Wunderlist vs. Todo for iPad: To-do application everywhere

 

I’ve used so many todo application over the years, I’ve already lost count. I’m always looking for that one application that has all the features I’m looking for so it can help me have a perfect and organize life. Unfortunately, I don’t think such an application exist. Even Wunderlist, which is my new favorite, isn’t perfect, but it was a good option to switch from the previous todo application I was using: Todo for iPad. In terms of UI and features, I think Todo for iPad was a lot better, but Wunderlist had one very important feature that won me over: it can be used almost everywhere.

Note that the remarkable app developer Appigo (the makers of Todo for iPad), also offer Todo for iPhone, Todo Desktop (mac only), and todo Online; so you could also use them everywhere, if you’re mostly a mac user (I am, however, a mac and windows, and android and iOS user. Due to my work as web developer, I basically have to use it all). Todo for iPad also offers synchronization with Toodledo; I think, overall, if your life is iPad centric, I’d completelly suggest Todo for iPad over Wunderlist (I haven’t try Todo for iPhone, but I’m guessing is also a very nice todo application for both iPhone and iPod, so if you’re on that platform, give it a try).

Advantages of Todo for iPad:

Todo for iPad has a very nice UI, and I’m not just saying it looks pretty, it is also a very usable application, it has a better more organized layout, that helps you see what you have to do.

The other main advantage is that it is not too focused on “lists” or “projects” but on “getting things done”. It has several ways to show you what you have to do today and what are your top priorities. Wunderlist is list centric, so almost everything you see will be divided first by list, then by priority or date.

Todo for iPad lets you create sub-tasks, and assign different levels of priorities for each task.

And finally, probably one of the features I look for in any todo application, but most of them simply ignore it: Todo for iPad lets you color code your projects, so that you can also differentiate between your tasks. I think I’m a very visual person, and I believe that the visual aspect of task management is also very important to help keep your tasks organized.

Advantages of Wunderlist:

Wunderlist is minimalistic. This can be considered a disadvantage to power users, because you’ll definitely see this application lacks tons of features other full gtd applications will consider basic (like priority levels and tags); however, this also means it is very simple and straightforward to use, and it doesn’t get in your way: you basically type what you need to do, and then see what you need to do.

The main advantage over almost all other todo applications is that Wunderlist is available everywhere: there’s a web version, and there are apps for  mac, ipad, iphone and ipod, android and windows. They also mention in their blog that it is available for Ubuntu, and there’s also a beta version for Blackberry. The nicest part of it all is that you can use it in more than one device and they’ll all be in sync. So you can start your day looking at what you need to do on your phone, then continue on your iPad and end on your laptop. That, I believe, should be the future of all applications: you can do things regardless of what platform you are at a precise moment.

I don’t consider this an advantage, but some might: Wunderlist is completely free. Download, sign-up, and start using it. That’s it. In my opinion, free is good, but not always better. Wunderlist is so nice, that I’d gladly pay for it.

I wish Wunderlist could have some other features, specially set several priority levels (high, medium, low, none) and let me color code tasks. I wish it could have a better layout for showing the task list. So it’s not a perfect application. It seems that they are working on a different application that might have all the good things of Wunderlist, and more features for a more organized life. It’s called Wunderkit, but it’s not here yet.

So what do I use?

I’m currently a Wunderlist user. The main reason, as I mentioned before, is that I have access to my todo list almost everywhere: my Samsung Galaxy SII, my laptop, my tablet, my other tablet, my work laptop, etc.

I also use it because I also wanted to try something very very simple. Sometimes, I spent too much time organizing my tasks, setting priorities, and tagging, and changing things and settings. Wunderlist is a way to go back to basics. It’s almost like using pen and paper.

So, what todo application do you use?