Plainlist
Love fast capture.
Tired of paying for it every year.
Todoist's natural-language quick-add is genuinely great — and it's locked behind Pro, which now runs about $60/year. Your tasks also live in Todoist's own cloud database, so you're renting access to your own list. Plainlist includes natural-language capture with no subscription, and keeps everything in one plain-text file you own.
Free trial · no account · pay once · macOS 12+
Mac-only today, with Windows, iOS, and Android coming soon. Todoist still wins on Linux and the web until then.
Today: - draft SOW Fri - call the accountant @due(Jul 17) Upcoming: - renew the domain - quarterly review prep # Natural-language capture, included — not a Pro feature
Who this is for
The reason people leave Todoist is rarely the capture speed.
Todoist earned its reputation on fast, natural-language quick-add — type a task the way you'd say it, and it parses the date, project, and priority. That's still true. But since the December 2025 price change, that exact feature sits behind Todoist Pro, roughly $60 a year. And however you capture it, the task ends up in Todoist's own cloud database — the only way to open it later is Todoist itself.
Plainlist is for the Todoist user who wants that same speed of capture — typed lines, natural dates, inline tags — without paying a subscription for it, and without wondering whether a renewal lapse means losing access to their own list. The whole page follows that spine: what a subscription costs you over time, the honest migration path, and only then a feature-by-feature table — including where Todoist clearly wins.
What you stop paying for
Three things a one-time file gives you that a subscription can't.
Not “we're better” — specific things that change the moment capture stops being a paid tier.
Natural-language capture, included
No Pro tier gate. Type a task the way you'd say it — date, project, priority, estimate — and it's parsed on the spot, from day one.
Pay once, not every renewal
One Mac purchase instead of an annual charge that increases over time. No card on file, no cancellation flow to remember.
Your tasks live in a file, not a rented database
A single .todo file you can open in any editor, back up yourself, and keep reading even if you stop using the app.
Moving over
Migration is manual — and we won't pretend otherwise.
Todoist can export a backup (CSV or JSON per project) from Settings, but there's no one-click import into a plain-text outline. A small active project may take minutes; a mature Todoist setup with dozens of projects is a manual cleanup job. Start with what's active today, not your whole backlog.
Practical path
- Export or copy one active Todoist project.
- Paste into a new
.todofile. - Add
-bullets and any @tags you want.
Then plan
- Give today's tasks a
@start. - Switch to Focus for the next action.
- Let Done become your log.
# Reshaped from a Todoist CSV export Acme: - draft SOW @start(2026-07-18) @est(2h) - send onboarding email @est(15m) - schedule kickoff call @due(Jul 22) Personal: - renew passport @every(10 years)
Supporting detail
Plainlist vs Todoist, feature by feature.
Checked July 2026 (Todoist Pro is roughly $60/yr after the December 2025 price increase; a free tier exists with lower limits). Re-check current pricing on Doist's site before deciding.
@every) or weekly quota (@quota), with streak and history.Which one is you
Plainlist is the right call if…
The switch makes sense for a specific kind of Todoist user. If this is you, the trade is worth it.
Pick Plainlist if
- You want natural-language capture without paying a recurring fee for it.
- You already keep notes, code, or drafts as plain text and want tasks in the same kind of file.
- You'd rather own a file that outlives the app than rent access to a cloud database.
- You want day planning, a today-only Focus view, habits, and goals in one file.
- You work mainly on a Mac and don't need shared projects or integrations.
The honest trade-off
Todoist is more platforms, more integrations, and built for teams. Plainlist is more file — your day as a plain-text document you own, with a fast planner on top, on macOS for now. If you need mobile, collaboration, or integrations today, Todoist wins. The full “stay with Todoist” list is right below.
Honest cons
You should NOT switch if…
Todoist does several things better than Plainlist. If any of these matter to you, staying is the right call — and that's fine.
Stay with Todoist if…
Does Plainlist run on iPhone or Android like Todoist?
Not yet, but Windows, iOS, and Android are all coming soon. Todoist runs on nearly everything today — iOS, Android, Windows, Linux, and the web; Plainlist is Mac-only for now.
Can I share projects or assign tasks to teammates in Plainlist?
No. Todoist's shared projects, assignments, and comments are built for teams. Plainlist is single-user and single-file, with no collaboration features.
Does Plainlist integrate with Gmail, Slack, or Zapier like Todoist?
No. Todoist has a large integration ecosystem. Plainlist is a local file plus a planner — there are no third-party app integrations.
Is there a free version of Plainlist like Todoist's free tier?
There's a 14-day free trial, then a one-time purchase — no ongoing free tier. Todoist's free plan is more limited than Pro but costs nothing indefinitely.
Can I import my Todoist tasks automatically?
Not automatically. Todoist can export a CSV/JSON backup per project, but there's no one-click import into Plainlist's plain-text format — you reshape it by hand, same as any migration.