Top 10 Apps: Web-based Task Managers: "
I’ve been jumping from app to app, for as long as I can remember, in search of the best web-based task management app. I’ve never really been satisfied until recently when I discovered Flow. Finding the perfect task manager is a little like searching for a unicorn — it’s just not going to happen. But, you can find one that fits your tastes and needs better than any others.
Hopefully our list of the 10 best web-based task management apps will help in your search, if you haven’t already found yours.
Task Managers Comparison Chart (Click for large)
Note: I’ve ordered these according to my personal preferences and experiences but your mileage may vary. Also, if you notice any inaccuracies in the chart above or the information below, please let me know in the comments below and I’ll make the corrections. *Chart updated: 04/30/2011
1. Producteev
Producteev
In my quest for the perfect task manager, Producteev stood out as being one of the absolute best, without a doubt. In fact, my decision ultimately came down to Producteev vs Flow and Flow really only won out because I liked its interface and usability better. Otherwise, Producteev would’ve had me and I would’ve been very, very happy.
Producteev isn’t just fantastic for the individual, it’s built for teams too. It has the best integration I’ve seen with Google Calendar and a host of other apps for top notch team communication. If you’re thinking about trying Producteev, stop thinking and just do it. You have nothing to lose considering it’s free and paid plans come with a free 2-week trial. See our review.
Pricing
Producteev Pricing
2. Flow
Flow
If you’re a fan of Mac-style interface designs, Flow will likely appeal to you. During it’s initial beta phase, I was impressed by its interface design but wasn’t quite won over by it’s functionality and features. Having taken another look recently, it really grabbed my attention. This is my favorite task management app, by far.
Flow has an elegance, simplicity and seamless functionality about it that just gets me. And what I mean by that is the app works with me rather than requiring me to work with it. That isn’t to say it will be such a great fit for everyone, but it’s certainly worth trying. See our review.
Pricing
Flow costs $9.99 per month for individual accounts, so it isn’t cheap. The more accounts you buy, the more of a discount you get (up to 50% for 10+ accounts). You can optionally pay $99 per year and they have a 30% beta discount available right now coming in at $69.30 for the first year.
It’s not cheap, but some may find it’s worth the price. There’s a large number of people complaining about the $9.99 per month price point so who knows, maybe they’ll drop it in the near future?
3. Remember The Milk
Remember The Milk
Remember The Milk (RTM) has been around for quite awhile; it’s time tested and Web.AppStorm approved. It’s not just our approval they’ve received though, RTM is used and loved by thousands of users. RTM is also available on a wide selection of platforms including Android, BlackBerry and Windows Mobile.
RTM has fantastic integration with a variety of services such as Google Maps, Google Calendar (and iCalendar), instant messengers and more. For the platform and feature availability RTM offers, it’s even more amazing that it’s free! Of course you’ll probably want to upgrade to a Pro account for all the features, but it’s only $25 per year. See our review.
Pricing
RTM Pricing
4. Wunderlist
Wunderlist
Wunderlist began on Mac and recently expanded to include web and Windows clients. This is, of course, in addition to iPhone, iPad and Android access. It’s a much simpler task manager than the others we’ve looked at so far but sports a great looking and well functioning interface. If you’re looking for a clean and simple multi-platform task manager, this may well be the one for you. Plus, it’s free! See our review.
5. TeuxDeux
TeuxDeux
If you’re a fan of minimalism and Wunderlist was right up your alley, TeuxDeux may well be your cup of tea as well. TeuxDeux takes minimalism to a whole new level, simplifying task management like never before. It’s a fresh take on task management that sports a different kind of interface and task view. If you’re looking for simplicity, give this one a try; plus you have nothing to lose since it’s free. See our review.
6. Nirvana
Nirvana
I discovered Nirvana back when it was in beta and was pleasantly surprised by its interface design and functionality. It wasn’t quite ready at the time but was rapidly improving and very usable. It’s a fantastic task management app, especially during a time when the competition wasn’t as stiff as it is today, but doesn’t seem to have kept up with the competition in a few areas (like platform support).
Although I’m much more a fan of Flow or Wunderlist’s interface design, Nirvana’s interface is still clean and very easy to use, also sporting features other popular apps don’t. It’s still in beta so you can expect more improvements before it’s fully released, but it’s definitely ready to use as is. See our review.
Pricing
Nirvana is free at the moment and is said to always maintain a free version, though an upgraded version will likely cost you around $5 per month.
7. Google Tasks
Google Tasks
Google Tasks is the perfect companion to your other Google Apps, specifically GMail and Google Calendar. Although it’s not, by itself, a full blown task management system, seamless integration with Google Apps completes the extra functionality found in most of its competition. If you’re a big GMail user, it’s a great way to keep track of your tasks, especially with Google Calendar integration. Of course, free is hard to beat too.
8. Todoist
Todoist
Surprisingly I hadn’t heard of Todoist until late last year. Don’t let their lacking home page design fool you, this is one powerful task management app with all sorts of extra integration such as GMail, browser plugins and more. If you’re working with a team, Wedoist is their sister app built exactly for that.
Todoist’s interface is, like the other apps here, clean and organized, although some might not find it quite as simple. It’s definitely featured packed and powerful, not to mention a very popular (and time tested) solution. To make it even better, it’s free.
9. Doit.im
Doit.im
Doit.im has come a long way since we last reviewed it back in 2010. They’ve since launched a brand new interface and the app sports lots of great features. The interface, while improved, has further improvements it will need to make before it will be able to compete with other top apps, but it might just be your cup of tea. Having said that, there’s a little icon in the app that looks like a beaker (indicating lab testing features).
Click that icon and you’ll see their brand new interface, which is quite an improvement over its predecessor. Just as with other apps listed here, the interface is AJAX enhanced and functions quite quick and smooth. Sign up is free so you have nothing to lose in trying it out. See our review.
Pricing
Doit.im appears to be free and research led me to believe there will always be a free version, though paid accounts may be available in the future.
10. TaskAnt
TaskAnt
TaskAnt is currently in beta but is off to a great start. Its interface design isn’t quite as nice as some of the other apps here, but remember, it’s in beta. Having said that, it is very clean and simple (try it out to see what I mean) and might fit your taste nicely. TaskAnt offers lots of competitive features such as smartlists, task delegation and lots more. See our review.
Pricing
Pricing ranges from free to $199 per month, just depending on the number of active projects you need. Paid plans also offer additional features such as daily reminder emails.
TaskAnt Pricing
Honorable Mentions
StrikeApp
StrikeApp
Yet another cool app from the ZURB team, Strike is a super simple [to-do] list app that’s built with easy sharing in mind. This is another one of their apps I’ll be bookmarking with my other super awesome cool web tools. And it’s free!
MobileMe Calendar
MobileMe Calendar
MobileMe was a popular response in our recent poll on which task managers people used, which quite surprised me. I wasn’t actually aware that MobileMe had any form of task management built in and technically it doesn’t. However, some consider the Calendar app as a solid form of task management, and I would agree. We’ll be taking a deeper look at the MobileMe suite soon, so stay tuned.
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