I’ve always been a fan of the Apple Reminders app on iPhones. It’s excellently integrated into the Apple ecosystem and easy to use. But, as my organizational needs increase, I find that the Reminders app lacks advanced customizations, integrations, and overall versatility. This is where third-party reminder apps for iPhone come into the picture!
These apps provide advanced integrations with productivity tools to enhance your collaborative workspaces. They also have plenty of customization options to meet the needs of a power user. From location-based alerts to a more intuitive interface, a third-party reminder app will provide excellent functionality and flexibility.
For this blog, I tested some of the most popular iPhone reminder apps available today. However, before I start discussing these apps, let’s understand in detail why these apps are a better option than your regular iPhone Reminder app.
Why are third-party reminder apps better than Apple reminders?
Depending on your specific needs, third-party reminder apps bring more to the table than Apple Reminders. Let’s check out several reasons why you should consider the switch:
1. Advanced features
While Apple Reminders does an excellent job of handling the basics, it lacks advanced features and settings. For example, a large task can’t be broken down into smaller tasks for easier completion. You also won’t be able to prioritize tasks to tackle them throughout the day.
Third-party apps like Todoist, Microsoft To Do, and Any.do provide these settings and more. In fact, with these apps, you’ll be able to:
- Prioritize tasks in the order you need.
- Set subtasks and complete task dependencies.
- Sync the reminder list with more than just Apple devices.
- Integrate your reminder app with apps like Slack and Google Calendar.
- Customize the reminder list further to set recurring tasks or location-based tasks.
2. User interface customization
Color-grading is a productive hack that allows you to organize your tasks in a balanced way. For example, setting tasks in Red shows priority and urgency. Tasks in Yellow need to be tackled on Medium priority, and tasks in Green can be tackled later in the week.
This is just an example of customizing your feed through visual design to ensure a more productive headspace. Unfortunately, Apple Reminders is limited in these types of customizations. The ideal reminder app should allow you to change the color, layout, or even the overall theme to suit your workflow.
Thankfully, while Apple Reminders is limited in this regard, third-party reminder apps are not. So, you have more freedom in terms of customizing the interface to your liking.
3. Smarter task management
With AI becoming a massive part of our workflows, it only makes sense that our reminder apps aren’t left behind. Although Apple has improved the natural language processing of its Reminders app, it isn’t capable of advanced task management. However, third-party apps like Todoist have risen to the challenge.
With these apps, you can type “Remind me to pay the electricity bill on 31 January 2025, and pick up the cake for Jenny’s birthday at 6 PM today”. These are two different tasks, and third-party apps can recognize the scheduling to automatically set the reminders on the correct date and time.
4. Better collaboration
Reminders aren’t just limited to you. You might be organizing a family event or handling a team task. So, shouldn’t you be able to collaborate with your family or team through these reminders?
Apple Reminders lacks collaboration features like shared projects and real-time updates. You won’t even be able to communicate with others through comments on tasks. The app only allows you to share tasks with others through basic communication channels like iMessage or Bluetooth. Clearly, it lacks that edge in efficiency and productivity.
Fortunately for you, third-party apps like Any-do have excellent collaboration features for you to streamline your workflows through reminders.
5. Task management
Task management combines collaboration features with project management. If your reminder app has task management features, you can share projects with team members, track task progress, and break down tasks into subtasks for easier processing. Third-party apps integrating with Slack, Asana, and Trello provide superb task and project management functionality.
On the other hand, Apple Reminders doesn’t integrate with these apps and doesn’t provide any task management features. It’s more task-centric in its approach, making its case for casual users.
6. Customizable notifications
Smart notifications are a game-changer! You can customize the type and timing of notifications and even set location-based notifications for specific alerts. Third-party apps like Todoist, Any.do, and Things 3 allow you to set notification styles to match your workflows. Of course, Apple Reminders lacks in this regard and doesn’t allow you to customize notifications.
7. Integrations
If you truly want to level up your productivity game through reminder apps on your iPhone, you need to choose apps that provide a healthy amount of integrations with other apps. Your reminder app should integrate with the likes of Google’s app suite, Dropbox, Zapier, Asana, Slack, and Trello (at the very least).
It’s even better if the app allows integrations with Amazon Alexa for precise control of your home environment. Unfortunately, Apple Reminders’ integrations are limited to apps in the Apple ecosystem.
As you can see from the points mentioned here, Apple Reminders is simple and reliable for casual users and integrates with iCloud for added flexibility. However, for power users, it lacks integrations, customization options, and cross-platform compatibility. So, if you’re an advanced user who relies on reminder apps for your tasks and projects, using third-party apps becomes a no-brainer!
10 best reminder apps for iPhone to stay organized
Now that you know about the advantages of using third-party apps, let’s check out the best reminder apps for iPhone users.
1. Any.do: To-Do List and Planner – Best for location-based reminders
If you haven’t heard of or used Any.do yet, it’s high time that you shift to this powerhouse of an iPhone reminder app. According to the developers, the app is trusted by over 40 million individuals, teams, and families, and for good reason.
The app provides a sleek, minimalist user interface that complements your workflow. Adding tasks is easy too. All I needed to do was select the date and add my reminder for a certain time. The app automatically added my task for the specified time without requiring any manual intervention.
In addition, you can group your tasks based on Personal tasks, Grocery Lists, Work, and more. While you can customize your own task categories, it also lets you sync existing tasks from Apple Reminders for added ease of use.
This feature is utilized through mobile geofencing technology, which tracks your location to give you location-specific reminders. And if we’re talking about mobile geofencing, let’s compare Any.do’s location-based reminders with Radar’s geofencing capabilities.
iOS has limitations of up to 20 geofences, and Radar unleashes your device’s capabilities with unlimited geofences, polygon geofences (for custom geofences), and extra accuracy. This ensures that you never miss location-based reminders.
For example, if you’ve got some grocery shopping to do on your task list, Radar’s geofencing technology ensures you get an accurate, location-based reminder of grocery shopping when you cross a relevant store. In fact, Radar’s advanced technology provides accuracy down to 5 meters. It can also be used for work, with all your work-related tasks lined up for you the minute you’re near your workplace.
So, if you want detailed reminders for your professional and personal life, mobile geofencing with Radar’s technology is the way to go.
Any.do doesn’t provide this level of accuracy, however. While its location-based feature in the premium version is decent, it’s limited by your phone’s built-in capability and doesn’t allow polygon geofences either.
Nonetheless, Any.do does a decent job if you’re looking for location-based reminder features, with accuracy up to a few tens of metres.
Pros
- Excellent integration with Apple Reminders, Slack, and other apps
- Easy to use for beginners
- Categorization features add task management efficiency
Cons
- Collaboration features are limited to the Teams plan only
Price: The base version is free, but in-app purchases start at $2.99, with the Premium plan costing $59.99 for the whole year.
Final Verdict: Choose Any.do if you want an easy to use reminder app with mobile geofencing features for location-based reminders.
2. Reminder, Reminders with Voice – Best for personalizing reminders and task lists
Let’s face it—we love using apps that let us customize certain aspects. With Reminder, Reminders with Voice, we can customize our reminders through voice notes in any language. Moreover, the app plays the reminder in the voice we use. This makes setting alarms or reminders more practical and personalized.
Moreover, it offers multiple settings and configurations for the reminders, such as Pre-Alarm, Custom Images, and Custom Sounds. Depending on your requirements, you can also set the reminder for multiple days, weeks, months, or years. Essentially, the flexibility it allows with planning short-term or long-term events is unparalleled!
However, what really won me over with this app is its strict data privacy policy. It doesn’t collect or store any user data, which ensures that all your reminders and personal details are kept safe and secure.
Pros
- High level of personalization and customization with reminders
- Multiple configuration options for scheduling the alarm
- Strict data privacy policy to ensure your data is protected
Cons
- Music integration feels gimmicky, with very rare use cases
Price: The app is free to use, and the full version can be unlocked by paying $2.99.
Final Verdict: Choose Reminders, Reminders with Voice if you want to personalize your reminders and task lists.
3. To-do List – Todo Reminders – Best for setting recurring tasks
If you’re looking for a free iPhone reminder app specifically for personal work, I’d recommend To-do List—Todo Reminders. It’s remarkably easy to use and does an excellent job of tracking all your tasks.
The app has multiple options to manage tasks, allowing you to set them daily, weekly, monthly, or even at custom intervals. Moreover, you can customize the notifications to fit
your daily routine and requirements. A categorization option also sets reminders for personal, work, and shopping. However, I’d only recommend the app for personal work as it’s not very functional due to the lack of integrations with productivity apps.
Apart from this, the app supports multiple languages and is available across all devices in the Apple ecosystem, ensuring cross-platform syncing for your devices. Its ease of use and functionality across other Apple devices make it worth a try!
Pros
- Elegant and customizable user interface
- Free plan has enough functionality for basic users
- Decent level of customization for recurring tasks
- Affordable and flexible pricing plans
Cons
- Lacks integrations with productivity apps, making it less suitable for professional work
Price: The app is free, and in-app purchases start at $2.99. All the features are unlockable permanently for a one-time fee of $59.99.
Final Verdict: Choose To-do List – Todo Reminders for its ease of use and personal recurring tasks.
4. Things 3 – Best for third-party app integrations
Most of us look for free apps that get the job done. However, if you’re willing to spend money on a paid app, Things 3 should be one of your first choices. This iPhone reminder app offers an exceptional level of functionality. You can add a task and break it down into smaller subtasks, add notes to it, and tag it based on categories.
The app also allows decent task management through project structuring. You can lay out different tasks for each project with deadlines and important notes. To smoothen things further, divide your tasks into Work, Personal, Family, Finance, and other such categories.
What I love the most about this app is the integrations. Things 3 supports integrations with other apps through which you can transfer content and convert it into To-Do lists. For example, mail a document or task to the Things mail, and it’ll be converted into a task within the specified time!
Apart from this, there’s the Magic Plus button to seamlessly add to-dos anywhere on a list, widgets for easier access, Quick Find to switch between lists, Markdown to structure your lists, and Calendar integration, among other features.
Pros
- Deep integrations with other third-party apps
- Extremely easy to use
- Sleek, uncluttered interface
- Works in sync with the car’s infotainment system
Cons
- No free version is available for trial
- No significant cons found
Price: Things 3 doesn’t have a free version, and the app can be unlocked by paying $6.99.
Final Verdict: Choose Things 3 for its integration support with third-party apps and the quality-of-life features.
5. GoodTask – To Do List, Tasks – Best for Apple reminders and calendar integration
I’m heavily reliant on Apple Reminders and Calendar for my personal and professional work. While they’re great, both apps have their limitations. So, when I stumbled across GoodTask on the App Store, with its promise of seamless integration into the iOS ecosystem, I jumped at the opportunity to use it.
Thankfully, it’s been a smooth ride with GoodTask so far. It synced perfectly with my iCloud, Apple Reminders, and Calendar for better project and task management on my iPhone. It allows you to customize your to-do lists through tags, deadlines, and priorities. It’s also capable of using geofencing to provide location-based reminders!
To streamline your workflows, you can also configure the app’s layout, timezone support, and smart notifications. Additionally, it allows you to handle tasks in bulk through duplication, tag, and deadline changes.
Overall, GoodTasks is excellent if you’re a heavy iOS user. Did you know that the app is compatible with Apple Vision Pro?
Pros
- Seamless integration with Apple Reminders, iCloud, and Calendar
- Bulk actions allow easy task management for recurring events
- Supports location-based reminders
Cons
- Lacks support for other third-party applications
Price: The base version is free, and in-app purchases for the full version, GoodTask Supporter, and Support Once options are $9.99 each.
Final Verdict: Choose GoodTask – To Do Lists, Tasks if you use Apple Reminders and Calendar
6. TickTick: To-Do List & Calendar – Best for productivity and task management
TickTick: To-Do List & Calendar is the best app to use if you’re finding it difficult to compartmentalize and focus on different tasks. It’s different from the other apps on this list in the fact that it comes with a Pomodoro Timer integration. This timer helps you block distractions, break down a large task into smaller subtasks, and balance your work with personal time. I also liked that the app has an intuitive drag-and-drop functionality for tasks, allowing me to insert tasks anywhere onto my list for easy organization. TickTick also provides Focus Mode shortcuts that you can use to complete a task without even opening the app itself!
Of course, you can tag pending tasks based on priority, block your calendars based on your needs, and set recurring tasks for long-term planning. Overall, it’s an excellent task management app that doubles as a productivity app as well.
Pros
- Pomodoro Timer effectively increases productivity levels
- Task organization is made easier with features like drag-and-drop, Grid View, calendar blocking
- Syncs with all devices in the Apple ecosystem
Cons
- Lacks integrations with third-party applications
- Needs more task management features
Price: The base version is free. The monthly subscription costs $3.99, and the Annual subscription is priced at $35.99.
Final Verdict: Choose TickTick: To-Do List & Calendar if you want to be more productive with your tasks and reminders.
7. ToDo List – Task manager list – Best for ease of use
For those of us who prefer our apps to be simple, ToDo List—Task manager list is an excellent offering. It does exactly what it advertises—it lists out your tasks and provides straightforward features.
You can use its Home Screen and Lock Screen widgets for easy access to your tasks. However, the app itself only has one list. You can add your tasks with a single tap on the screen, swipe left to delete them once they’re completed, and swipe right to color code them based on priority.
After using the app for a few days, I understood the reasons behind its popularity. It takes a no-frills approach, meant for those who just want to get the job done. It won’t provide advanced features like geofencing support, but it’ll help you keep a tab on all your daily tasks.
Pros
- Easy to use with no complicated features
- Home Screen and Lock Screen widgets add accessibility
- Available for free
Cons
- Lacks advanced features that power users need for task management
- No significant cons found
Price: The app doesn’t have any in-app purchases and is available for free on the App Store.
Final Verdict: Choose ToDo List – Task manager app for a straightforward and casual experience.
8. MinimaList: To Do List &Widget – Best for advanced features and security
MinimaList dons multiple hats for you – it functions as a to-do list, schedule planner, reminder app, and task manager, among other things. Regardless of how you use it, you’ll find its clean and intuitive user interface to be one of its core strengths.
It also provides a Pomodoro Timer to enhance productivity, although I didn’t find it quite as useful as TickTick’s. However, MinimaList integrates well with Apple products and the iOS ecosystem, especially the Calendar app, to sync tasks across all your devices.
Moreover, it has a Smart Input feature that utilizes natural language processes to understand the details of your task and automatically add the relevant date and time. You can also use it through Siri, and your personal information is protected through TouchID and FaceID support.
Pros
- Multiple features for every kind of user
- Syncs seamlessly with Apple apps and devices
- TouchID and FaceID support for added security
Cons
- Most of the advanced features are locked behind paywalls
Price: You can access the base version for free. In-app purchases include a monthly subscription for $2.99, Lifetime and Boost Productivity offers for $5.99, Lifetime VIP for $8.99 and $9.99 (based on features), and Lifetime Family plan for $14.99.
Final Verdict: Choose MinimaList: To Do List &Widget for its features and the security it provides through TouchID and FaceID support.
9. Microsoft To Do – Best for Microsoft 365 integration
As a task management tool, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a better one than Microsoft To Do. It’s far more advanced than Apple Reminders and provides a slew of features for power users.
What I love most about Microsoft To Do is its My Day feature, which is essentially a personalized daily planner that provides all your daily tasks. This feature made it incredibly easy for me to keep up with my daily tasks.
You can share your tasks with your friends, colleagues, and family members along with the required attachments. When sharing tasks with others, you can also add personalized notes. Of course, each task can also be broken into subtasks to ease your workflow. For prioritization, customization options like color grading and sorting are available as well!
Since this is a Microsoft Tool, you can integrate it with other Microsoft apps on any device. This includes apps like Microsoft Outlook, Excel, and the Microsoft 365 suite. Despite its excellent features, it’s available for free on all devices!
Pros
- Excellent task management features
- Integrates seamlessly with other Microsoft apps
- Decent customization options for shared tasks
Cons
- Limited integration with the Apple ecosystem
Price: Microsoft To Do is available for free, and does not have in-app purchases.
Final Verdict: Choose Microsoft To Do if you use Microsoft 365 apps frequently.
10. Google Keep – Notes and lists – Best for iGoogle ecosystem Integration
The final app on my list of iPhone reminder apps is from one of Apple’s fiercest competitors, Google. Even though I’m an Apple loyalist, I can’t deny the level of functionality that Google Keep offers!
Google Keep offers an unprecedented level of customization. You can integrate the app with your camera, ensuring that you can capture moments and ideas with immaculate ease. You can also add lists, audio, and notes to your Keep profile, and everything can be
shared with your contacts at a moment’s notice. This makes it ideal for collaborating on small projects.
Additionally, the app allows you to organize your notes, reminders, and to-dos based on color. This ensures that you’re organized and the tasks are prioritized based on your requirements. For easy note addition and organization, you can add voice notes, which are automatically converted to text notes.
You can also add location-based reminders so that you don’t miss out on laundry day or grocery shopping for the next week.
Pros
- Syncs with your Google account for seamless integrations
- Easy to access and use for beginners
- Multiple sharing and collaboration options for short-term projects
Cons
- Doesn’t have advanced structuring features for power users
Price: Google Keep is free to use, with no in-app purchases.
Final Verdict: Choose Google Keep if you want an app that integrates perfectly with the Google ecosystem.
Signing Off…
With that, we come to the end of this list of the best reminder apps for iPhone. As you can see, reminder apps have evolved in recent years. It’s no longer about providing the option to store your tasks; it’s also about how the app can enhance your productivity and collaboration. This ensures a holistic approach to tasks, with smarter features that consider your usage pattern and location for accurate reminders and efficient task completion!
If I’ve missed any of your favorite reminder apps, let me know in the comment section. I’ll be sure to check them out!
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