborative projects with many updates.

Org mode videos

org mode is awesome

More videos:

  • Review - 2018-11-14: Building a Second Brain in Org Mode - Tasshin Michael Fogleman

Todoist videos

Todoist Productivity App Review

More videos:

  • Review - Why I'm Back with Todoist

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Org mode and Todoist)
Task Management
15 15%
85% 85
Project Management
12 12%
88% 88
Note Taking
100 100%
0% 0
Productivity
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Org mode and Todoist

Org mode Reviews

Ask HN: Favorite note-taking software?
Before going full Org Mode, I used MS OneNote, and liked it very much. My notes from that period has tons of images and annotated screenshots dumped into them. I miss that in my Emacs workflow nowadays. My dream software would be pieces of Org Mode on a OneNote-like canvas, with support for easily pasting images and drawing on them (especially using a graphics tablet, or at...

Todoist Reviews

The 10 best Asana alternatives in 2024
Todoist is also available on just about every platform imaginable, so no matter where you are, you can brain-dump new tasks in seconds, without interrupting your flow more than necessary. Easily sort tasks into projects, and if you're a paid user, create custom labels and filters that let you stay even more organized. You can view tasks in list, Kanban board, and calendar...
Source: zapier.com
11 Best Google Keeps Alternatives for 2024
For example, clicking the ‘+’ button and typing ‘Team meeting on Monday at 2 PM’. Todoist will immediately understand and set the task’s due date for Monday at 2 PM. You can also type to set the task’s reminders, priority, or label.
Source: upbase.io
20 Obsidian Alternatives: Top Note-Taking Tools to Consider
Todoist focuses on giving you a simple task and to-do list management app. It’s one of the most popular Obsidian alternatives because of its intuitiveness and advanced note-taking functionalities. This note-taking app allows you to create tasks and subtasks and set up one-time or recurring reminders. Todoist also features discussions and comments capabilities to simplify...
Source: clickup.com
16 Best Asana Alternatives of 2024 (Free + Paid)
Another Asana alternative is Todoist. As the name suggests, this is a great app for tackling your to-do task lists. Todoist is focused solely on task management, which makes it an ideal tool for people looking to prioritize tasks and get productive without learning to use more complex project planning software. It’s easy to add tasks and recurring due dates. Plus you can...
11 Ayanza Alternatives
Todoist is making a plan for your career and life. With Todoist, you may become more organized, focused, and tranquil. The world's most popular to-do list and task organizer app. Make a plan for your life to be more organized. Every day, try to improve. Using Todoist powerful natural language recognition and recurring dates, create tasks like Reading work emails every day to...

Social recommendations and mentions

Org mode might be a bit more popular than Todoist. We know about 179 links to it since March 2021 and only 133 links to Todoist. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Org mode mentions (179)

  • Reinventing notebooks as reusable Python programs
    "until recently, Jupyter notebooks were the only programming environment that let you see your data while you worked on it." This is false. Org-mode has had this functionality for over two decades. https://orgmode.org/. - Source: Hacker News / about 1 month ago
  • Emacs 2024 Changes
    Work - I use org-mode heavily for my personal project management and note keeping. - Source: dev.to / 4 months ago
  • My 2024 review
    While embracing analog tools, I've also refined my digital organization using ORG mode in Emacs. The system has evolved to become more structured and efficient. - Source: dev.to / 4 months ago
  • (Game)Dev with Emacs - Because it's not Already Hard Enough Without it
    Org mode. Org mode is just great for taking notes and organizing tasks. I might write a post on it one day. If you're interested, check out Org Mode in the mean time. - Source: dev.to / 8 months ago
  • Information flow - how I capture the notes
    Orgmode seems to be a big change after using Notion. However, I fell in love with Emacs, so I Wanted to use all the best things. It was easy to set up org-agenda, org-roam, etc. Unfortunately, after a while, I noticed that using a non-standard system(not Markdown) could impact my note-sharing capabilities, as well my ~work~ docs were mostly built with Markdown. So, a note system that uses Markdown. Also, I... - Source: dev.to / 8 months ago
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Todoist mentions (133)

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What are some alternatives?

When comparing Org mode and Todoist, you can also consider the following products

Workflowy - A better way to organize your mind.

Trello - Infinitely flexible. Incredibly easy to use. Great mobile apps. It's free. Trello keeps track of everything, from the big picture to the minute details.

Asana - Asana project management is an effort to re-imagine how we work together, through modern productivity software. Fast and versatile, Asana helps individuals and groups get more done.

Obsidian.md - A second brain, for you, forever. Obsidian is a powerful knowledge base that works on top of a local folder of plain text Markdown files.

TickTick - TickTickis a cross-platform to-do list app & task manager helps you to get all things done and make life well organized.

Remember The Milk - Remember The Milk is a task and time management application for mobile devices.