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Todoist alternative with built-in GTD: one list for personal, work, and family
If you want GTD built in instead of assembled from filters and labels, Done Bear is the Todoist alternative to pick. It keeps personal, work, and family in one list on web, Windows, Mac, Linux, and iPhone, opens offline on iPhone and the web, and imports from Todoist. Free up to 250 tasks. Stay on Todoist for Android, integrations, and quick add.
Done Bear vs Todoist
GTD workflow
- Done Bear
- Built-in 5-view GTD system
- Todoist
- Filters you build; 3 on the free plan
Offline architecture
- Done Bear
- Local-first, instant loads
- Todoist
- Offline mode, syncs on reconnect
Platforms
- Done Bear
- Web, macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS
- Todoist
- Web, desktop, iOS, Android, watches
Collaboration
- Done Bear
- Real-time team workspaces
- Todoist
- Shared projects
CLI / API / MCP
- Done Bear
- CLI, GraphQL API, MCP server
- Todoist
- REST API, CLI, MCP server
Pricing
- Done Bear
- Free to start, from $7/mo billed yearly
- Todoist
- Free tier; Pro US$5/mo yearly
| Done Bear | Todoist | |
|---|---|---|
| GTD workflow | Built-in 5-view GTD system | Filters you build; 3 on the free plan |
| Offline architecture | Local-first, instant loads | Offline mode, syncs on reconnect |
| Platforms | Web, macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS | Web, desktop, iOS, Android, watches |
| Collaboration | Real-time team workspaces | Shared projects |
| CLI / API / MCP | CLI, GraphQL API, MCP server | REST API, CLI, MCP server |
| Pricing | Free to start, from $7/mo billed yearly | Free tier; Pro US$5/mo yearly |
Last updated
Sources, checked : Todoist's pricing.
Why people switch from Todoist
GTD should be the default
In Todoist, a GTD setup is a project you maintain: filters, labels, and conventions that drift. Done Bear ships the five views as the product.
Lists open instantly, offline included
Done Bear renders from a local store first, so opening a list is instant, and on iPhone or in a browser it opens on a plane too. Sync happens in the background.
Assistants work the same list
Connect ChatGPT or Claude through the hosted MCP server, approve access, and the assistant can read your list and add tasks. The Connect ChatGPT to Done Bear guide walks through it.
Who should stay on Todoist
If you rely on Todoist's natural-language quick add, its years of integrations, its Android app, or its karma-style habits, stay on Todoist. It remains an excellent general-purpose to-do app. Done Bear is for people who want GTD structure, local-first speed, and one list for personal, work, and family.
Moving from Todoist
Export your Todoist project as CSV, then open Settings, Import, Todoist in Done Bear. Upload the file and check the preview. Sub-tasks become checklist items where they fit, a due time becomes a reminder, and a JSON file also brings labels and comments. Sections and priorities stay behind, so add headings by hand if you want the grouping back.
Read the Todoist migration guide
How to export your Todoist data
Explore Todoist alternatives
Frequently asked questions
What is the best Todoist alternative?
Done Bear, if you want Inbox through Someday without building them as filters, plus one list for personal, work, and family on web, Windows, Mac, Linux, and iPhone. Stay on Todoist if you need Android, its integration catalog, or natural-language quick add more than a built-in GTD system.
What's the main difference between Done Bear and Todoist?
Todoist is a flexible cross-platform to-do app you shape with filters, labels, and custom views. Done Bear is opinionated: the GTD workflow is built in, and personal, work, and family stay in one list, backed by local-first sync so every view loads straight away.
Is there a Todoist alternative for Windows with the same list on Mac and iPhone?
Yes. Done Bear is a native Windows app on the same workspace as Mac, Linux, the web, and iPhone, so you can capture on the phone and pick the task up on the PC. Every app has the same five GTD views. There is no Android app yet; you can join the Android waitlist.
Can I keep personal, work, and family tasks in one Todoist alternative?
Yes. Done Bear keeps personal, work, and family in one list, and shared workspaces are on every plan, Free included, so a family project and a work project sit beside your own tasks. Stay on Todoist if you already run work as shared Todoist projects with assignees and a long integration list.
Does Done Bear work with ChatGPT or Claude?
Yes. Connect ChatGPT or Claude to the hosted MCP server at https://mcp.donebear.com/mcp and approve access on Done Bear's consent screen. The assistant can then read your list and add tasks to it. The Connect ChatGPT to Done Bear guide walks through it.
How does Done Bear pricing compare to Todoist?
Todoist Pro is cheaper: US$5 a month billed yearly (US$60 a year), or US$7 monthly, on Todoist's US pricing page. Done Bear is $7 a member a month billed yearly, or $8 monthly, and free up to 250 tasks with unlimited workspace members. Todoist's free plan allows 5 personal projects and 3 filter views, so a GTD setup built from filters can outgrow it.
Is Done Bear better than Todoist for offline use?
On iPhone and in a browser, yes. Todoist has an offline mode: you must be logged in before the connection drops, and changes sync to its server when you reconnect. Done Bear keeps your tasks on the device, so on iPhone, and in a browser where it has loaded before, every view opens with no connection. The Windows, Mac, and Linux apps need a connection to start, then keep working if it drops. Changes sync once you reconnect.
How do I move Todoist tasks to Done Bear?
Export a project CSV or a Todoist JSON file, then open Settings, Import, Todoist in Done Bear, upload it, and review the preview before confirming. Sections do not come across, so note the ones you want as headings first. A CSV or backup ZIP leaves out completed tasks; extract a ZIP before uploading. The Todoist export guide shows how.