Todoist Review for SMBs

productivity tool · Free / $4-$6/user/mo

Todoist is a task management tool built for solo professionals and small teams who want structured task organization without overwhelming complexity. It combines straightforward list-building with AI-powered task breakdown, meaning you can dump a vague goal and let the system suggest subtasks. The free tier is genuinely usable; paid plans run $4–$6 per user per month.

What it does

Todoist lets you create tasks, organize them into projects, set due dates, and assign them to team members. The core differentiator is AI task breakdown: describe a goal ("redesign website homepage") and Todoist suggests concrete subtasks automatically. You can filter tasks by priority, due date, or assignee, and it syncs across web, mobile, and desktop. The tool doesn't do time-tracking, resource planning, or advanced project timeline views—it's a task list, not a full project management platform.

Who it's for

✓ Ideal user

You're a freelancer, consultant, or manager of a small team (under 15 people) who needs to track daily work across multiple projects without learning a complex system. You value speed over features and want something you can set up in an hour.

✗ Not for

Teams that need visual project timelines, capacity planning, or complex dependency mapping should look elsewhere. If you're already using Asana or Monday, switching gains you minimal advantage.

Typical team size

1–15 people. Works well for solo users; useful for small teams, but loses its appeal as you grow.

Typical industries

Consulting and professional servicesFreelance creative workDigital marketing and content creationSmall SaaS companiesReal estate and property management

Pros

✓ The AI task breakdown is genuine time-saver. Instead of manually writing out subtasks for a big project, you describe the goal and get a draft breakdown in seconds—saves roughly 5–10 minutes per complex task.

✓ Free tier is fully functional for one person or a very small team. You get projects, tasks, due dates, and basic filtering; no artificial limits that force an upgrade after a trial period.

✓ Mobile app matches desktop experience cleanly, so task capture and updates work equally well on phone, tablet, or laptop without frustrating sync delays.

✓ Recurring tasks and natural language input (type "reply to client tomorrow at 2pm" and it parses correctly) reduce friction compared to tools with clunkier interfaces.

Cons

✗ No built-in time-tracking or workload view, so you can't see how much work is assigned to each person or predict if someone is overbooked. You'll need a separate tool or spreadsheet if capacity matters.

✗ Limited collaboration features compared to Asana or Monday—no comments on tasks, no project templates, no dependency chains. It's a personal list that happens to have team members, not a team workspace.

✗ Pricing scales poorly for larger teams. A 10-person team paying $6/user/month hits $720/year; Asana or Clickup's flat-rate plans often beat that at scale.

Pricing breakdown

Free forever; Pro tier $4/user/month billed annually or $6/month billed monthly.

Todoist offers a free plan that covers essentials, plus a $4–$6/user/month paid tier (Pro or Business, depending on team features). There's no mid-market pricing—you choose free or paid, then a per-user fee.

Where it gets expensive

Once you add more than 5–6 team members, the cumulative per-user cost ($30–$72/month for a small team) can exceed a flat-rate platform like Asana or Clickup, which often cost $10–$15/month per person with more features.

Free tier

Ready to try it?

Todoistdoesn't currently offer an affiliate program.

We cover it editorially because Todoist: 25% recurring x 12 payments.

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Alternatives worth considering

ClickUp
project mgmt
Work-management app that combines tasks, docs, and lightweight project views in one workspace.
Clickup offers more advanced features (time-tracking, workload views, custom fields) and better value for growing teams; the free tier is also solid. Use it if you need more than basic task assignment and priority.
Asana
project mgmt
Task tracker with timelines and portfolios suited to teams juggling many projects.
Asana excels at team collaboration and visual project planning (Gantt charts, timeline views). Choose it if your team needs to coordinate work across multiple dependent projects.
Notion
project mgmt
Note and wiki workspace used for ops playbooks, light knowledge bases, and team task tracking.
Notion is a flexible workspace that can function as a task manager, but also doubles as documentation and internal knowledge base. Consider it if you want one system for both task tracking and company processes.

Verdict

Todoist is a lean, well-designed task manager that shines for solo professionals and very small teams (under 10 people) who want simplicity and quick setup. The AI task breakdown is a genuine edge. However, it lacks team collaboration features and workload visibility that become critical as you grow, and it's not cheaper than flat-rate competitors once you add more than a few users.

Worth it when

You're a solo founder, freelancer, or managing a small remote team (2–5 people) where everyone works independently and you're okay without advanced reporting. The free tier is genuinely all you need unless you require recurring tasks across many projects.

Skip when

Your team is larger than 10 people, you need to see who's overbooked, or your projects have dependencies that require timeline visualization. Also skip if you're already paying for Asana or Clickup—the switch isn't worth the migration effort.

FAQ

Can I use Todoist for free indefinitely?▼

Yes. The free tier has no expiration and includes projects, tasks, due dates, and basic filters. You lose priority levels and recurring tasks without paid, so the free version is fine for a single user or light team use.

Does Todoist have a mobile app?▼

Yes, and it's solid—iOS and Android versions sync instantly with the web app. You can add, edit, and complete tasks from your phone as easily as from a computer.

Can Todoist replace Asana for a 12-person team?▼

Functionally, no. Todoist lacks comments, timelines, and workload views—features Asana excels at. You'd save money per user with Todoist, but lose team collaboration depth. For 12 people, Asana or Clickup is the safer choice.

How does the AI task breakdown actually work?▼

You describe a task ("Write Q3 marketing plan") and Todoist suggests subtasks using GPT. Results are decent but generic—you'll often tweak them. It's a starting point, not a replacement for thinking through your work.

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