Best App for To-Do Lists: iPhone, Android & Windows (Free, 2025)

The best to-do list app works consistently across iPhone, Android and Windows without losing tasks or forcing a paid upgrade for basic features. In 2025, Todoist, TickTick and Microsoft To Do lead for cross-platform individual use, while Wuzzio is the strongest free option when you need to share tasks with a partner, family or housemates.

What cross-platform actually means for a to-do app

"Works on all platforms" sounds like a minimum requirement, but the reality varies. Some apps have a polished iPhone version and a neglected Android app. Some Windows apps are web wrappers that work offline poorly. Some require a paid subscription to sync across more than two devices.

The platforms to consider:

iPhone (iOS): The dominant mobile platform for productivity apps. Most to-do apps launch on iOS first.

Android: Wide device variety, different notification handling than iOS. Apps that work well on both need explicit Android optimisation.

Windows: Most used for work tasks. Browser access is fine for most purposes; a native Windows app offers better offline support and system notifications.

Mac: Similar to Windows for office work. Most apps that have a Windows client also have Mac.

Web browser: The most important cross-platform option. An app accessible from any browser at any device requires no installation.

The best to-do list apps across platforms

Todoist

Available on iOS, Android, Windows, Mac and web. The web version is fully functional. Natural language input works in many languages. The free tier allows up to five shared projects and unlimited individual tasks. Syncs instantly across all devices.

The Apple experience is polished: widget support, Siri integration, Apple Watch app. The Android experience is equally strong. On Windows, both a native app and browser access work reliably.

Best for: individuals who want a premium-feeling cross-platform task manager without paying.

Microsoft To Do

Available on iOS, Android, Windows and web. Free with a Microsoft account. Strong Windows and Outlook integration (flagged emails become tasks). The Android and iOS apps are well-maintained.

Best for: users already in the Microsoft ecosystem who want seamless Outlook and Teams integration.

TickTick

Available on iOS, Android, Windows, Mac and web. The free tier is the most generous in this comparison: calendar view, Pomodoro timer, habit tracker and sharing are all included without payment. One of the few apps with a native Windows taskbar widget.

Best for: users who want maximum features in the free tier across all major platforms.

Apple Reminders (iOS and Mac only)

The built-in iOS to-do app. Excellent on iPhone and Mac, supports Siri, integrated with iCloud for sharing between Apple devices. Lists can be shared with other Apple ID holders.

The problem: does not have an Android or Windows app. If you use only Apple devices, it is a strong built-in option. If anyone in your household uses Android, it breaks the sharing model.

Wuzzio

Browser-based, works on any device including iPhone, Android and Windows without installation. Designed for household and group task coordination. Tasks can be assigned to specific members, set as recurring and connected to a shared calendar.

Best for: households where multiple people need to see, assign and complete tasks together. Not optimised for individual productivity power users.

Our guide to the best free task manager apps for work covers the work-focused options in more depth.

What is a to-do list app and when should you use one?

A to-do list app is a tool for capturing, organising and tracking tasks so nothing falls through the cracks. The difference between a notes app and a to-do list app:

Notes app (Keep, Apple Notes): Good for capturing ideas, checklists without dates or assignments. No reminders, no project structure.

To-do list app (Todoist, TickTick, Wuzzio): Designed specifically for actionable tasks with dates, priorities, assignments, reminders and project organisation.

Use a to-do list app when you have tasks that need deadlines, tasks that repeat, tasks you want to assign to someone else or tasks across multiple projects that need separate organisation.

Setting up a to-do list app on iPhone

Todoist: Download from the App Store, create a free account. Add your first project. Enable notifications in iPhone Settings to receive due date reminders.

TickTick: Download from App Store, create free account. In settings, enable Siri shortcuts to add tasks by voice. The widget shows your today tasks from the iPhone home screen.

Wuzzio: Open wuzzio.com in Safari on iPhone. Tap the Share button, then "Add to Home Screen". This creates an app icon that opens Wuzzio like a native app, with push notifications enabled.

Setting up a to-do list on Android

Todoist and TickTick are both available on the Google Play Store with full functionality.

Wuzzio: Open wuzzio.com in Chrome on Android. Tap the three-dot menu and select "Add to Home Screen". The app installs as a PWA (Progressive Web App) with a home screen icon and push notifications.

To-do list on Windows: best options

Microsoft To Do: Has a native Windows desktop app that syncs with Outlook. Start menu integration, system notifications. The most seamless Windows experience.

Todoist: Both a native Windows app and a browser version. Works well offline in the native app.

TickTick: Native Windows app with system tray integration, good offline support.

Wuzzio: Browser-based. Open Chrome or Edge and use it at wuzzio.com. No offline support, but works identically on any Windows computer without setup.

Conclusion

For cross-platform individual productivity, TickTick offers the most features in the free tier. Todoist is the most polished experience across all platforms. Microsoft To Do is the best for Windows and Outlook users. For shared household task management, Wuzzio is the most practical free option that works identically on iPhone, Android and any Windows browser.