An offline task manager that keeps working in airplane mode
Yes. Done Bear keeps a full copy of your tasks on your device, so you can add, edit, complete and search them with no connection. Changes sync when you reconnect.
What works with no connection
iPhone app
- Opens with no connection
- Yes, once you have signed in
- Add, edit, complete and search
- Yes
Web app
- Opens with no connection
- Yes, in a browser where you have used it online before
- Add, edit, complete and search
- Yes
Desktop app for Mac, Windows and Linux
- Opens with no connection
- No. It loads donebear.com at start, so use a browser instead
- Add, edit, complete and search
- Yes, if it was already open
Needs a connection: First sign-in, uploading or opening attachments, inviting people, the in-app assistant, and the MCP server, CLI and API.
How it works
Done Bear is local-first: your tasks live in a database on your device, and every change is written there first, then queued. When you reconnect, the queue sends your changes in order and the server puts every device’s changes in one order.
If the server refuses a change, such as one past the free plan’s task limit, the app undoes it and tells you why.
How Done Bear’s sync handles offline changes, retries and conflicts
What “offline” means in other task apps
From each vendor’s own documentation.
Todoist
Works offline once you have signed in. Closing the app, logging out or clearing local data before a sync deletes unsynced changes.
Source: Use Todoist while offline (checked )
Things 3
Full database on each device, synced through Things Cloud. Apple devices only; no web app.
Source: Things Cloud, Things support: using Things (checked )
Microsoft To Do
Tasks live on Exchange Online. Logging out loses unsynced data, and Microsoft doesn’t list what works offline.
Source: Syncing your Microsoft To Do account, Important updates for Microsoft To Do apps (checked )
Try it in airplane mode
Open Done Bear on iPhone or in a browser while online. Turn on airplane mode, reopen it, add a task and complete another. Reconnect and open a second device: both changes are there.
Frequently asked questions
Does Done Bear work offline?
Yes. On iPhone, and in a browser you have used online before, it opens with no connection; the desktop app needs one to start.
Do I need to be online the first time?
Yes, once: signing in and the first download of your tasks to a new device need a connection.
What happens if I edit the same task on two devices?
Changes to different fields both stay. For the same field, the change the server receives last wins on every device.
How much does Done Bear cost?
Free for up to 250 tasks with no card. Paid plans start at $7/month per member billed yearly.