Skip to main content

2Do vs TickTick

TickTick is an all-in-one productivity suite: tasks plus a calendar, a habit tracker, and a Pomodoro timer, running on everything from the web to your watch. 2Do is a focused, native, local-first task manager for Mac, iPhone, iPad, and Android. If you want one subscription app that does a bit of everything, everywhere, TickTick makes a strong case. If you want the deepest task manager on the Mac, with your data stored locally and synced through a service you pick, 2Do is usually stronger.

Last reviewed: July 16, 2026.

At a Glance

Criteria2DoTickTick
Primary modelFlexible lists, projects, and checklists, stored locally and synced where you chooseA cloud suite: tasks, calendar, habits, and focus timers
Best fitPower users on Apple platforms who want depth and data controlCross-platform users who want one app for tasks, habits, and time
StrengthFeature depth, scheduling, alarms, and sync choiceBreadth, ubiquity, and built-in time tools
Trade-offNo web clientMuch of the depth sits behind Premium; the desktop app isn't native
Try it alongside

There's no direct bridge between the two services, but you don't have to decide blind: 2Do for Mac has a free trial, so you can run both side by side for a couple of weeks and see which one your tasks gravitate to.

Task Management & Sync Comparison

Capability2DoTickTick
Projects with fully dated, taggable sub-tasks
Checklists
Sub-tasks on any plain task
Sections inside lists
Kanban (board) view
Natural-language dates typed inline in the task titlein date fields
Tags
Tag groups and pausable tags
Saved Smart Lists with a full search syntax (custom filters, paid plans)
Typo-tolerant Soundex search, plus exact wildcard matching
Sort any list your way — a dozen sort options, remembered per list
Expressive tag filtering — combine tags with AND / OR / NOT (in filters)
One-click Focus Filter per list
Filter by List Group on demand, combinable with search
Exclude any list from All, Today, or Donebasic
Hide any list from the sidebar, even built-in onesbasic
Jump Bars — find-as-you-type task, list, and tag jumping
Quick Look any task with the Spacebar, and run its action right from the preview
One key to act: P performs a task's action, U opens every link in its notes
Quick Open — jump to any task or list from anywheresearch only
Section heat bars — see dense sections and jump to them
Stars in addition to prioritiespriorities only
Hover any task to set priority or star without editing
Numbered picker presets, set dates, alarms, or recurrence with Option and a digitbasic
Single-key commands: defer, schedule, star, tag, move, and prioritise without modifiersbasic
Jump to any editor field from the keyboard (dates, alerts, tags, action, recurrence, list)basic
Start dates and times in addition to due dates (date ranges)
Task durations (estimated time, with a lead-up window) (time spans)
Repeat from due date or from completion
Custom repeat rules — every N days/weeks/months/years, chosen weekdays, the 15th, the last day, the second Tuesday
Recurrence end conditions — stop after N occurrences or on a date
Repeats keep start and due as a pair — same gap, same times, every cyclebasic
Repeating projects and checklists start fresh — sub-tasks reset each cyclebasic
Edit one occurrence or all future onesbasic
Smart Scheduling — future-start tasks stay hidden until they begin, revealable any time
Multiple alarms per task
Repeating (nagging) alarm sounds until dismissed (Annoying Alert, mobile)
2Do's own alarm window — snooze menu and the task's action right on the card
Silence alarms one list at a time
Silence 2Do alarms automatically with macOS Focus
Assign locations to tasks (Nearby view) (paid plans)
Location-based alerts (iPhone / iPad) (paid plans)
Task actions — call, message, email, visit, or open a link right from the task
Picture and audio attachments (upload quotas on free)
Markdown notes
Type-to-link related tasks in notes
Batch editing — tag, defer, schedule, or re-prioritise many tasks at once
System-wide Quick Entry on Mac
Calendar events shown alongside tasks (paid plans)
Interactive Mini Calendar — filter by day or range, ribbons for busy days and future repeats, drag to defer (calendar views, paid plans)
Email tasks to the app
Habit tracker built in
Pomodoro / focus timer built in
Eisenhower priority matrix
Real-time cloud collaboration — shared lists, assignees
Windows, web, and Linux apps
Free plan available
Bring your own sync service — Dropbox, iCloud CalDAV, CalDAV, Reminders, Todoist, or Toodledo
Keep chosen lists off sync entirely
Capture defaults you control (default list, GTD Inbox, default due date and time, clipboard prefill)basic
Automatic reminders for dated tasks, at the deadline or a chosen offset
Completed tasks age out on your schedule (visibility window, auto-delete)basic
Sidebar counts and Dock badge tuned to what matters (a dozen badge scopes)basic
Separate themes for Light and Dark mode (paid themes)
Two-way Apple Reminders sync
Share a list with others over the local network
Claude / AI integration (MCP)
AppleScript automation
Shortcuts app supportiPhone / iPad only
Password protection with Touch ID (lists or whole app)
Print neatly formatted lists, choosing the fields and level of detailbasic
Export lists as .ics calendar or .csv spreadsheet files, or just the selected tasksCSV backup
Import to-dos from any .ics calendar file, hierarchy and alarms included
Automatic local backups, on a schedule you choosemanual CSV backup
Restore individual lists from automatic backups
Works fully offline, no account required
Truly native Mac app, built for the Maccross-platform app
Android app
One-time purchase availablesubscription

Where TickTick May Be Better

  • You want one app for tasks, habits, and focus sessions: the built-in habit tracker, Pomodoro timer, and Eisenhower matrix have no 2Do equivalents.
  • You live across platforms (web, Windows, Linux, Android, wearables) and want the same app on all of them.
  • You collaborate on shared lists with assignees.
  • Its calendar views are a genuine planner, with subscribed calendars and drag-to-schedule (on Premium).
  • Typing dates straight into the task title is your preferred way to capture.
  • You want a capable free plan before paying anything.

Where 2Do May Be Better

Want to compare a few more options before deciding? Browse all 2Do comparison guides.