The short answer
- Apple Reminders: best built-in, already on your Mac and iPhone.
- Things: best designed, Apple devices only.
- Todoist: best if you also use Windows, Android or the web.
- TickTick: best all-in-one with calendar views and a focus timer.
- SayBriefly: best if your tasks come from client calls and email.
A to-do list app for Mac is a desktop app that holds your tasks, reminds you about them and lets you tick them off. Every app here does that well. The real difference is how tasks get onto the list in the first place.
We build SayBriefly, so read this with that in mind. We checked each competitor's own website in September 2026 and gave each one the credit it earns.
You type it
Reminders, Things, Todoist and TickTick. Fast capture, but you have to remember.
A call adds it
SayBriefly. Action items from your calls land on the list when you switch that on.
An email adds it
SayBriefly. Asks and deadlines in Gmail become tasks linked to the thread.
Mac to-do list apps at a glance
| App | Best for | Platforms | Calendar view | Tasks from calls and email |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 SayBriefly | Client work | Mac, Windows, Chrome extension | Yes | Yes, when switched on |
 Apple Reminders | Simple personal lists | Apple devices, iCloud web | Via Apple Calendar | No |
 Things | A calm, beautiful list | Mac, iPhone, iPad, Watch, Vision Pro | Calendar events in Today (reviewers report) | No |
 Todoist | Every platform | Mac, Windows, iOS, Android, web | Pro plan | No |
 TickTick | Tasks plus focus timer | All platforms | Premium | No |
Checked on each app's own website, September 2026. Todoist offers Task Assist and Email Assist AI features on its plans; the last column is about tasks created from your own meetings and inbox.
The 5 best to-do list apps for Mac
1. SayBriefly: best when tasks come from calls and email
Most tasks do not start in your to-do app. They start on a call ("I'll send the scope by Friday") or in an email. SayBriefly is one list fed from your calls, email and client projects. It records calls from your Mac with no bot, and when you switch on auto tasks, your action items land on the list. Every task keeps a link to the call or email it came from.
Tasks with a time sit on your calendar, synced with Google Calendar. Start the focus timer on a task. Double-tap Shift to dictate a task; on a Mac it uses Apple's own speech engine. Ask the agent, Scribbble, what you owe a client this week, and it answers from calls, email and tasks together.
Good
- Tasks from calls and email, each linked to its source
- List, calendar, notes and focus timer in one app
- Works on Mac and Windows
Worth knowing
- No iPhone or Android app
- Email is Gmail only for now
- More than you need for a grocery list
Pick SayBriefly if your tasks come from clients.
See the SayBriefly to-do list app.
2. Apple Reminders: best built-in
Reminders is already on your Mac, costs nothing extra and syncs to your iPhone and Apple Watch. You can add tasks with Siri, share lists and sort by date or tag. For a personal list it is hard to beat.
Worth knowing
- Apple devices only, apart from iCloud on the web
- Nothing links a task to the email or meeting it came from
Pick Reminders if you want zero setup.
3. Things: best designed
Things has won the Apple Design Award twice, and it shows. Today, Upcoming and Areas make a calm structure, and it feels at home on a Mac. Pricing is set per platform on the App Store; Cultured Code points you there to check your country's price.
Worth knowing
- No Windows or Android app
Pick Things if you live on Apple devices and want the nicest list.
4. Todoist: best across every platform
Todoist runs everywhere and says it has more than 50 million users and 90+ integrations. The free plan gives you 5 personal projects. Pro adds the calendar layout, task durations and more filters.
Worth knowing
- Calendar layout needs Pro
- Tasks still start with you typing them
Pick Todoist if you switch between a Mac and other devices.
5. TickTick: best all-in-one
TickTick puts tasks, a focus timer and habit tracking in one app. Premium adds multiple calendar views and task durations. Sync across devices works on the free plan too.
Worth knowing
- Calendar views need Premium
- Lots of features can feel busy
Pick TickTick if you want a timer and calendar with your list.
The best list is the one you don't have to remember to fill.
What about Microsoft To Do on Mac?
Lots of people search for Microsoft To Do for Mac, usually because work runs on Microsoft 365. Microsoft To Do has a Mac app on the Mac App Store, and it syncs with tasks in Outlook, so flagged emails and Outlook tasks show up in one list. The My Day view is a simple way to pick today's tasks each morning.
If your company lives in Outlook and Teams, it is a sensible pick and it is on every platform. What it does not do is turn what was said in a meeting into tasks for you. For that you still need something that listens to the call. Note that SayBriefly reads Gmail only, so it is not a fit for an Outlook inbox today.
What makes a good Mac to-do app
A to-do app on a Mac lives or dies by how fast you can get a task in without leaving what you are doing. Check these before you commit:
Quick capture
A global shortcut that opens a small entry box over any app, so you never switch windows to add a task.
Voice
Saying a task is faster than typing it. In SayBriefly, double-tap Shift and speak, in any app.
Calendar next to tasks
A list without your meetings overpromises. You want both in one view, or one click apart.
Context
A link from the task to the email or note it came from, so you do not have to hunt later.
A real Mac app
Native feel, keyboard shortcuts, notifications that behave. A web page in a wrapper feels slower.
Your other devices
If you need the list on your phone, check that first. It rules apps in or out fast.
A worked example: one Mac morning, two ways
Leo is a freelance developer. His Tuesday starts with a 9:00 call with a client, then an inbox of twelve new emails.
| Step | With a typed to-do app | With SayBriefly |
|---|---|---|
| 9:00 call | Takes notes by hand while talking | Talks. No bot joins, the Mac records the call |
| 9:35 | Reads his notes, types four tasks | Call note is ready, four action items on the list with a link to the call |
| 9:45 inbox | Stars two emails to "deal with later" | Two asks from Gmail are already tasks, linked to the thread |
| 10:00 | Opens the calendar app to find a slot | Gives the biggest task a time, it shows on the calendar |
| 10:05 | Opens a separate timer app | Starts the focus timer on that task |
An example of the flow with auto tasks switched on. Not a timed test.
The typed app is not bad. It is just waiting for Leo to do the copying. On a quiet day that is fine. On a day with five calls, something gets lost.
Reminders vs Things vs Todoist: the quick version
These three come up in almost every "best to-do list for Mac" thread, so here is the plain comparison.
Reminders vs Things. Both are Apple-only. Reminders is already installed and syncs through iCloud with no account to make. Things costs money on each platform but gives you a calmer structure with Today, Upcoming and Areas. If Reminders feels cluttered once you pass a few dozen tasks, Things is the natural next step.
Things vs Todoist. Things is the nicer Mac app. Todoist is the one that follows you to Windows, Android and the web, and its free plan covers 5 personal projects. If any part of your day happens off Apple devices, Todoist wins on that alone.
Todoist vs TickTick. Both run everywhere. TickTick puts a focus timer and habits in the same app. Todoist is simpler and has more integrations. Pick by whether you want the timer built in.
Any of them vs SayBriefly. The four above are better lists for typed tasks, and three of them have phone apps. SayBriefly is the pick only when your tasks mostly start on calls and in Gmail, because it puts them on the list with a link to the source. If that is not your day, use one of the others.
A daily Mac to-do list you can copy
TOP 3 [ ] Ship login fix to staging (from: 9:00 client call) [ ] Reply to Ana with the estimate (from: Gmail) [ ] Write test plan for checkout IF THERE IS TIME [ ] Update README [ ] Renew domain WAITING ON - API keys from client's IT
How to set up a to-do list on your Mac today
- Pick one app and delete the rest. Two lists means neither is trusted.
- Learn the quick capture shortcut. Whatever app you choose, this is the one habit that decides if you keep using it.
- Make one list per client or area, not per type of task.
- Pick three for today every morning. The rest can wait.
- Connect your calendar, so you can see how much time is really free.
- Do a weekly review on Friday: close, delete, reschedule.
Common mistakes with Mac to-do apps
- Using Stickies as the real list. The macOS Stickies app is great for a phone number. As a task list it has no dates and no reminders, and notes pile up on the desktop.
- Switching apps every month. Every move costs a week of trust. Pick based on where tasks come from, then stay.
- Building a perfect system first. Tags, areas and filters before you have fifty tasks is procrastination with extra steps.
- Keeping promises from calls in your head. These are the tasks that hurt most when forgotten. Write them down during or right after the call, or use an app that does it.
How to choose a to-do app for your Mac
| Your situation | Our pick |
|---|---|
| Personal list, Apple devices | Apple Reminders |
| Want the most beautiful Mac app | Things |
| Mac at work, Android phone | Todoist or TickTick |
| Tasks come from client calls and email | SayBriefly |
| Team on Mac and Windows | SayBriefly or Todoist |
Want a list on paper first? Try our to-do list template. Planning by the hour? Read calendar to-do list.
Questions people ask about Mac to-do apps
What is the best to-do list app for Mac?
It depends on where your tasks come from. Apple Reminders is built in and fine for personal lists. Things is the most polished Mac-only app. Todoist and TickTick work on every platform. SayBriefly is for people whose tasks come from client calls and email, because it can put them on the list for you.
Does the Mac have a built-in to-do list app?
Yes. Apple Reminders comes with every Mac and syncs with your iPhone through iCloud.
Is Things available on Windows?
No. Things lists Mac, iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch and Vision Pro. If you use Windows too, look at Todoist, TickTick or SayBriefly.
Is Todoist free on Mac?
Todoist has a free Beginner plan with 5 personal projects. Pro adds the calendar layout and more projects. Check todoist.com/pricing for current prices.
Does TickTick have a calendar and a Pomodoro timer?
TickTick's upgrade page lists multiple calendar views on Premium. It also has a focus timer. Premium is listed at US$49.99 a year.
Can a to-do app add tasks from my meetings?
SayBriefly can. It records calls from your Mac with no bot, and when you switch on auto tasks, your action items land on the list linked to the call.
Does SayBriefly have an iPhone app?
No. SayBriefly runs on Mac and Windows, with a Chrome and Brave extension for Gmail. If you need your list on your phone, Reminders, Things, Todoist or TickTick are better picks.
Is there a Microsoft To Do app for Mac?
Yes. Microsoft To Do is on the Mac App Store and syncs with Outlook tasks. It suits people whose work runs on Microsoft 365.
How do I put a to-do list on my Mac desktop?
The simplest way is Stickies, which is built into macOS, but it has no dates or reminders. A to-do app with a quick capture shortcut or a desktop widget works better for real tasks.
Which Mac to-do app works on Windows too?
Todoist, TickTick, Microsoft To Do and SayBriefly all run on both. Things and Apple Reminders do not have Windows apps.
Does dictation in SayBriefly need internet?
Yes. Dictation needs an internet connection, on Mac and on Windows.
What is the best to-do list app for Mac for work?
If your work is mostly client calls and email, SayBriefly fills the list for you. If your work runs in Microsoft 365, Microsoft To Do fits. If you need your list everywhere, Todoist.
Is there a to-do list app for Mac with a calendar?
Yes. Todoist has a calendar layout on Pro, TickTick has calendar views on Premium, Apple Reminders shows dated tasks through Apple Calendar, and SayBriefly shows tasks with a time on a calendar synced with Google Calendar.
Can I dictate tasks on a Mac?
In SayBriefly, double-tap Shift and speak. On a Mac it uses Apple's own speech engine and types the words where your cursor is.
