Todoist vs Super Productivity
A side-by-side look at Todoist (the paid SaaS) and Super Productivity (the open source alternative). Use this page to decide if the switch fits your team and workflow.
| Todoist | Super Productivity | |
|---|---|---|
| Tagline | Cross-platform todo list and task manager. | Open source Todoist-style task tracker with time tracking. |
| License | Proprietary SaaS | MIT |
| Pricing | Free tier; Pro from $4/month. | Free to self-host |
| Self-host option | No | Yes — difficulty 1/5 |
| Hosted cloud available | Yes (only option) | No |
| Desktop apps | Varies by product | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Mobile apps | Official apps typically available | Android |
Best for
Local-first todo app with Pomodoro and Jira/GitHub integrations.
Super Productivity strengths
- Local-first — no account needed.
- Pomodoro and time tracking built in.
- Integrations with Jira, GitHub, GitLab.
Super Productivity weaknesses
- No iOS app.
- Sync requires your own backend (Nextcloud, WebDAV).
- UI density can overwhelm new users.
What's the catch with Todoist?
- Free tier feature reductions over time.
- Reminder functionality locked behind paid tier.
- Cloud-only.
Still unsure?
Check the full list of alternatives to Todoist: see Todoist alternatives, or learn more about Super Productivity on its project page.
Recommended reading
When self-hosting goes wrong: seven failure modes and how to avoid them
An honest retrospective on the ways self-hosted setups break — not in theory, but in practice — and the small habits that prevent most of them.
Will the open source project you depend on still exist in three years?
Bus factor, maintainer burnout, funding models, and the signals that separate OSS projects that survive from those that quietly decay.
From SaaS to self-hosted: a 30-day migration playbook
A week-by-week plan to move one service off SaaS and onto your own server without breaking your team's workflow.