Because nothing kills productivity like a banner ad.
"Free" usually means ads. Banner at the bottom. Popup every few minutes. Video ad to unlock features. The app is free but your attention is the product.
Some apps are actually free. No ads. No catches. Here they are.
Completely free. Zero ads. Ever. The free version has all core features: tasks, gamification, Purpose Wheel, life balance tracking.
Optional $2.99 Pro upgrade exists but you don't need it. Free users aren't second-class citizens.
Business model: some people upgrade. That's it. No ads, no data selling.
Ads: None. Data selling: None.
Built into every iPhone. Completely free. Apple makes money from hardware, not ads.
Simple but effective. Siri integration. Family sharing. No catches.
Ads: None. Catch: Apple ecosystem only.
Free within Gmail/Google Calendar. Google's business is ads, but Tasks itself has none.
Simple list management. Integration with Google ecosystem.
Ads: None in app. Note: Google has your data generally.
Free for everyone. Microsoft makes money from Office, not task app ads.
My Day focus. Lists. Outlook integration. Clean design.
Ads: None. Bonus: Works on all platforms.
Free version has no ads. Limited to 5 projects and basic features.
Genuine freemium model. Free version is usable, not crippled.
Ads: None. Limitation: 5 projects max.
Attention fragmentation. You're trying to focus. An ad breaks that focus. The whole point of the app is defeated.
Visual clutter. Clean interfaces help clear thinking. Ads add noise.
Battery drain. Ad networks constantly load content. Your battery suffers.
Privacy concerns. Ad-supported apps track you. They need data to serve relevant ads.
Ads: You're the product. Your attention is sold to advertisers.
Freemium: Basic free, premium paid. Sustainable if done fairly.
Data selling: Your usage data is valuable. Some apps sell it.
Loss leader: Big tech (Apple, Google, Microsoft) gives apps free to keep you in ecosystem.
Funtasking uses freemium. Free version is fully functional. Paid version exists for those who want extras. No ads. No data selling. No tricks.