Best Task Management Software (2017)
Great productivity tools to get things done
Task management software is designed to help individuals and teams organise, prioritise and complete specific tasks, either as part of a project or stand-alone to-do items.
Task management applications tend to have a main focus on lists (to-do lists, checklists, item lists, etc) or note taking (idea and data capture, web clipping, file attachments, archiving). Most will perform both functions, but offer more refinement and features with their key focus.
Deciding the appropriate style of approach to task management is an important issue in selecting the right task manager for you and your business.
Recommended Products: Task Management
Let's do great things together
Any.do is an all-in-one app combining calendar, tasks, lists, reminders and a smart assistant that can take care of your tasks for you, all with real-time sync across devices. | View Profile
Price Range: From US$2.99/mth Free Trial: Free plan
The workspace for your life's work
Evernote is an online note taking productivity and task management service. It allows users to capture notes, lists, photos and documents across different platforms so that stored information is available immediately on any device, and offline. | View Profile
Price Range: Free Free Trial: Free plan
Save your thoughts, wherever you are
Google Keep is a free note taking and list making service from Google. It uses a sticky note-style format, and is available via a web browser or mobile apps. Keep works best with Google products such as the Chrome browser and Android devices. | View Profile
Price Range: Free Free Trial: Free product
Your lightweight task manager
TickTick is a simple and effective to-do list and task manager with seamless cloud synchronisation across all of your devices, including iOS (iPhone), Android, Web and Chrome extension. | View Profile
Price Range: US$2.79/month Free Trial: Free plan
Accomplish more, every day
Todoist is a powerful to do list app for personal and collaborative productivity that lets users manage tasks from their email inbox, web browser, desktop, or mobile/wearable device. | View Profile
Price Range: From $21.99/year Free Trial: Free plan
Back-up for your brain
Toodledo is a set of incredibly powerful tools to increase your productivity and organise your life. More than just a to-do list, Toodledo provides you with a place to write long notes, make custom lists, create structured outlines and track your habits. You can collaborate with friends, family or your co-workers, and we'll safely store and sync all your data to your devices. | View Profile
Price Range: From US$16.99/year Free Trial: 14 days
Keep your life in sync
Wunderlist is the easiest way to get stuff done. Whether you’re planning a holiday, sharing a shopping list with a partner or managing multiple work projects, Wunderlist is here to help you tick off all your personal and professional to-dos. | View Profile
Price Range: From US$4.99/month Free Trial: Free plan
About Task Management
What are the different types of Task Management software?
List-based Task Managers
Examples: Todoist, Wunderlist.
To-do list style task management apps tend to have a similar set of core functions, such as the ability to add, edit and delete tasks and sub-tasks, check off tasks when complete, and add due dates and reminders.
The most obvious differences between systems is in their presentation and functionality, rather than the specific features, so personal preference may end up being the deciding factor.
Note-taking Task Managers
Examples: Evernote, Google Keep.
Task management software which is designed around notes, documents and information capture, also have very individually stylised approaches to their presentation.
Their features can vary more than lists, and are closely aligned with their overall conceptual approach. For example, Evernote uses notes and notebooks as their analogy, whereas Google Keep is more of a “flat” sticky-note board.
As with list-based tools, choosing a note-based task manager will be influenced as much by aesthetics as their specific features.
Team Collaboration in Task and Project Management
Team-based task management tools allow collaboration between two or more individuals on a team or project.
A “business plan” account will come with multiple users and centralised administration and billing functions, whereas individual plans (often called “Pro”, “Premium” or similar) are designed around each user being self-managed and separate from their collaborators.
Task management software may be viewed as a sub-class of project management software. Both are designed to help people and teams get tasks done, but project management starts from a project (as the name suggests) and works down into the detail, whereas task management may well involve connected or unrelated jobs.
Our recommended task management software products have been selected as they are all either highly rated by users, well known in the marketplace, or we feel they are worth consideration by our UK-based small business audience.
