Mobile devices allow us to take our notes and to-do lists with us anywhere. Why not take the time to find a proper app that gives you exactly what you need rather than resorting to your smartphone’s default note-taking app?

Check out the following list of incredible apps for all your list-building, note-taking, and calendar-scheduling needs. Each app offers something different, but all of them work by storing your information in the cloud so that everything can be synced and accessed from almost any mobile device or computer.

Any.do

Any.do really delivers on simple and intuitive gesture-based functionality. Easily plan your tasks for today, tomorrow, or the entire month with all sorts of lists of items that can be easily checked off with a simple swipe to your device’s screen.

  • Organizes tasks by time, rather than by specific lists.

  • The Moment feature summarizes your day and allows you to move tasks to different days.

  • Some features available only with an upgrade ($30+ per year, depending on the number of devices).

  • Not ideal for those who prefer category-based task organization.

You can separate lists between personal or work, add reminders, build a grocery list, or make your list on the go with its speech recognition feature. All of your lists and notes can then be seamlessly synced for accessibility across all of your devices.

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Simplenote

Simplenote is another app that takes the minimalist approach but still offers a powerful way to maintain your lists and notes. This is a productivity app that was built for speed.

  • Automatic backups.

  • Simple and straightforward.

  • Lacks features typical of other options.

  • Doesn’t create to-do lists that can be checked off on completion.

Tag or pin any of your notes, and use the search function to instantly find anything you’re looking for. Your list activity is backed up, so even when you make changes to them, you can go back to previous versions when you need to.

Evernote

Evernote is one of the most popular cross-platform tools people use to maintain all sorts of things—photos, documents, videos, recipes, lists, and more. If you use Evernote regularly from a desktop computer, including the Evernote Web Clipper tool, keeping your to-do lists and notes in one simple place may be ideal for you.

  • Organize lists and notes into notebooks.

  • Include web clippings, videos, recipes, and more in lists.

  • Robust search engine.

  • Free version limits access to two devices.

  • Premium plan is expensive.

Make a new note, sync your Evernote account, and all your notes will be available on all of your devices. With a free subscription, you can access your Evernote notes on up to two devices.

Todo Cloud

Todo Cloud is an incredible tool designed to be used both on the desktop and mobile for creating lists and staying organized—particularly if you’re working in a team and need to share your tasks and progress with others. Although everything Todo Cloud has to offer isn’t exactly free, it does offer a free trial of its best features.

  • 14-day free trial.

  • Works with Siri shortcuts.

  • Place-based notifications.

  • Shareable lists.

  • Web version can be glitchy.

  • Premium subscription is $19.99 per year or $1.99 per month.

The real power of this app comes from taking advantage of its premium subscription features. Share lists, assign tasks from the app, leave comments, geotag notes, receive email notifications, and do more with this fantastic award-winning app.

Toodledo

Toodledo is another premium to-do list tool that is powerful both on a regular computer and on its mobile apps, with seamless syncing. You can keep great lists, and you can track the priority of each task, set start dates or deadlines, automate repetitive tasks according to your schedule, set audible popup alarms, assign tasks to folders, and more.

  • Lots of customizations for managing tasks in various ways.

  • Syncs with the web version for access anywhere.

  • Settings are somewhat obscure and clunky.

  • Some features, such as file storage and unlimited items per list, require a paid subscription.

There are many ways to get organized with this one, and like Todo Cloud, it allows you to collaborate with team members on shared projects. If you’re looking for a tool that offers more than simple list management, this one is worth trying out.

Remember The Milk

Could there be a better name for a to-do list app than Remember The Milk? Don’t be fooled by its name—this little app does more than help you build a grocery list.

  • Very simple to use, despite a bevy of features.

  • Sharing lists is easy.

  • No integration with Google Calendar.

  • Learning curve.

Add new tasks while on the go, prioritize items, set due dates, add tags, build “smart” lists, and sync everything to Remember The Milk online once every 24 hours with the free version. Unlimited syncing and additional features are available with a pro account.

Todoist

If you want a simpler, cleaner look to your to-do list app but with all the features you need to keep detailed notes and to collaborate with others, then Todoist might just be the app that best fits your needs. Its most useful collaborative sharing features don’t require an upgrade to a paid app, although you can upgrade to premium for more advanced features.

  • Clean, attractive interface.

  • Plenty of features available in the free version.

  • Solid support and a large user community for help with advanced features.

  • Rearranging tasks can be cumbersome.

  • Lacks a calendar feature.

Share projects, assign tasks, create schedules, set due dates or recurring dates, receive reminders, and sync everything across your account. This is perhaps one of the best all-in-one list apps with the most generous offering of free features.

Google Keep

Android users will love this one. It’s even available for iOS users too! Google Keep is a powerful productivity app that you use through your existing Google account, which is also available on the web and as a Chrome add-on, so everything can be synced and accessed from whatever device you’re using.

  • Great for those who prefer visual organization.

  • Interface sports Google’s clean design.

  • Create notes from voice, photos, lists, and links.

  • No way to organize notes effectively.

  • Doesn’t offer anything unique.

Keep adopts a simple Pinterest-like format for creating lists and notes, which may not be ideal for everyone, but looks great when you use photos and create quick, short notes to remember. If you think you’d enjoy a more visual look at your lists, this list app may be the app for you.

MindNode

Speaking of visual to-do lists, for the extreme visual learner who is a big fan of mind mapping their tasks, there’s MindNode. This premium app offers an intuitive way to map your ideas or lists on the computer or within the app—with the ability to sync everything on all devices.

  • Ideal for brainstorming ideas.

  • Free trial version.

  • Sleek, uncluttered interface.

  • Easy to export and share.

  • Premium version is expensive.

  • No Android version.

Through simple gesture-based functionality like drag-and-drop or a simple tap of your finger to create a node, you can map your latest new idea in seconds.

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