TickTick App Review: Why It Beats Todoist for Many Users

If you like your task app to be tidy, nimble, and also a little bit ambitious — a to-do list that throws in a Pomodoro timer, habit tracker, calendar, and statistics — then TickTick is a name you’ve likely heard. This review takes a hands-on look: what TickTick does well, where it trips up, who should use it, and whether the premium price is worth it. Expect practical workflows, candid pros and cons, and copy-ready takeaways.

Quick summary — What this review covers

Short version: TickTick is a feature-rich, cross-platform task manager aimed at people who want more than a list — they want a small productivity toolkit. It’s strong at smart inputs, calendar views, and focus tools (Pomodoro + white noise), and the Premium plan unlocks the heavier lifting like advanced filters, more lists and full statistics. This review tests real workflows, performance, pricing and how TickTick stacks up against the usual suspects.

What is TickTick? The elevator pitch

TickTick bills itself as an all-in-one productivity app: tasks, reminders, calendar, habit tracking and focus tools inside one interface. It runs on web, Windows, macOS, Android and iOS — plus browser extensions — so your tasks travel with you. Think of TickTick as a Swiss army knife: there’s a blade for almost every common productivity need.

Origins and platform support

Launched a few years back (evolving from earlier apps), TickTick has matured into a multi-platform product with native apps on mobile and desktop and a responsive web client. That means you can add a task on your phone and see it on your laptop instantly — the kind of frictionless sync you expect these days.

Core features at a glance

TickTick packs a surprising number of useful bits into a single app. Below are the main pieces I tested and used day to day.

Tasks, subtasks and Smart Date parsing

TickTick’s quick add is smart: type “Call Ahmed tomorrow 9am” and it auto-parses the date/time and creates a reminder. That kind of natural language parsing speeds capture and reduces friction. Subtasks and checklists are easy to add, and tasks accept notes, attachments and comments.

Calendar and multiple views (List, Grid, Week, Month)

The app isn’t just a list — it’s a calendar app too. You can switch between list, day/week/month calendar views and a grid layout for a less time-strict view. For people who plan by time blocks, TickTick’s calendar sync and multiple views are a major plus.

Pomodoro timer, habit tracker and focus tools

TickTick bundles a Pomodoro timer, built-in white noise, a habit tracker and statistics. If you like the ritual of 25-minute sprints plus focus sounds and habit streaks, TickTick keeps them all in one place so your focus tools are linked to the tasks you’re actually doing. This integration is rare and practical.

Reminders, priorities and recurring tasks

TickTick supports location and time reminders, priorities, and complex recurring patterns (daily, every weekday, every 3rd Tuesday, etc.). For repeating chores or calendar-based work rhythms, this is robust enough for most users.

Collaboration and sharing

You can share lists and assign tasks to others — basic collaboration that works well for small teams or families. It’s not a full project management suite (no built-in sprints or advanced dependencies), but it covers most casual collaboration needs.

Integrations and sync

TickTick supports calendar subscriptions and integrates smoothly with Google Calendar (two-way sync for some setups), plus it has API connectors via third-party automation platforms. It also offers browser extensions and widget support for quick capture.

Pricing and plans — Free vs Premium

TickTick has a generous free tier and a reasonably priced Premium plan. The company’s published pricing can change, but Premium is typically offered as an annual subscription and a monthly option — check the site for current rates. Premium unlocks high limits and advanced features useful if you’re a heavy user.

What Premium unlocks

Premium expands list & task limits, enables custom filters, adds calendar features (start/end dates, extra views), gives access to templates, advanced statistics, and lets you use more attachments and habits. If you rely on TickTick for time tracking, team workflows, or heavy automation, Premium quickly pays for itself.

First impressions — UI, onboarding and speed

Open TickTick and you’ll see a clean, modern interface focused on efficiency. The onboarding is gentle: create a few tasks, explore views, and the app nudges you toward the Pomodoro and habit features without being pushy.

Mobile vs desktop experience

Mobile is where TickTick shines for quick capture — widgets, voice add and smart parsing make it ideal for on-the-go. Desktop and web clients are more spacious and better for planning sessions, calendar views, or bulk edits. Sync between devices is reliable in my testing.

Smart input and quick add

The quick add box is surprisingly powerful. Natural language parsing saves seconds that add up — and when you’re capturing dozens of small tasks a day, those seconds matter. The voice input and lock-screen quick add (where supported) are thoughtful extras.

Hands-on: Everyday workflows

How does TickTick behave in real life? Here are three daily workflows I tested.

Inbox zero (task capture → triage → schedule)

Capture everything into an “Inbox” list via widget or quick add. At triage time, move tasks to project lists, add start/due dates and priorities, or schedule them on the calendar. The smart parsing and drag-and-drop lists make lightweight GTD workflows pleasant. No friction, no over-engineering.

Using Pomodoro + tasks for focused work

Pick a task, hit the Pomodoro timer inside TickTick, and work in 25-minute sprints with white noise. The advantage is convenience: your focus sessions, timer history and tasks live in the same app. It’s one less context switch.

Habit building alongside tasks

Use the habit tracker for daily or weekly rituals — exercise, reading, or checking analytics. Seeing habit streaks beside your task stats nudges behavior change because streaks are psychologically sticky. It’s not a separate app — it complements your task list.

Advanced features for power users

TickTick isn’t just for simple lists; it has power tools if you want them.

Custom filters and Smart Lists

Premium users can create custom filters (combine tags, dates, priorities) to build “Today Focus”, “High Priority Work”, or “Waiting For” smart lists. This turns a flat set of lists into a dynamic dashboard.

Kanban / Board and Timeline views

If you prefer a visual workflow, TickTick’s Kanban (Board) view and timeline/Calendar views give alternate lenses to manage work. It’s handy for content planning or sprints where visual status matters.

Task duration and time blocking

You can assign duration to tasks and block time on the calendar — useful for realistic planning. Pair that with Pomodoro sessions and you have a basic time-blocking system in one app.

Reliability, performance and battery impact

In everyday use TickTick is responsive. The web client and desktop apps are quick, and mobile apps are optimized. Battery impact is normal for a sync-heavy app, but if you use frequent location reminders or heavy widget updates, expect more battery draw. Overall, none of my tests showed crashes or data loss.

Privacy & security — what TickTick does and doesn’t promise

TickTick stores data in the cloud and uses standard sync mechanisms. For most personal data the default protections are fine, but TickTick is not marketed as an enterprise-grade secure vault — don’t use it as your sole store for extremely sensitive, regulated data without extra protections (local encryption backups, for example). Check their privacy policy for details on data handling.

Where TickTick shines (and where it stumbles)

Great for planners and multipurpose users

If you like a single app that handles lists, calendar, habits and focus sessions, TickTick is unusually well-integrated. The combo of smart parsing, calendar views and Pomodoro is an everyday productivity multiplier.

Less great for ultra-minimal, inbox-only users

If your goal is an ultra-fast, distraction-free capture tool with zero setup, TickTick’s many features can feel like a little bloat. Also, some heavy GTD purists prefer Todoist’s label/filter model or something simpler for raw speed.

TickTick vs competitors (Todoist, Google Tasks, Any.do)

Compared to Todoist, TickTick often feels more feature-complete out of the box (Pomodoro, habits, built-in calendar views). Todoist is leaner and may appeal to people who prefer a minimal, keyboard-centric workflow. Google Tasks is simpler and deeply integrated into Google ecosystem but lacks TickTick’s depth. If you want one app to handle many productivity tasks without stitching tools together, TickTick is a compelling choice.

Tips, hacks and workflows to get more from TickTick

Templates, habits and statistics

Use templates for recurring project types (content calendar, freelance client onboarding). Track habit stats and task completion rates to spot trends — the statistics screen is satisfying and motivating.

Calendar subscriptions and two-way sync

Subscribe to external calendars and use TickTick’s calendar views to avoid context switching. For two-way sync with Google Calendar, double-check your settings — some workflows require connecting both systems thoughtfully to avoid duplicates.

Common problems and troubleshooting

Sync issues, limits on free plan, and notification quirks

Occasionally users report delayed notifications or sync hiccups when their network is unstable — as with any cloud app. The free plan also imposes limits (lists, reminders); if you hit those limits you’ll either need to tidy up or upgrade. If notifications misbehave, check OS battery optimizers and notification settings first.

Final verdict — Who should pay for TickTick?

Buy Premium if you:

• Rely on TickTick as your primary daily planner (calendar + tasks).

• Want advanced filters, more lists and detailed stats.

• Use habit tracking and Pomodoro regularly and want deeper historical data.

Stick with Free if you:

• Only need occasional lists and simple reminders.

• Prefer a minimal workflow and rarely use calendar or habit features.

Overall, TickTick offers strong value: a modest premium price unlocks a tightly integrated productivity suite that replaces several single-purpose apps.

Conclusion

TickTick is a well-made, thoughtfully integrated productivity app that sits midway between simple to-do lists and heavier project tools. It’s particularly useful if you like combining task lists with calendars, focus timers and habits in one space. The smart parsing and multi-view calendar make planning painless, and Premium unlocks power features that serious users will appreciate. If you want one place to plan your day, focus without switching apps, and track habits, TickTick deserves a serious look.

FAQs

Q1 — Is TickTick free to use or do I need Premium?
TickTick has a generous free tier that works for casual users. Premium (annual or monthly) unlocks limits, custom filters, calendar features and statistics — worth it if you use TickTick heavily.

Q2 — Does TickTick have a Pomodoro timer built in?
Yes. TickTick includes a Pomodoro timer plus white-noise options and a history of sessions to help you track focused work.

Q3 — Can TickTick sync with Google Calendar?
Yes. TickTick supports calendar subscriptions and integration with Google Calendar; check settings to configure one-way or two-way behaviors as needed.

Q4 — Is TickTick better than Todoist?
“Better” depends on needs. TickTick bundles more productivity tools (habits, Pomodoro, calendar views) while Todoist is leaner and excels at fast capture and powerful query filters. If you want an all-in-one app, TickTick is often the more feature-complete option.

Q5 — Will TickTick drain my battery?
Not more than other sync-heavy productivity apps. If you use location reminders, lock-screen features, or frequent widget updates, expect higher battery use — whitelist the app in battery optimizers if you need reliable background behavior.