🐿️ Zapier Blog | 5 to-do list apps that actually work with ADHD
by Joe · 23 things on Twos
- The best to-do list apps for ADHD
- The sky is blue, water is wet, and folks with ADHD struggle to manage their life. While the common wisdom is to just use a to-do list or calendar, most task management apps aren't very neurodivergent-friendly. Either they're too simple, which makes them more difficult to adapt to our thought patterns, or they're so complex we get overwhelmed and distracted.
- To make matters worse, most "ADHD to-do list apps" articles are long and pretty generic in their reviews. So I took it upon myself to go through all those long app roundups and test their recommendations, so you don't have to.
- The result? Five apps and an explanation of how each one can help you manage your ADHD—from one neurodivergent brain to another.
- What makes the best to-do list app for ADHD?
- It's so easy to get shiny object syndrome, download a new to-do list app, then get so overwhelmed that you never pick it up again. With that in mind, I reviewed almost two dozen apps against four criteria in order to find the best ADHD task management apps. Here are the criteria:
- Is it simple to use? I need an app that directs my focus to what matters, helps me filter out the clutter, and keeps me on track.
- Is it adaptable to the way I work? We're called neurodivergent for a reason—my to-do list should provide enough flexibility that I can work in a way that feels natural.
- Does it help me manage time as well as tasks? It's not enough to have a list of tasks—I need an app that helps me schedule time to do those tasks (think: time-blocking).
- Does it celebrate accomplishment? Given the ADHD brain's relationship with dopamine, I need an app that helps me feel a sense of progress and accomplishment, or I won't stick with it.
- Twos
- Best ADHD to-do list app for daily task management and note taking
- Twos is more of an all-in-one app—on top of to-dos, it also does note taking, reminders, and events. Every type of item is called a "thing." Things are organized by date, and multiple types of things can be combined in a single date entry, so you don't have to keep related items separate.
- One thing I really love: if you create a to-do but don't check it off by the end of the day, it will automatically rollover to the next day. As someone who's prone to procrastination and struggles with executive dysfunction, the task rollover feature is really helpful—seeing the unfinished tasks from the day before at the top of my to-do list keeps them top of mind (and the guilt of seeing them day after day when I know I should prioritize them helps a bit, too).
- Twos uses natural language processing so you can add to-dos and reminders to your notes, calendar events, and lists without manually making any formatting changes or switching to different modes in the app. It also uses AI to analyze your lists and provide "Smart Suggestions" with relevant Google results, Amazon listings, and hotel websites, for example.
- Twos' reward system makes it really fun to use. It rewards you when you use certain features for the first time, maintain a streak, or share your things and templates with other users in the Twos community. And unlike most apps, Twos lets you use the coins you earn in place of real money to purchase upgrades, such as list templates, Twos AI, tags, and customization options. Upgrades can be purchased a la carte for $2 or 200 coins each, or purchased together as part of a Twos Plus membership.
- Purchasing a Twos Plus membership automatically unlocks all future app upgrades, adds a special badge to your profile, and gives you access to extra behind-the-scenes content from the Twos development team.
- Short version
- Twos is a to-do list app that lets you combine notes, tasks, reminders, and events into a single entry. It uses natural language processing to determine the types of "things" that you want to add to your notes, so you can record and organize everything without interrupting the flow of your thoughts.
- Twos price: Free to use; Twos Plus subscriptions are available for $2, $5, or $10 per month with discounts for yearly subscriptions. (All Twos Plus tiers unlock the same features; the only difference lies in how much you want to support the Twos team.)
- Available platforms: Web, desktop (Mac, Windows, Linux), mobile (iOS, Android)
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- 5 to-do list apps that actually work with ADHD | Zapier