With many checklist apps available, narrowing down your options is no easy feat. What Apple Reminders, Google Keep, and Microsoft To-Do have in common is that they're all great options for those looking for a simple personal productivity app. But their difference will determine which one you want to stick with.
So, let's check out how each app differs in layout, features, and more, allowing you to decide which one you should use.
Apple Reminders vs. Google Keep vs. Microsoft To-Do: Layout and Structure
The layout and structure of an app will help you quickly determine if it's for you. For example, you might prefer apps that allow you to view all your tasks simultaneously over those that narrow the focus to one list and vice versa.
Here's a quick overview of how Apple Reminders, Google Keep, and Microsoft To-Do work to give you a better understanding of that.
Apple Reminders
Apple Reminders is available across Apple devices by default. On macOS, it looks much like it does on iPhone and iPad—a to-do list format with a minimal hub. The hub gathers items from all your to-do lists into four categories—Today, Scheduled, All, and Flagged—presenting them in tiles for you to click and review.
With Apple Reminders, you can focus on one list at a time or click All for a complete overview.
Google Keep
This web app, also available as a mobile app, is much like a digital bulletin board. Every note or to-do list you create becomes a rectangle on your board that you can pin, rearrange, and customize. Like Apple Reminders, Google Keep also rounds up your items according to custom labels and reminders. That way, you can quickly locate them later in the sidebar.
Since it uses labeling, Google Keep doesn't determine categories for your to-dos. That's up to you. You can either get a complete overview on your Notes page or use the labeling feature to break your to-dos into smaller, custom lists.
Microsoft To-Do
You can use Microsoft To-Do as a web app, desktop app, or on your mobile device. It's another minimal checklist app where every feature is intentional—or possibly hideable in your settings panel.
Two notable default lists are My Day and Tasks. Tasks is like a catchall or backlog of everything you need to do, and you can view it while you're planning in My Day.
Microsoft To-Do also helps you gather your task in its sidebar, organizing them under the headings Important, Planned, and Assigned to me. While this app may seem basic at first glance, there are many ways to optimize your task management in Microsoft To Do.
Apple Reminders vs. Google Keep vs. Microsoft To-Do: Notable Features
Each of these to-do list apps offers the right features and nothing extra. Sometimes you can run into feature fatigue with project management software, but you likely won't find that here. While their features are minimal, they go a long way in helping you stay organized. Here are some of the notable ones.
Apple Reminders
When you create a task in Apple Reminders, you can add a note, reminder, date, location, or flag. These details help prepare you for the task, plus Apple Reminders uses this information to curate your to-dos into sub-lists—Today, Scheduled, and Flagged.
If you keep many to-do lists at once and you want to separate them, you can also create new groups under the File menu at the top of your screen. From there, drag and drop to reorganize, and use the arrow to the left of your group name to hide or show your lists.
Additionally, color coding and icons will help you find your lists quickly and easily.
Google Keep
As mentioned previously, Google Keep is much like a bulletin board. You get all the fun of using sticky notes without the hassle of the glue wearing out or the paper waste. Here, you can customize your notes in various background colors, pin them near the top, add photos, and schedule reminders.
Using labels, you can quickly organize your notes into smaller boards by project, topic, type—whatever you'd like. Then, as you complete your to-dos, you can archive them. That way, you'll still have access to them later.
Microsoft To-Do
You can use Microsoft To-Do as a standalone product or pair it with your Outlook account to view flagged emails—plus many other Microsoft app integrations. When you add a task to Microsoft To-Do, you can include a due date or reminder or turn it into a repeating task. Open the task, and you can also add attachments, categories, and notes.
Clicking the star beside any task will mark it as important. Doing this gives you a visual reminder, plus Microsoft To Do gathers all these items into the Important list in your sidebar so you can keep tabs on them all at once.
Apple Reminders vs. Google Keep vs. Microsoft To-Do: Collaboration
Apple Reminders, Google Keep, and Microsoft To-Do all allow you to collaborate with others. But each one works differently. Here's a quick overview of what that looks like for each.
Apple Reminders
Sharing a list with someone in Apple Reminders is a cinch. If you created the list, you only need to hover over it and click the person icon to the right of its name. Next, choose how you want to share it. Once your collaborator receives the list and accepts, you can immediately start planning together. Only the list's creator can share it.
Google Keep
As you add or edit items in Google Keep, you can include a collaborator by clicking the people icon at the bottom of your note. From there, enter their email and hit Save. Your collaborator will receive a notification in their inbox and see the item in their Keep account—minus any color coding or labels so they can add that themselves.
Anyone can share a list with others in Google Keep, but owners still retain control by removing collaborators. Furthermore, collaborators can't remove owners.
Microsoft To-Do
Microsoft To-Do allows you to share lists with others. You can't and likely don't want to share your main Tasks list, so you'll need to create a new one to do so. Once you do, it's just a matter of clicking the people icon in the top-right corner and sending an invite by email or sharing the link how you see fit.
As you work together, you can assign tasks to each other, which appear in the Assigned to me tab.
Apple Reminders vs. Google Keep vs. Microsoft To-Do: Which Is Best for You?
CloseIf you're part of the Apple ecosystem and looking for a quick, no-frills place to store all your task lists, Apple Reminders is likely the app for you. You can basically do as much or as little with it as you want, even one-word reminders you simply use to prompt yourself before checking it off your list. However, it's unavailable on other devices, like Windows or Android, so you're likely stuck in Apple's walled garden.
Google Keep is likely the better choice for someone who enjoys pairing creativity and customization with organization. It's up to you to decide how you want to curate your to-do lists using Google Keep, which gives you more control over list collections, color coding, and labeling.
You don't need to be an avid Microsoft user to reap the benefits of using Microsoft To Do. If all you're after is a plain and simple to-do list, this could be the app your looking for. Its Assigned to me feature is also extra handy when working with others because it takes the guesswork out of who's tackling what.
Plan Your Tasks With Apple Reminders, Google Keep, or Microsoft To-Do
Ultimately, Apple Reminders, Google Keep, and Microsoft To-Do are all cost-free. If you're still unsure which one's best for you, why not try each one to see which you like best?
You can't go wrong with any of them, but testing the different layouts, features, and collaboration tools will help you narrow it down.
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