Todo.txt

A plain-text format and open-source CLI for keeping your to-do list in a single text file.

Verified facts: 4 of 4
Alternatives ranked: 4
Approved reviews: 0
Visits sent from here: 0

About Todo.txt

Todo.txt is less an app than a convention: your tasks live in a file called todo.txt, one per line, with simple markers for priority, creation and completion dates, +projects and @contexts. Because it is plain text, any editor on any operating system can read and change it, and it syncs with whatever file sync you already use. The official todo.sh shell script adds quick commands for adding, listing, prioritising and archiving finished tasks into done.txt, with tab completion, and there are add-ons for extending it. A community of independent apps reads the same format, including desktop clients for Windows and Mac and mobile apps, so you can mix tools freely. It is free and the CLI is open source under the GPL. The trade-off is intentional minimalism: no reminders, date pickers, recurring tasks or collaboration unless an individual app adds them, which makes it best for people who value portability over features.

Best for: Minimalists and developers who want tasks in a future-proof plain-text file.

What works

Plain text you can edit with any editor
No lock-in; many compatible apps
Free, with an open-source CLI

Why people leave

No built-in reminders or recurring tasks
Experience depends on which third-party app you pick
No collaboration features

Top Todo.txt alternatives

See all 4

1
Taskwarrior
Also terminal-based, with far richer filtering, dependencies, recurrence and sync.
66.5
2
Super Productivity
Free, open-source and local-first, adding a GUI, timers and time tracking.
62.6
3
Planify
A free, open-source native Linux app if you want a graphical interface.
59.6
4
Tasks.org
Open-source Android task app with offline use and open sync protocols.
57.2

Why people left Todo.txt

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Todo.txt: common questions

Is Todo.txt free?

Yes. Todo.txt is free, open-source software.

Is Todo.txt open source?

Yes. The source code is on GitHub at todotxt/todo.txt-cli.

What platforms does Todo.txt run on?

Todo.txt is available for Linux, macOS and Windows.

What are the best alternatives to Todo.txt?

The highest-ranked Todo.txt alternatives right now are Taskwarrior, Super Productivity and Planify. See the full ranked list for pricing, platforms and verified facts.

See all 4 Todo.txt alternatives

Todo.txt facts

4 of 4 verified

License (CLI): GPL-3.0; Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab); “License: GPL-3.0 (GNU General Public License v3.0).”
Format: Plain text, any editor; Checked Oct 25, 2026todotxt.org(opens source in a new tab); “But you can work with your todo.txt file in every text editor ever made, regardless of operating system or vendor.”
Archiving: Completed tasks moved to done.txt; Checked Oct 25, 2026todotxt.org(opens source in a new tab); “The Todo.txt CLI supports archiving completed tasks to done.txt and priority/context tab autocompletion.”
Format fields: Priorities, dates, projects, contexts; Checked Oct 25, 2026todotxt.org(opens source in a new tab); “The format supports priorities, creation and completion dates, projects and contexts.”