Who does Any.do's free plan actually serve now? Increasingly, nobody who has to plan more than one day ahead. The app that once felt refreshingly light — swipe a task away when it's done, shake your phone to clear finished items, that soft chime as you check things off your morning list — has quietly walled off the features that made it worth committing to.
Recurring tasks now sit behind the Premium tier. So does the calendar sync that was arguably the whole point of choosing Any.do over a plain list app. What's left on free is a to-do pad that nags you toward an upgrade every time you try to set a chore to repeat weekly.
That stings most for the person Any.do courted hardest: someone coordinating a shared grocery list with a partner, a school pickup rotation, a recurring "pay rent" reminder — the exact workflows that now require a subscription.
The irony is that the market is crammed with apps that hand you recurring tasks, real calendar views, and shared lists without the paywall theatrics. Below are twelve of them, ranked for how well they replace what Any.do used to do for free.
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People who want a polished, cross-platform list app with generous recurring support on free
The cleanest direct swap — natural-language input like "every Monday at 9am" creates recurring tasks instantly, and the free tier actually allows them, unlike Any.do.
The single reason most people leave Any.do is the recurring-task paywall. Microsoft To Do, Apple Reminders, Google Tasks, and TickTick all let you set "repeat weekly" for free — no upgrade prompt. Google Keep handles simple repeating checklists, and Tweek gives you recurring items plus shared family lists without a subscription. If you just want your "take out the bins every Tuesday" reminder back, start here.
Pay-once apps that skip the subscription entirely
Tired of monthly fees for basic features? Things 3 and 2Do are one-time purchases you own forever — no Premium tier creeping over your recurring tasks. Things 3 is the polished Apple pick; 2Do is the deeper, cross-platform GTD workhorse. Both handle recurring tasks and calendar alarms flawlessly with no ongoing cost.
Best calendar + task blends
Any.do's calendar sync was its standout — and now it's behind Premium. TickTick bundles a real calendar view for free, Google Tasks lives inside Google Calendar, and Sunsama turns your calendar and tasks into a single daily plan. For families juggling schedules, these keep tasks and time in one place.
Which Alternative Is Right for You?
Switching from Any.do comes down to why you're leaving. If it's purely the recurring-task paywall and you want free, grab Microsoft To Do or, on Apple devices, Apple Reminders — both do shared lists and repeats at no cost. If you want the closest overall experience with a free calendar thrown in, TickTick is the natural landing spot. Todoist is the pick if you value polish and cross-platform reliability and don't mind a Pro tier for advanced features. Households that have outgrown simple lists should look at Notion for a shared family workspace. And if subscriptions are the dealbreaker, Things 3 (Apple) or 2Do (cross-platform) let you pay once and never see an upgrade nag again.
Frequently Asked Questions
QIs there a free alternative to Any.do that allows recurring tasks?
Yes — several. Microsoft To Do, Apple Reminders, Google Tasks, and TickTick all support recurring tasks on their free plans, which is exactly what Any.do now gates behind Premium. TickTick is the closest match feature-for-feature, while Microsoft To Do and Apple Reminders are the simplest free swaps.
QWhich app has the best free family shared lists like Any.do?
Apple Reminders is unbeatable for Apple households — shared lists sync instantly across family devices at no cost. For mixed-device families, Google Keep and Tweek both offer free shared checklists, and Microsoft To Do supports free list sharing if everyone has a Microsoft account.
QWhat's the best Any.do alternative that doesn't use a subscription?
Things 3 and 2Do are both one-time purchases with no recurring fee. Things 3 is the polished, Apple-only choice; 2Do works across platforms and offers deeper filtering and offline use. Amazing Marvin also offers a lifetime license if you prefer paying once.
QDoes TickTick or Todoist replace Any.do better?
TickTick is the closer replacement because it bundles a calendar view, habit tracking, and recurring tasks on its free tier — mirroring Any.do's all-in-one pitch. Todoist is more polished and reliable cross-platform, but its calendar view and reminders sit behind Pro.
QWhich Any.do alternative syncs tasks with my calendar for free?
Google Tasks shows your tasks directly inside Google Calendar at no cost, and TickTick includes a built-in calendar view on its free plan. If you want a deeper daily planning ritual that merges calendar and tasks, Sunsama does it beautifully but requires a paid subscription.
Our Verdict
The Best Any.do Alternative For You
Switching from Any.do comes down to why you're leaving. If it's purely the recurring-task paywall and you want free, grab Microsoft To Do or, on Apple devices, Apple Reminders — both do shared lists and repeats at no cost. If you want the closest overall experience with a free calendar thrown in, TickTick is the natural landing spot. Todoist is the pick if you value polish and cross-platform reliability and don't mind a Pro tier for advanced features. Households that have outgrown simple lists should look at Notion for a shared family workspace. And if subscriptions are the dealbreaker, Things 3 (Apple) or 2Do (cross-platform) let you pay once and never see an upgrade nag again.