Best To-Do List Apps of 2026: Which Ones Protect Your Privacy?

Task management apps hold a surprising amount of personal information. Work projects, grocery lists, medical appointments, reminders for passwords or sensitive deadlines—all stored in a database that lives on someone else’s server. In 2026, with data breaches becoming routine and companies tightening their data-collection practices in response to new regulations, choosing a to‑do list app that respects your privacy matters more than ever.

We looked at three apps that regularly top recommendation lists (including from Wirecutter): Todoist, Things 3, and Microsoft To Do. But instead of just comparing features and price, we focused on what each app does with your data, how it handles encryption, and whether you can use it offline without sending everything to the cloud.

What Happened

In late 2025, Wirecutter published its updated roundup of the best to‑do list apps, keeping Todoist and Things 3 as top picks and continuing to recommend Microsoft To Do for users who need deep integration with Microsoft 365. Those recommendations remain current through early 2026. All three apps have made minor privacy-related updates over the past year.

We reviewed each app’s public privacy policy, security documentation, and recent changelogs to understand what has changed—and what hasn’t.

App-by-App Privacy and Security Overview

Todoist

Todoist is a cross‑platform app with a strong free tier. It uses encryption in transit (TLS) but does not offer end-to-end encryption by default. Data stored on Todoist’s servers is encrypted at rest using AES‑256, but Todoist holds the decryption keys. That means the company can technically access your task content if compelled or if an employee’s account is compromised.

  • What it collects: Account email, task text, project names, usage analytics. Todoist says it does not sell personal data, but it does share anonymized aggregate data for product improvement.
  • Offline capability: Tasks sync when you reconnect. Offline usage is fully functional; data is stored locally and then synced.
  • Known issues: A 2023 security researcher discovered that Todoist’s web app loaded some third‑party trackers (such as Amplitude). The company later added a “privacy mode” that reduces analytics collection, but it is off by default.
  • Verdict: Good for most users, but not for highly sensitive task data. Turn on privacy mode in settings if you care about minimized tracking.

Things 3

Things 3 is exclusive to Apple devices (iPhone, iPad, Mac). It does not have a cloud service by default—your data lives in your iCloud account. That is a crucial privacy advantage: Apple provides end‑to‑end encryption for iCloud data (including iCloud Drive, which Things uses) when Advanced Data Protection is enabled. Without that, iCloud encrypts data at rest but Apple still holds the keys.

  • What it collects: Things itself collects almost nothing. The app does not have telemetry of its own; any analytics are handled by Apple’s operating system (which you can disable system‑wide). The developer (Cultured Code) states they do not have access to your tasks.
  • Offline capability: Fully offline. Since Things does not require a separate cloud account, you can use it entirely locally. Syncing happens only via iCloud if you want multiple devices.
  • Known issues: None significant. The biggest caveat is that you are trusting Apple’s iCloud security model. If you enable Advanced Data Protection, your tasks remain encrypted end‑to‑end. If not, Apple could theoretically access them.
  • Verdict: The strongest privacy choice among the three, especially for Apple users who enable Advanced Data Protection. No cross‑platform support.

Microsoft To Do

Microsoft To Do replaced Wunderlist and integrates tightly with Outlook, Teams, and other Microsoft services. It uses TLS for transport and encrypts data at rest, but Microsoft holds the keys. Because it is part of a large ecosystem, data handling is more complex: task data may flow into other Microsoft products (like Cortana or Planner) depending on your settings.

  • What it collects: Standard account information, task content, and usage details. Microsoft’s privacy policy is comprehensive but broad—data can be used for “improving products” and “personalized experiences.” Microsoft does not sell your data to third parties for advertising, but it does use your data to serve ads within its ecosystem (unless you opt out in your account settings).
  • Offline capability: Yes, tasks sync when online. Offline access is reliable on Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android.
  • Known issues: In 2024, a researcher found that some task metadata (such as due dates and list names) were sent to Microsoft’s servers even when the user had disabled sync. Microsoft patched this, but the incident highlights the complexity of auditing a large platform.
  • Verdict: Convenient if you already live in Microsoft’s world, but the trade‑off is more data collection and less control over how your data is used.

Why It Matters

A to‑do list might seem mundane, but it often contains sensitive clues: “Call lawyer about divorce,” “Check bank balance after refund,” “Ask doctor about test results.” If that data leaks—or is sold to an advertiser—you lose control over your personal life. With identity theft and targeted scams on the rise, protecting task data is a small but meaningful step.

Moreover, many people assume that because a service uses encryption, their data is private. The distinction between “encrypted at rest” and “end‑to‑end encrypted” matters. Only Things 3 (with iCloud Advanced Data Protection) gives you true end‑to‑end encryption without relying on the app maker’s own servers.

What Readers Can Do

Regardless of which app you choose, you can take a few practical steps to improve your privacy:

  1. Turn off unnecessary sync. If you only use one device, keep the app in offline mode. Sync only when you need to back up or move to another device.
  2. Review app permissions. On mobile, check that the app does not have unnecessary access to your contacts, camera, or location. Most to‑do apps do not need these.
  3. Use a password manager for sensitive notes. Do not store passwords, PINs, or secret questions inside your to‑do list. That is what a dedicated password manager (with end‑to‑end encryption) is for.
  4. Enable privacy modes. If your app has a setting to reduce analytics or opt out of advertising data use, turn it on. Todoist and Microsoft To Do both offer such options.
  5. Consider a paper backup. For highly sensitive tasks (e.g., a medical regimen or a security‑related checklist), a physical notebook avoids digital risks entirely.

Sources

  • Wirecutter, “The 3 Best To‑Do List Apps of 2026,” December 2025 (headline and summary referenced).
  • Todoist Privacy Policy, updated January 2026.
  • Microsoft Privacy Statement, accessed April 2026.
  • Cultured Code (Things) privacy documentation, available at culturedcode.com.
  • Apple iCloud Security Overview, support.apple.com.

Note: App policies and features can change. The information above reflects publicly available documentation as of late April 2026.