I spent 3 months testing every popular planner app. Here's my honest take.
Let's be real. There are way too many planner apps in 2026. Every week someone launches "the next revolutionary productivity tool" that's basically Todoist with a different color scheme.
I tested over 20 apps. Used each one for at least a week. Some I loved. Most I deleted after 3 days. Here's what actually worked.
Okay, this is our app. But hear me out. Most planners just give you a to-do list. Funtasking gives you a visual wheel that shows if you're spending too much time on work and ignoring health, relationships, or hobbies.
It's gamified too. You earn coins for completing tasks. Sounds silly until you realize it actually makes you want to check things off.
Motion is the AI planner everyone talks about. It automatically schedules your tasks around your calendar. Sounds magical. And it kind of is.
But $19/month? For a to-do app? That's $228 a year. It better make my coffee too.
The old reliable. Todoist has been around forever and it still works. Natural language input is great. Type "call mom tomorrow at 5pm" and it just gets it.
But honestly? It feels dated in 2026. No visual timeline. No life balance. Just... tasks.
Beautiful visual timeline. Great for ADHD brains who need to see their day as blocks of time. One-time purchase is nice.
Apple ecosystem only though. Sorry Android folks.
The "mindful" planner. Sunsama forces you to plan your day every morning and review it every evening. Great for work-life balance.
But it's slow. Like, intentionally slow. Some people love it. I found it annoying.
| App | Price | Best For | Free Tier |
|---|---|---|---|
| Funtasking | Free / $2.99 | Life balance | Full features |
| Motion | $19/mo | AI scheduling | 7-day trial |
| Todoist | $5/mo | Simple tasks | Limited |
| Structured | $50 once | Visual planning | Basic |
| Sunsama | $16/mo | Mindful planning | 14-day trial |
You're overwhelmed and need simplicity? Start with Funtasking. It's free, it's visual, and the life balance wheel actually helps you see where your time goes.
You have money and want AI to schedule everything? Motion. It's expensive but it works.
You just need a basic task list? Todoist free tier. Or Apple Reminders if you're on iPhone.
You're on Apple and love pretty apps? Structured. Worth the one-time purchase.
Most planners made me feel worse. I'd check off tasks but still feel like something was missing. Turns out I was crushing it at work while my health, relationships, and hobbies were dying.
Funtasking shows you the full picture. Not just tasks. Your whole life. Sounds dramatic but it actually helped me notice patterns I was blind to.
Plus the gamification scratches that dopamine itch. Don't judge me.