Todoing.ly vs Microsoft To Do — honest comparison
Looking for a Microsoft To Do alternative? Here's an honest Todoing.ly vs Microsoft To Do comparison — what each one does well, and where the other one wins. We'll be blunt: Microsoft To Do is free, polished, and tightly integrated with Outlook, Microsoft 365, and your work account. Todoing.ly is a paid app, so the bar is high — its case is that it's a cleaner, account-neutral task manager that doesn't tie you to a Microsoft account, with shared projects and a lifetime option, across web, iPhone, and Android, with a 7-day free trial.
| At a glance | Todoing.ly | Microsoft To Do |
|---|---|---|
| Entry price | $9.99/mo (7-day free trial) | Free |
| Most popular plan | $95.99/yr | Free |
| Lifetime license | $399 one-time (covers every platform + 9 other Bravely apps) | Free (Microsoft account required) |
| Platforms | Web · iOS · Android · macOS · Windows (beta) · Linux (beta) | Web · Windows · macOS · iOS · Android |
Pick Microsoft To Do if
- ·It's completely free, with no subscription and no trial to think about — a genuinely strong default for anyone who already has a Microsoft account.
- ·Deep Microsoft 365 / Outlook integration: flagged emails become tasks, it syncs with Outlook tasks, and it fits naturally into a Windows + Office workflow.
- ·Native Windows and macOS apps plus iOS and Android, with a clean My Day planner and Steps (sub-tasks) — a mature, well-supported app from Microsoft.
- ·Shared lists are included for free, and it's backed by Microsoft's infrastructure and longevity.
- ·List grouping, file attachments, and reminders are all available at no cost.
Pick Todoing.ly if
- +Account-neutral: sign in with Google, Apple, or email — no Microsoft account required, and nothing tied to your work tenant. Your tasks aren't living inside Microsoft 365.
- +Real-time shared projects with email invites and roles, plus a clean Inbox / Today / Calendar model that isn't built around Outlook or My Day. (Invite/collaboration UX is still being refined.)
- +A flat lifetime option ($399) that covers every platform and unlocks 9 other Bravely utilities — Microsoft To Do has no lifetime to buy because it's free, but it also can't be owned independently of a Microsoft account.
- +Natural-language date entry ("tomorrow 4pm"), recurring tasks, reminders, and notes — all uncapped — across web, iPhone, and Android.
- +A focused, independent task app from a small studio: no ads, no upsell into a 365 subscription, and your data isn't part of a broader productivity-suite lock-in.
Full feature comparison
Verified 2026-06-01. Source linked at the bottom.
| Feature | Todoing.ly | Microsoft To Do |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $9.99/mo, $95.99/yr, or $399 lifetime (7-day trial) | Free |
| Microsoft account required | No (Google / Apple / email) | Yes |
| Web app | Yes | Yes |
| Windows app | Early beta — view + add tasks (or full web app) | Yes — native |
| macOS app | Yes — native (early build) | Yes — native |
| iOS app | Yes | Yes |
| Android app | Yes | Yes |
| Outlook / Microsoft 365 integration | No | Yes — deep |
| Real-time cross-device sync | Yes — push on native apps; web within seconds | Yes |
| Unlimited tasks / lists | Yes | Yes |
| Natural-language date entry | Yes | Limited |
| Recurring tasks | Yes | Yes |
| Reminders / notifications | Yes | Yes |
| Sub-tasks / steps | Notes | Yes (Steps) |
| Collaboration / shared lists | Shared projects | Yes — shared lists (free) |
| Ads / upsell | None | Promotes Microsoft 365 |
Bottom line
If you live in Windows and Office, Microsoft To Do is hard to argue with — it's free, well-made, and turns your flagged Outlook emails into tasks automatically. For most people in that world, that's the right answer and we'll say so. Todoing.ly is the alternative for someone who specifically doesn't want their task list tied to a Microsoft account or work tenant, who wants real-time shared projects in a clean, independent app, and who'd consider a one-time lifetime purchase that also unlocks nine other tools. We're not cheaper than free — we're account-neutral and independent, with a 7-day free trial so you can see if that's worth it to you.
FAQ
Microsoft To Do is free — why pay for Todoing.ly?+
You're paying for independence and a different shape: no Microsoft account, no work-tenant tie-in, real-time shared projects, natural-language dates, and an optional one-time lifetime that also unlocks nine other Bravely apps. If free-and-Outlook-integrated is what you want, Microsoft To Do is the better choice and we'd tell you to use it.
Does Todoing.ly integrate with Outlook or Microsoft 365?+
No. Todoing.ly is deliberately account-neutral and doesn't integrate with Outlook or Microsoft 365. If that integration is the point for you, Microsoft To Do wins.
Does Todoing.ly need a Microsoft account?+
No. Sign in with Google, Apple, or email. Nothing is tied to a Microsoft account or work tenant.
Does Todoing.ly have a desktop app?+
On Mac, yes — a native macOS app (early build). Windows and Linux have early-beta clients that today only view and add tasks; for everything else on those, use the full web app, which runs in any browser. Microsoft To Do ships mature native Windows and macOS apps.
Can I buy Todoing.ly once?+
Yes — a one-time $399 lifetime covers every platform and unlocks 9 other Bravely utilities, alongside $9.99/mo and $95.99/yr plans. Every plan starts with a 7-day free trial.
More Todoing.ly comparisons
Pricing verified 2026-06-01. Microsoft To Do pricing source. Subject to change.