Trello vs. Todoist
Trello and Todoist are popular task management tools, but they suit different workflows. Trello organizes work visually with boards, lists, and cards, making it useful for projects and team collaboration. Todoist focuses on task lists, due dates, and recurring tasks, supporting personal planning and everyday work.
Users often compare them because both help organize tasks and track progress, while offering different approaches to managing work. This comparison looks at their features, pricing, ease of use, and collaboration options to help you choose the tool that fits your needs.
Trello VS Todoist: Which tool is the most popular?
| Tool | Reviews | Average rating | Positive / neutral / negative | Popularity summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trello | 42 | 3.43/5 | 25 / 2 / 15 | Most reviewed, indicating greater popularity by review volume |
| Todoist | 13 | 3.46/5 | 7 / 2 / 4 | Least reviewed, but has the slightly higher average rating |
Trello is the most popular by review count, with over three times as many reviews as Todoist. Todoist is less reviewed but leads by a small margin in average rating.
Trello and Todoist: Quick Comparison Overview
| Category | Ahrefs | Semrush |
|---|---|---|
| Primary features | SEO research tools for backlink analysis, keyword research, site audits, rank tracking, and content research. | Broader digital-marketing suite covering SEO, competitor research, site audits, rank tracking, content marketing, local SEO, PPC, and social media. |
| Target audience | SEO specialists, content teams, and agencies focused on organic search and link building. | In-house marketing teams, agencies, and businesses managing several digital-marketing channels. |
| Main advantages | Strong backlink and competitor research, with a focused toolkit for finding SEO and content opportunities. | Wider range of marketing tools in one platform, especially useful for combining SEO with paid, local, and social campaigns. |
| Core value proposition | Make organic-search research and link-building workflows more effective. | Manage and measure a broader digital-marketing program from one platform. |
| Ideal use cases | Analyzing competitors’ backlinks, researching keywords and content gaps, auditing a site, and tracking organic rankings. | Coordinating SEO with PPC, local visibility, content, and social efforts; conducting cross-channel competitor research. |
Sources: Ahrefs features · Semrush features
Feature availability varies by plan and may change.
Most liked vs most disliked features of Trello and Todoist
| Product | Overall sentiment | Most-liked aspects | Common concerns |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trello | Generally positive, especially among individuals and small teams seeking visual, flexible project management. | Boards and cards make tasks easy to organize; customizable labels, due dates, and cards suit different workflows. Users also value collaboration tools, a capable free plan, and ongoing product improvements. | The Atlassian login can be cumbersome, and some automation features require a paid plan. Reviewers say Trello may lack advanced tools for larger teams, while some raise privacy concerns or prefer competitors with offline access or better pricing. |
| Todoist | Generally positive for straightforward, efficient task management, though recurring bugs and free-plan limits affect some users. | Quick task entry, an intuitive interface, and customizable tasks, subtasks, and projects are popular. Users also appreciate syncing across devices, integrations, and responsive support when issues are resolved. | Some reviewers report reminder bugs and other interruptions, and say support does not always resolve ongoing problems. Important features are paid, and some users note performance drawbacks compared with alternatives. |
Key Features of Trello vs Todoist
Trello and Todoist: key task-management features
Trello and Todoist both help people organize work, but they use different approaches: Trello centers on visual boards, while Todoist centers on lists and quick task entry.
| Tool | Feature | How it benefits users |
|---|---|---|
| Trello | Boards, lists, and cards | Organize work into boards, move cards through stages, and keep task details—such as checklists, due dates, and attachments—together. The visual layout makes progress and bottlenecks easy to see. |
| Multiple board views | Views such as calendar or timeline can help users plan schedules and deadlines in addition to tracking work by stage. Available views may depend on the plan. | |
| Automation with Butler | Automate routine board actions, such as moving cards or assigning members, reducing repetitive updates. | |
| Power-Ups and integrations | Add capabilities or connect Trello with other services, so teams can bring relevant tools and information into their workflow. | |
| Templates | Start from a ready-made board structure instead of building a process from scratch. | |
| Todoist | Quick task entry and natural-language dates | Add tasks quickly and enter due dates in everyday language, making it easier to capture work without navigating lots of menus. |
| Projects, sections, and subtasks | Break larger goals into organized projects and manageable steps, helping users see both the overall plan and the next action. | |
| Priorities, labels, and filters | Sort and focus on tasks by importance or context, and create tailored views of what needs attention. | |
| Recurring tasks and reminders | Schedule repeat work and get prompted about deadlines, helping users maintain routines and avoid missed tasks. Some reminder options may be plan-dependent. | |
| Sharing and collaboration | Share projects and coordinate tasks with others, keeping assignments and discussions connected to the work. | |
| Productivity tracking | Todoist’s Karma feature provides a view of task-completion activity, which can help users monitor consistency and stay motivated. |
What’s distinctive about each?
- Trello’s strength is visual workflow management. Its board-and-card format is especially useful when work moves through clear stages—for example, To do → In progress → Done. Butler automation and Power-Ups let users customize that workflow.
- Todoist’s strength is fast, flexible personal task organization. Natural-language entry, recurring tasks, and customizable filters make it convenient for capturing everyday tasks and deciding what to do next.
In short: Choose Trello if you want a visual process board for a project or team. Choose Todoist if you want a streamlined task list with strong scheduling and prioritization tools.
Sources: Trello Features · Todoist Features
Trello vs Todoist Pricing Comparison
| Brand and tier | Monthly price | Annual price | Main inclusions and limits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trello Free | $0 | $0 | Up to 10 boards per workspace; unlimited cards and Power-Ups; up to 250 automation runs per month; 10 MB maximum per file attachment. |
| Trello Standard | $6 per user/month | $5 per user/month, billed annually | Unlimited boards; advanced checklists and custom fields; up to 1,000 automation runs per month; file attachments up to 250 MB. |
| Trello Premium | $12.50 per user/month | $10 per user/month, billed annually | Adds views such as Calendar, Timeline, Table, Dashboard, and Map; workspace-level views and administration features; up to 5,000 automation runs per month. |
| Trello Enterprise | No monthly option listed | Starts at $17.50 per user/month, billed annually | Organization-wide controls, permissions, and administration features, including SSO and SCIM. The starting price is based on a 50-user team; pricing can vary with team size. |
| Todoist Beginner | $0 | $0 | Up to 5 personal projects, 5 collaborators per project, 3 filter views, and 1 week of activity history. |
| Todoist Pro | $5/month | $4/month, billed annually | Up to 300 personal projects, 25 collaborators per project, 150 filter views, reminders, and unlimited activity history. |
| Todoist Business | $8 per user/month | $6 per user/month, billed annually | Includes Pro features plus a team workspace, up to 500 team projects, up to 50 people per project, team roles and permissions, and team templates. |
| Pricing and discount detail | Trello | Todoist |
|---|---|---|
| Annual-billing savings | Standard is about 17% less than paying monthly; Premium is 20% less. | Pro is 20% less than paying monthly; Business is 25% less. |
| Free trial | A 14-day Premium trial is offered. | A 7-day Pro trial is offered. |
| How billing works | Paid plans are priced per user. Enterprise is listed with annual billing. | Pro is an individual subscription; Business is priced per team member. |
| Other special rates | The listed pricing is the standard plan pricing; Enterprise pricing depends on team size. | The listed pricing is the standard plan pricing; annual billing is the main advertised discount. |
Prices are in US dollars. Trello’s prices are per user, while Todoist’s Pro price is for an individual account. See the Trello pricing page and Todoist pricing page for current terms and trial availability.
Support Options Comparison: Trello vs Todoist
| Support option | Trello | Todoist |
|---|---|---|
| Live chat | No live-chat option is advertised on the contact page. | No live-chat option is advertised on the Help Center. |
| Phone support | No phone-support option is listed on the contact page. | No phone-support option is listed on the Help Center. |
| Contacting support | The contact page directs users to Trello’s support resources and online support route. | The Help Center provides a route to contact Todoist support for help beyond its articles. |
| Documentation | Trello’s support resources include a Help Center for product instructions and troubleshooting. | Todoist’s Help Center is organized around help articles covering product use and common issues. |
| Tutorials, webinars and other resources | Self-serve guidance is available through Trello’s help materials. The contact page does not highlight webinars. | The Help Center provides written guidance. It does not highlight webinars or live training as support options. |
Bottom line: Both services emphasize online support and self-serve documentation. Neither linked page advertises phone support or live chat; Todoist’s page is centered on help articles and contacting support, while Trello’s contact page points users toward its support resources.
Unique Features of Trello Vs Todoist
| Brand | Less-common feature | Added value | Why it might be a deciding factor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trello | Visual boards with multiple project views — Trello’s cards-and-lists format can be viewed in formats such as Calendar, Timeline, Table, and Dashboard, depending on plan. (Trello features) | Teams can start with a simple visual workflow, then see the same work as a schedule or project overview without rebuilding it in another tool. | A strong fit for teams that think visually or need different ways to track the same project. |
| Trello | Built-in, no-code automation — Butler can automate board actions, such as moving cards, assigning members, or applying due-date rules. (Trello features) | Reduces repetitive admin and helps teams apply consistent processes. | Useful when a team wants workflow automation without setting up a separate automation service or writing code. |
| Trello | Power-Ups — Board-level add-ons connect Trello to other apps and add capabilities. (Trello features) | Teams can extend a board with integrations or specialized functions while keeping the board as their central workspace. | Helpful for organizations that want to adapt a shared tool to different teams’ needs rather than adopt a separate tool for every workflow. |
| Todoist | Natural-language task entry — Users can type a task with details such as a date, recurrence, priority, or project, and Todoist can interpret those details. (Todoist features) | Makes capturing and organizing tasks faster, particularly when adding many tasks on the go. | A deciding factor for people who prefer quick entry over filling in multiple fields or menus. |
| Todoist | Custom filters — Users can create task views using search-style queries for criteria such as project, label, priority, or due date. (Todoist features) | Turns a large task list into focused views, such as “high-priority tasks due this week.” | Valuable for people managing many projects who want a personalized daily or weekly task view. |
| Todoist | Karma productivity tracking — Todoist awards Karma for completing tasks and meeting productivity goals, and displays progress over time. (Todoist features) | Adds feedback and a sense of progress to routine task management. | May appeal to users motivated by visible milestones and streak-like progress, rather than a purely utilitarian task list. |
These features are distinctive rather than exclusive: other tools may offer similar capabilities, but Trello’s visual workflow and extensions, and Todoist’s fast entry and personalized task views, can set them apart.
Most frequently asked questions about Trello vs Todoist
Which is better for managing everyday personal tasks, Todoist or Trello?
Todoist is usually the stronger fit for personal to-do lists: reviewers often praise its quick task entry, due dates, recurring tasks, and filters for keeping daily priorities organized. Trello can manage personal projects too, but reviewers tend to find its boards more useful when tasks need a visual workflow or several stages.
Is Todoist or Trello better for team collaboration?
Trello is often favored for collaborative work because teams can see tasks move across shared boards and discuss work on individual cards. Reviewers appreciate that visual transparency, while some note that larger or more complex boards can become cluttered. Todoist supports shared projects and task assignments, but feedback generally describes it as more focused on lists and individual task follow-through.
Which tool is easier to learn and use?
Reviewers commonly describe Todoist as straightforward for capturing tasks and checking them off, though its filters and project features can take time to master. Trello’s card-and-board model is easy to grasp visually, but users may need to decide how to structure boards, lists, and cards as projects grow. The easier option depends on whether you naturally think in lists or visual workflows.
Which is better for organizing complex projects?
Trello is often preferred when a project has clear stages, dependencies that can be represented visually, or work that benefits from cards, attachments, and comments. Todoist can organize complex work with projects, sections, labels, and filters, but reviewer feedback suggests it is less visual. For detailed project management, some users find either tool needs integrations or a more specialized platform.
How do Todoist and Trello handle recurring tasks and deadlines?
Todoist is generally praised for recurring tasks and natural-language date entry, which reviewers say makes routine reminders quick to set up. Trello supports due dates and reminders on cards, but recurring-task workflows may require automation, an add-on, or a workaround. If recurring personal or operational tasks are central, Todoist is often the more convenient choice.
Which tool has better task views and progress tracking?
Trello’s boards make status and workflow progress easy to scan, and reviewers often value being able to move cards between stages. Todoist’s list-based views, filters, and productivity summaries suit users who want to focus on priorities and completion. Trello tends to communicate project status more visually; Todoist tends to make personal task lists easier to review.
Which offers better integrations and customization?
Both tools connect with other apps, but they approach customization differently. Trello reviewers often point to Power-Ups and automation as ways to extend boards, while noting that some capabilities depend on plan limits or add-ons. Todoist offers integrations and flexible filters, which users value for connecting tasks to their existing workflow. The better choice depends on the specific apps and automation you need.
Which is better for mobile use and managing tasks on the go?
Reviewers commonly appreciate Todoist’s quick task capture and consistent experience across devices, making it a natural fit for adding reminders on the go. Trello’s mobile app is useful for checking and updating cards, especially for board-based teams, though complex boards can be less convenient on a small screen. Both work on mobile; Todoist is often favored for fast personal capture, Trello for updating shared project boards.
How do the free plans compare?
The free-plan trade-off is less about one being universally better and more about the workflow you need. Todoist’s free option can suit basic personal task management, while reviewers may find advanced organization or collaboration features depend on a paid plan. Trello’s free option is useful for basic boards, but board limits, automation, or advanced views may matter as a team’s needs grow. Check current plan details before choosing, since features and limits can change.
Should I choose Todoist or Trello for my needs?
Choose Todoist if your priority is fast task capture, recurring reminders, personal organization, and list-based work. Choose Trello if you want a visual board, shared project status, and card-based collaboration. A recurring theme in user feedback is that the tools serve different work styles rather than being direct substitutes: Todoist helps people manage what they need to do, while Trello helps teams visualize how work moves through a process.
