2Do vs GoodTask
GoodTask and 2Do are both native Mac apps built on opposite foundations, and because both can read the same Apple Reminders lists, you don't strictly have to choose between them. GoodTask works on top of Apple Reminders and Calendar: reminders and calendar events stay in Apple's database, while GoodTask stores its own metadata for start dates, durations, attachments, and settings. 2Do runs its own engine: your data lives with 2Do, stored locally and synced through a service you choose, including Apple Reminders. Point them at the same lists and they work the same tasks.
Last reviewed: August 10, 2026.
At a Glance
| Criteria | 2Do | GoodTask |
|---|---|---|
| Primary model | Its own engine: flexible lists, projects, and checklists, synced where you choose | A native front end over Apple Reminders and Calendar |
| Best fit | Power users who want the full task model owned end to end | Reminders users who want more power without leaving Apple's database |
| Strength | Scheduling, recurrence, alarms, search, and portability | Calendar-first views, Quick Actions, and the Reminders ecosystem |
| Trade-off | Reminders sync flattens 2Do's hierarchy inside Apple's apps | Some advanced fields live in GoodTask's own metadata |
GoodTask organizes Apple Reminders; 2Do syncs two-way with Apple Reminders. Point both at the same lists and a task captured in one shows up in the other, Siri included. Two honest caveats: 2Do's extra fields (start dates, stars, actions) travel as small @… lines at the bottom of a reminder's notes, and GoodTask's text-based sub-tasks and hashtags read as plain note text in 2Do.
Task Management & Sync Comparison
Where GoodTask May Be Better
- Your data staying in Apple Reminders is the whole point: GoodTask adds power without moving anything, and shared iCloud lists, Siri, and every Reminders integration keep working untouched.
- Calendar-first planning: full day, week, and month views with events and reminders side by side.
- Quick Actions automate your repetitive edits: one tap to push a date, swap tags, or append text, defined once and reused everywhere.
- It's light to adopt because core task data stays in Apple Reminders, while GoodTask stores its extra metadata separately.
Where 2Do May Be Better
- Running its own engine lets 2Do store what Reminders cannot: real projects and checklists with dated, taggable sub-tasks rather than text lines in notes, start dates and times, durations, and Smart Scheduling.
- Recurrence is part of the data model, so repeat from completion, stop after N occurrences, start-and-due pairs preserved every cycle, and per-occurrence edits all behave predictably.
- Alarms keep going until you act, with repeat sounds, 2Do's own alarm window, and per-list silencing.
- Notes take Markdown and type-to-link task links, and pictures and audio attach to the task itself.
- Search goes deeper, with Smart Lists built on a full query syntax and typo-tolerant matching.
- Your data can both leave and be locked down: .ics and .csv export, automatic local backups with per-list restore, and password protection with Touch ID.
- You're not tied to Apple's database, since 2Do also syncs via Dropbox, iCloud CalDAV, CalDAV, Todoist, or Toodledo, and runs on Android.
- Automation reaches further, with AppleScript and a built-in MCP server for Claude and other AI agents alongside Shortcuts.
- The sharing works in both directions: connect 2Do to Reminders and GoodTask, Reminders, and 2Do all see the same lists while you decide which app you plan in.
Ready to pair them instead of picking? See Sync with Apple Reminders for setup and exactly how the sharing works.
Common Questions
- Can 2Do and GoodTask work on the same lists?
- Yes. Both can read Apple Reminders, so pointing them at the same lists lets them work the same tasks while you decide which app you plan in.
- Where does each app store my tasks?
- GoodTask keeps tasks in Apple Reminders and Calendar and stores its own extra details separately. 2Do runs its own engine: your data lives with 2Do on your device and syncs through the service you choose, Apple Reminders included.
- What can 2Do store that Apple Reminders cannot?
- Real projects and checklists with dated, taggable sub-tasks rather than text lines in notes, start dates and times, task durations, several alarms per task, and pictures or audio attached to the task itself.
- Are both apps a one-time purchase?
- Both offer one. 2Do for Mac from our store is a perpetual license that includes 18 months of updates, and GoodTask offers a lifetime unlock.
Official Links
Want to compare a few more options before deciding? Browse all 2Do comparison guides.