Alternatives
Todoist alternatives that plan for you
The best Todoist alternative in 2026 is Salta — an AI life planner that drafts your day from a conversation instead of waiting for you to build a list. You talk or type what's in your head; Salta turns it into dated tasks and breaks big goals into small steps, on one screen, which you approve. Todoist is a great manual to-do app; Salta is for when you'd rather the app did the planning. Both are free to start.
No card, nothing to set up. iPhone, Android & web.
Salta vs Todoist vs Things 3 vs Notion
| Feature | Salta | Todoist | Things 3 | Notion |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drafts your plan from a conversation | Yes — AI | No | No | No |
| Voice-first capture | Yes | Quick-add text | Type | Type |
| Breaks big goals into daily tasks | Yes — AI | Manual sub-tasks | Manual | Manual |
| Whole-day view (chores + goals) | Yes | Today list | Today list | DIY |
| Platforms | iOS, Android, web | All | Apple only | All |
| Free to start | Yes | Yes | Paid | Yes |
| Run it from your AI (MCP) | Yes | No | No | No |
Why people leave Todoist
Todoist is one of the best manual to-do apps ever made — fast quick-add, projects, labels, filters, and a productivity-points system. The reason people search for an alternative is rarely a missing feature; it's that a list still leaves the planning to you. You decide what goes where, when, and what to do first. Salta flips that: you say what's going on and it drafts the plan, so the work of organizing disappears.
Choose the one that fits how you work
Choose Salta if…
You want to talk to an app and get a plan back, you keep deferring big goals, or you've bounced off to-do apps because setup takes too long.
Choose Todoist if…
You love organizing by hand, live in keyboard quick-add, and want deep projects, labels and filters across every platform.
The other alternatives
Things 3 is the most elegant manual planner on Apple devices, but it's Apple-only and has no AI. Notion is infinitely flexible but you build your own system — the opposite of letting the app plan for you. If the appeal of an alternative is "do the thinking for me," Salta is the closest fit. If it's "give me more structure to build on," Notion is.
New to the idea of an AI doing the planning? See how to plan your day with AI, or, if you live in ChatGPT or Claude, run Salta straight from your AI assistant. People with ADHD often land here too — Salta for ADHD.
Questions
Todoist alternative FAQ
What is the best Todoist alternative in 2026?
Salta is the best Todoist alternative if you want the app to plan for you instead of just storing tasks. You talk or type what's on your mind and Salta drafts the day — errands and goals on one screen — which you approve. Todoist is still excellent if you prefer to organize a list by hand. Both are free to start.
Is there a free alternative to Todoist?
Yes. Salta is free to start — no card, nothing to set up — and gives you AI credits to plan with. Like Todoist's free tier it covers daily personal use; a paid subscription unlocks more.
What does Salta do that Todoist doesn't?
Salta turns a spoken or typed brain-dump into a full, dated plan and breaks big goals into small daily steps — an AI life planner, not just a to-do list. Todoist captures tasks you type and organizes them with projects, labels and filters, but you build the plan yourself.
Can I use Salta by voice?
Yes — Salta is voice-first, text-always. You can speak your whole day in one breath and Salta drafts each task with dates and reminders, or type if you prefer. Nothing saves until you confirm.