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The Apple Reminders alternative for when lists aren't enough
If your Reminders lists have turned into a workload, Done Bear is the Apple Reminders alternative to pick. It ships Inbox, Today, Upcoming, Anytime, and Someday, runs on Windows, the web, Mac, Linux, and iPhone, and opens offline on iPhone and the web. It is free up to 250 tasks. Stay on Reminders for groceries and Siri.
Done Bear vs Apple Reminders
GTD structure
- Done Bear
- Built-in 5-view GTD system
- Apple Reminders
- Lists and smart lists, no Someday
Platforms
- Done Bear
- Web, macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS
- Apple Reminders
- Apple devices, plus iCloud.com
Offline speed
- Done Bear
- Local-first with real-time sync
- Apple Reminders
- Native and instant
Collaboration
- Done Bear
- Cross-platform team workspaces
- Apple Reminders
- List sharing, Apple Account needed
CLI / API / MCP
- Done Bear
- CLI, GraphQL API, MCP server
- Apple Reminders
- Siri and Shortcuts
Pricing
- Done Bear
- Free to start, from $7/mo billed yearly
- Apple Reminders
- Free with Apple devices
| Done Bear | Apple Reminders | |
|---|---|---|
| GTD structure | Built-in 5-view GTD system | Lists and smart lists, no Someday |
| Platforms | Web, macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS | Apple devices, plus iCloud.com |
| Offline speed | Local-first with real-time sync | Native and instant |
| Collaboration | Cross-platform team workspaces | List sharing, Apple Account needed |
| CLI / API / MCP | CLI, GraphQL API, MCP server | Siri and Shortcuts |
| Pricing | Free to start, from $7/mo billed yearly | Free with Apple devices |
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Why people switch from Apple Reminders
A long list needs a system
Reminders gives you lists. Done Bear separates capture, commitment, and later into Inbox, Today, and Someday, so a long list still tells you what to do next.
Leave Apple-only without losing speed
Done Bear runs in any browser, with native Windows and Linux apps, so your list is on the work PC as well as the iPhone.
Automation beyond Shortcuts
Reminders automation tops out at Siri and Shortcuts. Done Bear has a CLI, a GraphQL API, and a hosted MCP server, so scripts and assistants like Claude can triage for you.
Who should stay on Apple Reminders
If your list is groceries, a few dated reminders, and whatever you say to Siri, stay on Apple Reminders. It is free, already on your devices, and asks for no new account. Come back when those lists become a workload.
Moving from Apple Reminders
On iPhone, open Settings, Import, Reminders in the Done Bear app to copy your incomplete reminders. Current Reminders has no bulk export on a Mac, so the export guide covers Shortcuts, older .ics files, and copy and paste. Treat the move as a review: half of an old list is usually done or dead.
Explore Apple Reminders alternatives
Frequently asked questions
What does Done Bear do that Apple Reminders doesn't?
It gives your tasks a GTD system. Reminders has lists and smart lists such as Today and Scheduled, but no Anytime or Someday. Done Bear ships Inbox, Today, Upcoming, Anytime, and Someday as the app's navigation, so a bigger workload stays organised without a system you invent and maintain.
Does Done Bear work on Windows, or is it Apple-only like Reminders?
Yes. Done Bear has native Windows and Linux apps and a full web app, all on the same list as your Mac and iPhone. Apple ships no Windows or Android app for Reminders, so on a PC you get the browser version at iCloud.com. With Done Bear, the work PC you sit at all day holds the same list as your phone.
Apple Reminders is free, so what does Done Bear cost?
Done Bear is free up to 250 active tasks, with unlimited workspace members and no card. That covers a full personal GTD system. Paid plans start at $7 per member per month, billed yearly, once you outgrow it. Reminders costs nothing because it ships with hardware you already own, so the free plan has to earn the switch.
Is Done Bear as fast and offline-capable as Reminders?
Yes on iPhone and in a browser. Like Reminders, Done Bear keeps your tasks on the device, so Today opens with no spinner, and on iPhone, or in a browser where it has loaded before, with no connection. The Windows, Mac, and Linux apps need a connection to start, then keep working if it drops. The difference is where that local copy syncs next. Reminders syncs through iCloud to Apple devices and iCloud.com. Done Bear syncs to Windows, Linux, the browser, iPhone, and any workspace you share with other people.
Can I share tasks with people who don't use Apple devices?
Yes. Done Bear shares a whole workspace, and the people you invite can use the web app or the Windows, Linux, macOS, or iPhone apps. Reminders shares one list at a time, and everyone on it must sign in with an Apple Account and turn on Reminders in iCloud. The free plan does not cap members, so a colleague on a work PC sees changes as they happen.
Can I import Apple Reminders into Done Bear?
Yes, most easily on iPhone. In the Done Bear iPhone app, Settings, Import, Reminders copies your incomplete reminders across. Current Reminders has no bulk export on a Mac, but an .ics file from macOS Mojave or earlier imports from Settings, Import on the web. Check the preview before you confirm anything.