Todoist — Todoist is a popular task manager and to-do list app. It works best for Individuals practicing GTD with natural language task capture and Freelancers managing multiple client projects with simple structure.
Trello — Trello is a visual collaboration tool that creates a shared perspective on projects. It works best for Small teams needing simple visual task tracking and Individuals managing personal projects and GTD workflows.
This comparison covers pricing, key strengths and limitations, and what each tool does best to help you choose the right fit for your workflow.
Quick Comparison
Feature
Todoist
Trello
Rating
4.8 / 5
4.5 / 5
Pricing Model
Freemium
Freemium
Starting Price
Free / $4/mo
Free / $5/user/mo
Category
Productivity & Knowledge Management
Productivity & Knowledge Management
Free Plan
✓ Yes
✓ Yes
Pros & Cons
Todoist
Pros
Natural language date parsing creates scheduled tasks from plain text without date pickers
Karma system gamifies task completion with productivity trends and streak tracking
Quick Capture via keyboard shortcut, mobile widget, or email forwarding captures tasks in seconds
Available natively on iOS, Android, Mac, Windows, and Chrome extension for full-platform coverage
Cons
Project hierarchy limited to 5 levels — complex work breakdown structures require workarounds
Collaboration features require Pro plan at $4/mo per user for shared projects
No native time tracking or workload management for team capacity planning
Trello
Pros
Lowest onboarding friction of any PM tool — teams reach productive workflows in minutes
Power-Ups connect Trello cards to Google Drive, Slack, GitHub, and Jira without code
Card templates speed up recurring task creation for repetitive workflows
Free plan supports real projects for small teams without time limits
Cons
Kanban-only design lacks Gantt, timeline, or workload views without Power-Ups
Scales poorly for complex projects with many dependencies across teams
Reporting and analytics are minimal compared to Monday.com or ClickUp
Who Is It For?
Todoist is best for
Individuals practicing GTD with natural language task capture
Freelancers managing multiple client projects with simple structure
Teams wanting basic shared task lists without PM tool complexity
Students and productivity enthusiasts tracking goals with gamification
Todoist scores 4.8/5 vs Trello's 4.5/5 in our editorial ratings, making it the higher-rated option overall. Todoist is especially strong for Individuals practicing GTD with natural language task capture.
Which is cheaper, Todoist or Trello?+
Both tools offer free access. Todoist is freemium. Paid plans start from Free / $4/mo. Trello is freemium. Paid plans start from Free / $5/user/mo.
What is the main difference between Todoist and Trello?+
Todoist is a popular task manager and to-do list app. Trello is a visual collaboration tool that creates a shared perspective on projects. The key distinction is focus: Todoist is best suited for Individuals practicing GTD with natural language task capture, while Trello works better for Small teams needing simple visual task tracking.
Verdict
Recommended choice
Todoist
Based on our editorial ratings, Todoist scores higher (4.8/5 vs 4.5/5). Todoist is particularly well-suited for Individuals practicing GTD with natural language task capture. That said, Trello remains a strong choice if small teams needing simple visual task tracking is your priority.