Short answer: Only if — you need reminders, labels, and more than 5 projects. Otherwise, free is genuinely sufficient.
Worth it for: GTD practitioners, power users Skip if: Casual task managers, Apple ecosystem users Better alternative: N/A Here's the honest truth: I see people paying for Todoist Premium who use maybe 10% of the features. The free tier handles basic task management perfectly. Premium is for power users — if that's not you, save your money.
The app won't make you productive if you aren't already.
When It IS Worth It
You rely on reminders. This is the killer feature. Free Todoist has zero reminders. If you need time or location-based alerts, you have to pay.
You practice GTD or complex productivity systems. Labels, filters, and more than 5 active projects — Premium unlocks these for system builders.
You collaborate with others. Comments, file attachments, and more collaborators per project. Team features require Premium.
You've genuinely hit the 5-project limit. If you're constantly at the cap and need more, that's a real reason to upgrade.
When It Is NOT Worth It
Let me save you $48/year:
You just need a to-do list. Checking off tasks doesn't require Premium. Free handles simple lists perfectly.
You're an Apple user. Apple Reminders is free, syncs everywhere, and has Siri integration. Why pay for Todoist?
You've never hit the 5-project limit. Most people don't. If you're under 5 projects after months of use, you won't magically need more.
You're upgrading for motivation. Buying Premium won't make you more productive. That comes from habits, not features.
Who Should NOT Buy This
- Simple task managers — Free tier handles basic lists
- Apple ecosystem users — Apple Reminders does the job for free
- Aspirational upgraders — Don't pay for features you won't use
- People under 5 projects — You haven't hit limits that justify paying
- Those who don't use reminders — The main Premium feature
Free vs. Premium: The Real Difference
| Feature | Free | Premium |
|---|---|---|
| Active projects | 5 | 300 |
| Collaborators per project | 5 | 25 |
| Labels | ❌ | ✅ |
| Reminders | ❌ | ✅ |
| Custom filters | 3 | 150 |
| Activity history | 1 week | Unlimited |
| Calendar integration | ❌ | ✅ |
The honest gap: Reminders and labels are the main upgrades. If you don't need those specific features, free works fine.
The Reminder Question
Reminders are why most people upgrade:
- Free Todoist: No reminders at all
- Premium: Time-based and location-based reminders
If you need to be notified about tasks, this is the deciding factor. If you check Todoist habitually anyway, reminders don't matter as much.
Cheaper or Better Alternatives
| Tool | Price | My Take |
|---|---|---|
| Todoist Free | $0 | Enough for most people |
| Apple Reminders | $0 | Great for Apple users, Siri works |
| TickTick | $28/yr | More features, lower price |
| Things 3 | $50 one-time | Beautiful, Apple-only, no subscription |
| Microsoft To Do | $0 | Good if you're in Microsoft ecosystem |
My ranking for most people:
- Apple Reminders (free, built-in)
- Todoist Free (cross-platform)
- Things 3 (if you want one-time purchase)
- Todoist Premium (if you need its specific features)
The Productivity Tool Trap
I need to be honest: most people who buy productivity app upgrades — whether it's Todoist, Notion, or anything else — don't become more productive.
The apps don't fail them. Their habits do. A premium task manager won't fix:
- Not reviewing your tasks
- Adding too many items
- Not breaking down projects
- Procrastination
If your free tier Todoist is full of ignored tasks, Premium won't help. Fix the system, not the tool.
I have watched people move from Apple Reminders to Todoist Free to Todoist Premium to Notion to Things 3 in a single year. Each migration felt like progress. None of them was. The common denominator was not the tool — it was the person avoiding the work sitting inside the tool. If that sounds familiar, save yourself $48 and open the app you already have.
What Annoys Me About Todoist Premium
- Reminders locked to paid tier. Basic functionality held hostage.
- 5 project limit feels artificial. Many competitors offer more for free.
- Price increased over the years. Was cheaper, now $48/year.
- Marketing pushes premium constantly. In-app nudges are annoying.
- Most users don't need it. Todoist knows this but sells upgrades anyway.
FAQ
Is Todoist Premium worth it over the free version?
Free Todoist limits you to 5 active projects and 5 collaborators. If you manage more than 5 areas of your life (work, personal, side projects, etc.), Premium removes that ceiling. But honestly, if you can't organize your life in 5 projects, adding more projects isn't going to fix your actual problem.
Is Todoist better than Apple Reminders?
For simple task lists, Apple Reminders is free and built-in — no reason to switch. Todoist wins when you need natural language input, cross-platform sync (especially Android/Windows), recurring task patterns, and project organization. The more complex your task management needs, the more Todoist justifies itself.
What's the best Todoist alternative?
TickTick offers similar features with a built-in calendar and habit tracker. Things 3 is a one-time purchase ($50) if you're Apple-only. Microsoft To Do is free and integrates with Outlook. None are dramatically better — the best one is whichever you'll actually use consistently.
Final Verdict
Todoist Premium solves a real problem if you genuinely manage complex projects across platforms. But most people buying task managers are procrastinating on their actual tasks. If you've tried free Todoist and hit its limits through actual use — not theoretical planning — then Premium is worth $5/month. If you're still on your first week of "getting organized," save your money.