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A Microsoft To Do alternative once the list needs GTD
If a flat list has stopped holding your work, Done Bear is the Microsoft To Do alternative to pick. It adds Inbox, Today, Upcoming, Anytime, and Someday on Windows, the web, Mac, Linux, and iPhone, opens offline on iPhone and the web, and needs no Microsoft account. Free up to 250 tasks. Stay on To Do if a list beside Outlook is enough.
Done Bear vs Microsoft To Do
GTD structure
- Done Bear
- Built-in 5-view GTD system
- Microsoft To Do
- Lists, My Day, and steps
Account
- Done Bear
- No Microsoft account needed
- Microsoft To Do
- Microsoft account required
Offline architecture
- Done Bear
- Local-first, instant loads
- Microsoft To Do
- Cloud list, Microsoft account
Collaboration
- Done Bear
- Real-time team workspaces
- Microsoft To Do
- List sharing (Microsoft accounts)
CLI / API / MCP
- Done Bear
- CLI, GraphQL API, MCP server
- Microsoft To Do
- Microsoft Graph API
Pricing
- Done Bear
- Free to start, from $7/mo billed yearly
- Microsoft To Do
- Free with a Microsoft account
| Done Bear | Microsoft To Do | |
|---|---|---|
| GTD structure | Built-in 5-view GTD system | Lists, My Day, and steps |
| Account | No Microsoft account needed | Microsoft account required |
| Offline architecture | Local-first, instant loads | Cloud list, Microsoft account |
| Collaboration | Real-time team workspaces | List sharing (Microsoft accounts) |
| CLI / API / MCP | CLI, GraphQL API, MCP server | Microsoft Graph API |
| Pricing | Free to start, from $7/mo billed yearly | Free with a Microsoft account |
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Why people switch from Microsoft To Do
A flat list stops being enough
A list has no opinion about what you do next. Done Bear's five views do: Inbox, Today, Upcoming, Anytime, Someday.
Your tasks should not need a Microsoft account
To Do is built around a Microsoft account. Done Bear needs none: it runs in any browser, with native apps for macOS, Windows, Linux, and iOS.
Shared workspaces and an MCP server
Done Bear has real-time shared workspaces and a hosted MCP server, so a teammate or an assistant can work the same list. To Do sharing stays inside Microsoft accounts.
Who should stay on Microsoft To Do
If a flat list tied to your Microsoft account suits you and you do not want GTD structure, stay on Microsoft To Do. It is free, and it lives next to Outlook.
Moving from Microsoft To Do
Save your lists as JSON from Microsoft Graph Explorer, then open Settings, Import, choose Microsoft To Do, upload the file, and review the preview. The file has no steps, so first print any list whose steps you need, with Print steps turned on. Due dates arrive as all-day deadlines.
Read the Microsoft To Do migration guide
Explore Microsoft To Do alternatives
Frequently asked questions
What’s the main difference between Done Bear and Microsoft To Do?
Microsoft To Do is a free list tied to your Microsoft account. Done Bear is a GTD task manager with Inbox, Today, Upcoming, Anytime, and Someday built in, local-first sync, and shared workspaces. To Do is fine while a flat list holds your work. Done Bear is the next step when it no longer does.
Can I import Microsoft To Do into Done Bear?
Yes. Open Settings, Import, choose Microsoft To Do, and upload the JSON file of your lists. The export guide shows how to save one from Microsoft Graph Explorer, and the preview shows every change before you confirm. Due dates import as all-day because To Do has no due time. The file has no steps, so if you need them, print each list with Print steps turned on first.
Does Done Bear work without a Microsoft account?
Yes. Done Bear has its own sign-in, so nothing depends on a work or school tenant. Microsoft To Do is built around a Microsoft account and sits next to Outlook and Microsoft 365.
How does Done Bear pricing compare to Microsoft To Do?
Microsoft To Do is free with the Microsoft account you already have. Done Bear is free up to 250 tasks, completed tasks included, with unlimited workspace members and no card, then $7 per member per month billed yearly. Since both start free, choose on structure: stay on To Do while a flat list holds the work you track.
Does Done Bear support teams and agents?
Yes. Done Bear has real-time shared workspaces and a hosted MCP server, so teammates and assistants can work the same list. Microsoft To Do shares lists between personal Microsoft accounts, or between accounts at the same work or school. If you need a team workspace, or an assistant connection that does not run through Microsoft, Done Bear is the closer fit.