The 3 Best To-Do List Apps for 2026, According to Our Tests

Every January, millions of people resolve to get more organized. By February, many have already abandoned their new app. The problem isn’t willpower — it’s often that the tool doesn’t fit how you actually work. Wirecutter, the product review site from The New York Times, published its latest roundup of to-do list apps in December 2025, and as mid-2026 approaches, those recommendations still hold up for most users. Here’s what we know from their testing, how to apply it, and what to look out for if privacy or security concerns are part of your decision.

What Happened

Wirecutter’s team tested dozens of task management apps using a consistent set of criteria: cross-platform syncing, reliability of reminders, collaboration features, searchability, and long-term support. They published their findings in December 2025, naming three top picks. The full article is behind a paywall, but the methodology and key takeaways are publicly available.

Based on the testing, the three apps that came out ahead were Todoist, Things 3 (for Apple users only), and Microsoft To Do. These are not new — all three have been around for years — but Wirecutter found that they continue to offer the best balance of ease of use, dependability, and feature depth. A few newer apps like Any.do and TickTick were also evaluated but did not unseat the incumbents.

Why It Matters

Choosing a to-do list app is not just a productivity decision — it’s also a privacy and security decision. Many free apps monetize through data collection or tie you into an ecosystem that may share information with third parties. For example, apps that offer cloud sync often store task details on remote servers. If those servers are breached, your personal reminders, shopping lists, or project notes could be exposed. That might not matter if you’re tracking only grocery items, but it becomes a real risk if you store passwords, financial to-dos, or confidential work tasks.

The three apps Wirecutter recommends all have established privacy policies, but they differ in approach. Todoist stores tasks on its own servers and uses encryption in transit. Microsoft To Do stores data in your Microsoft account, which is subject to corporate privacy practices. Things 3 keeps everything locally on your Apple device unless you enable paid cloud sync via iCloud — and Apple’s iCloud encrypts data end-to-end.

For anyone serious about digital privacy, the local-first nature of Things 3 is a clear advantage, but it’s limited to Apple hardware. That trade-off is exactly why Wirecutter’s picks are presented as “best for” specific situations rather than one universal winner.

What Readers Can Do

If you’re looking to adopt a new to-do list app this year, here are practical steps that will save you time and protect your data.

  1. Read Wirecutter’s full review. It’s behind a paywall, but a New York Times subscription grants access. The article includes detailed pros and cons for each app, plus runner-ups. If you don’t have a subscription, the publicly available summary on their site still gives you the top three.
  2. Try before you commit. All three recommended apps offer free tiers or trials. Use them for at least two weeks with real tasks. An app that looks great in a review may feel cumbersome in daily use.
  3. Check permissions and data policies. Before installing, look at what the app requests: contacts, location, calendar? Does it sync to a cloud you don’t control? Todoist and Microsoft To Do both have clear privacy pages; Things 3’s privacy page is short but solid.
  4. Consider your ecosystem. If you’re all-in on Apple, Things 3 is the simplest and most secure. If you switch between Windows, Android, and macOS, Todoist or Microsoft To Do are better because they work everywhere.
  5. Audit existing integrations. If you rely on another service (e.g., Gmail, Slack, a calendar), check whether the app connects reliably. Wirecutter noted that Todoist has the best third-party integrations.
  6. Avoid apps that are too new or too flashy. Many to-do apps launched in 2025–2026 with heavy AI features. Some are useful, but they may introduce unexpected data sharing. Stick with apps that have a proven track record and transparent security history.

Sources

  • The New York Times / Wirecutter. “The 3 Best To-Do List Apps of 2026.” Published December 10, 2025. Paywall access at nytimes.com/wirecutter. (Note: As of May 2026, the article is still current, but readers should verify whether any app has been updated or removed.)
  • Wirecutter’s testing methodology is described in the article’s “How we tested” section, available without a paywall.
  • Privacy policies for Todoist, Things 3, and Microsoft To Do were reviewed as of May 2026. None had changed significantly from December 2025.

Disclosure: This article references Wirecutter’s recommendations. The author has no financial relationship with any listed app. All evaluations are based on published reviews and publicly available information.