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Todoist alternative for ADHD: Persistence vs Todoist
Todoist is a superb general-purpose task manager. If what you actually need is a calmer todo list with a journal, forgiving habits and a visible day — and nobody tracking you — Persistence is the alternative built for that.
About Todoist
Todoist is one of the most mature task managers around: projects, labels, filters, natural-language dates, recurring tasks, collaboration and integrations with almost everything. It's built for people who want a powerful, configurable system for work and life.
Persistence vs Todoist at a glance
Comparison based on publicly available information as of August 2026. Features and prices change — check the other product's own site for current details.
| Feature | Persistence | Todoist |
|---|---|---|
| Designed ADHD-first | Yes | NoGeneral-purpose |
| Micro-journal with mood tracking | YesOne line + a mood tag | No |
| Habit tracker that forgives missed days | YesNo streak-loss penalty | PartlyRecurring tasks and Karma streaks — missing days costs points |
| Time blocking / daily planner | Yes15-minute grid | PartlyCalendar layout and calendar integrations |
| Progress statistics | Yes | YesKarma and productivity trends |
| No analytics or telemetry | YesNone on the site or in the app | NoUses product analytics per its privacy policy |
| Native Linux app | Yes | Yes |
| Free plan | YesUp to 7 of each | YesLimited projects on free |
| Paid plan | $4 / month | See their site |
Which should you choose?
Stay with Todoist if…
- You share projects and assign tasks to other people.
- You rely on deep integrations, filters and a big ecosystem.
- You like Karma points, productivity goals and the feeling of a system to tune.
Switch to Persistence if…
- You've set Todoist up perfectly three times and abandoned it three times.
- Overdue counts and red badges make you avoid the app instead of open it.
- You want journaling, mood and habits in the same calm place as tasks.
- You'd rather pay a small subscription than be analysed by an engagement funnel.
What makes Persistence different
Persistence isn't a lighter clone of Todoist. It's built from a different premise: that for an ADHD brain the hardest part isn't organising work, it's capturing a thought before it goes, restarting after a bad week without shame, and seeing the day as time rather than as a list.
- Capture in one keystroke, then optionally add priority or repeat. No setup ritual.
- Habits forgive. A missed day is a gap in the chart, not a broken streak or a punishment.
- Micro-journal with mood lives next to your tasks, so patterns show up in the Statistics tab.
- Time blocking on a 15-minute grid turns "later" into a visible block.
- No tracking, ever. No analytics on the site or in the app; Premium is the whole business model. Read more.
- Native everywhere: web, macOS, Windows, Linux and Android. Download.
Persistence vs Todoist — FAQ
- Can I import my Todoist tasks into Persistence?
- There's no one-click import yet. Persistence's capture is fast enough that most people re-enter only what's still relevant — which for an ADHD backlog is often the point.
- Is Persistence as powerful as Todoist?
- No, and it isn't trying to be. It has fewer projects, filters and integrations, and in exchange it has journaling, mood, forgiving habits and time blocking with far less to set up.
More comparisons
Ready to try the calmer Todoist alternative?
Up to 7 tasks, notes and habits at no cost — no card, no tracking. Upgrade to Premium only if you outgrow it.