Clear Reviews

I’ve used this app DAILY for years now for all of my lists and have recommended it to many people, but now I’m looking for an alternative. Old version was 5 stars; new version gets 3 because it functions almost the same but the aesthetics are ruined, which was a big factor in my motivation to use Clear originally. New version (“this app 2”) is SO UGLY and tries too hard to be cutesy. Everything is big and bubbly feeling compared to the original, like I’m on an app for a child now. There should be an option to revert to the old this app at the very least. I would literally pay to be able to revert to the old version if I had to, but I definitely won’t be paying for “this app 2.” Also for anyone who has “lost their lists” —YOUR LISTS DIDN'T GET DELETED—you just have to swipe down repeatedly to get back to your lists. But I had a near heart attack myself before I figured that out, so the developers should definitely make that more intuitive because a lot of people are getting confused. This many confused app users = poor app development. Do better, this app.

The new design is clunky and not as customizable as they claim (why allow me to set a font size if it’s not going to be uniformly applied across Clear ?) and the pointless animations slow everything down. The new philosophy seems to be about making Clear a “sustainable” business venture through microtransactions rather than focusing on what works. I can’t sync across devices or even see how many items are in a list, but there is a rotation of fonts and themes available for purchase in the store—and I’m encouraged to buy them all now before they vanish.

For years I’ve loved using Clear because of its quick, simple interface. Now, if I were to continue to use this app at all (I don’t intend to), it would be in spite of its slow, ugly interface. I wish I had never let Clear update.

I’m 60 years old, been using Apple Reminders for years but Clear is incredibly buggy on my phone, to the point it’s really not usable anymore. I wanted a simple Reminders app that was like Reminders, where I could set shopping lists, daily and weekly reminders in categories. Many popular reminders apps don’t have categories like Food shopping. This one sounded like what I wanted. I just bought it and am so frustrated already! Ot has one list now “personal” but there is nothing that says how to add a new list/category. No support that I can see either. The swipes and pinches are confusing why can’t these apps use the simple interface Reminders does? I am desperate for my old Reminders app (started to have problems after an upgrade 3 years ago and no one can help me fix it). This was not it! I don’t understand how to use it and wasted $5.

I’ve been using Clear for years and it always was my go to list maker/reminder, it helped me sort and organize my thoughts, with this app by my side life was a great. Then, like a crummy unfaithful spouse, in a foul swoop everything changed with the most recent update. Font sizes made no sense, categories were lost, picking up where I left off - forgettaboutit jack. It was as if Clear had unapologetically met someone new, moved on, and my needs no longer mattered. To top it off, Clear would not sync with the cloud, list items I added today would disappear overnight and my thoughts cast aside. It seems Clear is long gone with its new lover, speeding down the street taunting me as I stand in driveway in my robe and fuzzy slippers getting the morning paper.
Darling please, if you have any love left in your heart please come back, we were such a great pair, organizing the world (ok, yes I confess, perhaps I’ve been selfish, it was always my world…). With your help I could accomplish anything, marking off each glorious achievement with the swipe of my finger… WT*!!!

Used Clear all the time happily for years! Then the update got rid of syncing between devices which is absolutely one of the main things that made it useful. Apparently the creators feel this wasn’t a needed feature and that somehow syncing was already not working? It worked just fine for my family before. They suggested just taking screen shots to share. Why don’t I just write a list on paper and take a picture of it to share then? I could have any beautiful font and pencil color I want for free, and the same functionality. That would be as stupidly backward as this insanely “updated” app. In addition, it’s so much slower when adding items than it was before, with this annoying stuttering delay every time you pull down for a new entry. I’ve found zero new positives for the update. Who asked for all this pointless aesthetic drivel, half of which costs extra money? I just wanted a functioning list app and now this isn’t one :(((

Love Clear but I can’t plan ahead without the ability to mark tasks for say today (or in progress or doing). It’s lists, and as long as tasks stay in their lists it works well. Clear shows how to use Today and Upcoming but those are also separate lists and not reference lists to show tasks marked for today or future in other lists. this app would instantly become my go to task manager (bye Things) if I could do some more task planning.

ps: can we please also add customizable icons for list names.

Edit: Never mind! Downloaded and started using Clear again after a long time until I realized there’s no Mac version or syncing. That puts Clear entirely in a cute vs. professional utility category. That was cool circa 2014. I understand it’s a small team, etc, but Clear quickly went from oh wow to oh no. Disappointing and frustrating.

I was initially excited to see that one of my all time favorite apps that had seemingly been long abandoned by its devs was getting a refresh… but the new app seems to have abandoned the minimalism, speed, and simplicity that made it so great in favor of some third rate Etsy store live-laugh-love aesthetic and spong-y UI that feels slower, more complicated, and cartoony.

The dropping of syncing between my devices however is the real death knell. It’s gone from my bread-and-butter essential app to a half-baked colorfully frosted cupcake.

I’m hoping this is just an artifact of rearchitecting the backend and hiring the wrong designer and at some point Clear will return to its former glory and brutalist efficiency. Why is it so hard for anyone to build a simple lightning fast to-do app that doesn’t try to be a GTD platform or whatever weird thing this app 2.0 is trying to be?

Do you create lists with numerous entries that you will re-use week to week? I do, and find it frustrating to use Clear. I have a grocery shopping list with multiple items I buy weekly or fairly often. As I shop, I swipe right to check off items I’ve placed in my cart, and Clear works fine. The problem occurs when I swipe left to uncheck items for the following week's shopping - after scrolling beyond the items initially displayed, swiping left on on item causes Clear to jump to the bottom of the list and forces me to manually scroll all the way back to the top. Works the opposite way if I’m working with items from the bottom of the list.

I guess I’ve come to accept this odd behavior, but it’s an issue I wish the developers would fix, or at least provide control over.

Firstly, I don’t want to bash Clear. I’ve been faithfully using this for years, long after support for it had all but ceased. Even when updates were sparse, I continued to use it because no other app had made lists so simple and intuitive. When I heard it was getting a major update, I was so excited for a fresh coat of paint. I’d say overall, outside of a few bugs that I’m sure are being worked on, it’s a much more enjoyable experience. That being said, the most recent update re-added badges for each list, but opted for a total list count instead of a count for things you had scheduled that day (as in the previous version). My primary use for Clear is as a to-do list, so a daily count of things I need to do is very useful. I’m hoping that can be patched but perhaps I’m in the minority of people who use Clear in this way. Otherwise, excellent work from developers who seem to listen to feedback from their users.

Hey! I’ve been using this app almost since it first came out (excluding a period when it didn’t play well with iOS). Loved it. Now, I have a couple of complaints.

First, the list labels are HUGE!!! Even with the smallest (tiny) font. Please return to the original sizes. Second, it no longer shows number of items in a list. This was invaluable. Put it back, please! Third, swiping down to exit a list now requires swiping almost the entire height of the screen. This is difficult on the larger phones these days (and for us older folks).

Thanks for updates but don’t change what worked. Just add the new features.

Technology evolves, and so must we. I will admit to leaving a hasty 1-star review before spending much time with the update. It is one of the first apps I open each morning, so the changes disrupted my routine. However, after making some adjustments and reacquainting myself with the new format, I was able to get back relatively close to the “classic” experience that I have loved for 12 years. The fact that I have been using it for so long on a regular basis is a testament to the necessity, ease of use, and usefulness of Clear . I recommend this often and will continue to do so.

As a beta tester, I know I won’t actually use this app because it’s too annoying to unlock all the rewards all over again and wait however long for the shop to have the handful of themes I’m interested in. However, if you’re starting from scratch, and looking for a good, straightforward way to quickly make lists, it’s a very effective tool for such. There are still some finicky bits—I pretty much can’t interact with any items on the bottom of the screen, it’s too busy trying to use the hidden back button. And I’m baffled that it launched without supporting syncing over iCloud. But once those issues get ironed out, a great app for simple lists and reminders. …just not for me, because I cannot bring myself to go through all the junk you have to to unlock rewards a SECOND time. It’s not fun.

Been using this app a long time, mostly for grocery lists, but it’s expanded over time to other things. I like the recent addition of headings within lists, but wish they were more dissimilar visually - different colored font, or maybe have the list items indented?

Another quirk of mine is that I want to keep crossed out items, particularly on my grocery list so I can re-add staples without having to type them again. But I’ve accidentally wiped out all the crossed out items several times! Would like to be able to undo that. And w/regards to headings, it would be nice to have the crossed out items stay under their headings - but that’s probably too much to ask…

Thank you for the recent bug fix. As much as I love Clear, I had stopped using it due to the bug and because updates were way too infrequent. Frankly I didn’t expect a fix. None of the substitutes I looked at offered near the simple, intuitive and fun interface you all created with this app. You’ve got a gem here that we all love. Please keep polishing it :-) it’s been so long since I started using this app I don’t recall if it was free or subscription. I’d happily pay a subscription fee in exchange for regular updates and to support you.

I've been using this new iteration of this app for a couple of weeks. I really like it. But after using it for a couple of weeks although Clear is great it cannot be integrated into my personal workflow. The sticking point for me is that it's iPhone only. The way I work I need to have task management and calendars available on every device I use which is iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple Watch. The disconnect of always having to use my phone in order to implement this lovely list app and task management app is a bridge too far for me.

But I still love Clear and if it can work for your personal use case go for it. It's simple and very satisfying

It's definitely with regrets that I'm going to discontinue using it. It's just a matter of convenience that also translates into time management

I love this app and have been using it as my primary note app for many, many years. However, updating Clear deleted almost all of my saved notes.

Don’t update until the developer fixes this!! If I can’t get my notes back, it’s really going to hurt (and I’ll start using a different app obviously)… But I’m optimistic and will change my rating to 5 stars if/when they fix this and restore my notes.

Update: the development team responded to my query literally within minutes and worked with me off and on over the past week to restore access to my saved notes. I really appreciate their excellent communication, attention, and efforts, and I’m excited to continue using this brilliant product!

I absolutely love Clear. The development behind it is completely beautiful. It's gesture-fun and the developers kept a simple scheme to it. A perfect example of form and function with a very nice minimalist design. Clear and Apple's also beautifully designed Reminders app are the most used to-do applications on my iPhone. Clear defines what Apple design philosophy is, and this group executed beautifully. Now all the need is some push notifications that include location and time based notifications and they are set. Hopefully they have a innovative and fun way of implementing it. That'll get them the fifth star.

I’ve been using this app for years, but was still addicted to paper lists, too. When the developers recently broke a long hiatus from updates and did a fantastic job of making all the right improvements and adding new useful features, I no longer feel the need for paper lists. I’m using this app not only for all my lists, but as a calendar for keeping track of (and setting reminders for) appointments and events. I like this app because it’s simple and intuitive, but also capable and versatile. Unlike most apps, features you don’t need/want are out of sight and don’t create complexity for the basic user. The ability to highly personalize the UI using a huge library of color themes and icons makes it really fun to use. Try it - you’ll like it!

Fluid and fast, just like the old this app used to be. Perfect for an ADHD person like myself, allowing me to quickly get down thoughts as they come to me before they slip away again.
The large variety of app icons, themes, sound packs, and quote packs available both as unlockable rewards and as purchasables in the in-app shop are great for ADHDers as well, as we thrive on novelty and stagnate without it. At $2.99 an item though the store can add up quick!

My only issue with Clear is the choice by the devs to again not include some way to make a list that can repopulate on a regular basis (daily, weekly, when completed, etc). This means if you have a routine that you repeat the same way each and every time, there is no easy way to just populate a list with set of pre-generated items and start checking them off. You have to either uncheck and reorganize everything you previously did (tedious and antithetical to Clear ’s design) or just retype a new list exactly like the old one and go from there (again, tedious and antithetical to Clear ’s purpose and design).

That said, there is a workaround for this. What I do is type a list in Apple notes, then copy/paste it in into this app Lists. The pasted items generate perfectly into the list I need each and every time.

I’ve been using this app daily since version one (how many years ago?) and have been using the beta since it was first available. This is absolutely one of the most enjoyable and satisfying apps I’ve ever used - wonderful UI and interactions. I’m so glad the devs kept at it and released version 2. It’s better than ever. I really enjoy all the customizations.

I also have high hopes for the revenue model. Some have complained that the $2.99 for a customization is a bit steep, but come on. Clear has been out and free for over a decade now. And most of us spend nearly twice that on a cup of coffee regularly. I’ve already bought several customizations, and I hope others will see the value and continue to support Clear.

Again, I can’t say enough about how much I love this app. It has made me a life long “lister”. Here’s to the next decade plus…

I’ve used this since college and even then it was the most intuitive list app I had ever used. But with the most recent update, it has breathed new life into Clear. It’s a complete metamorphosis into the BEST list app ever. The previews do not do it justice on how much it has improved. The quality of life updates, the added features and don’t even get me started on the level of personalization you have now. You can change the theme, font, app icon, quotes and even the sound effects! It’s a whole new level than it was before and it’s a joy to use. As someone with severe ADHD this is the best list app to keep me engaged, entertained, and focused. It almost feels like a game to check off everything and organize it. I don’t usually sit down to write reviews but the amount of work the developers have gone into resurrecting Clear into its evolved form deserves all the appreciation and praise. Amazing! I’ll continue to use Clear for years to come! ♥️

People leaving negative reviews on Clear are complete dummies. I’ve been using Clear everyday for YEARS, and I couldn’t be more thankful to the developers.

And regarding the new updates, once again, people are complete dummies. Baseless complaining when anything changes from what they’re used to. The new update is functionally better in every single way. It’s more responsive, customizable, and “juicy”.

I’ve never left a review on anything. Just get Clear already, you won’t regret it.

I LOVE Clear! It is my most used app on my phone. Hands-down. I would be lost without it. The best thing about it is that it is simple to use. I add things to my list and then I swipe them away when I’m done with them. Swiping things off my to do list is the highlight of day. So freaking rewarding! Ah - accomplishment! I can move things up on the list or I move things down and they can be color coded as well. I can make as many lists as I want too! There is even an undelete feature if I accidentally swipe something away that I wasn’t quite done. Clear was recently updated and now has cute little rewards for doing things I was already doing. It is the best. Get it. You won’t regret it. And your life (or at least your lists) will be more organized!

this app is one of my favorite apps that I have used probably most days since 2012. I was so happy when the 2.0 rewrite began though I was worried that it may not be able to live up to the whimsy and utility of the original. Having used the new version for the past few days, though, I see those fears were unfounded and am absolutely loving the new version. Clear is so fluid and simple and beautiful. I do miss some of my previous themes like the Temple Run and Letterpress ones but Heatmap is great too. I want to ensure that this app remains financially viable for the devs - hopeful about the theme shop but consider tips or a yearly subscription (saying this as a subscription-hating person but this app gets a unique exception from me) if needed. Thank you for all pf the great work!

I have been using the this app app since 2012. I don’t expect it to do everything but for keeping quickly entered lists, it’s perfect. Shopping lists, gift ideas, quick to do lists, etc. Best thing about Clear is it’s elegant simplicity! Once you know the gestures which are all pretty easy, they’re second nature to use and mostly swipes, so easy one-handed.

One of my favorite features is that I can bring back a completed item with a swipe, so when I’m picking of groceries, I can see what I bought before and quickly throw some of my staple items back on the list.

Clear broke with iOS 16 and I desperately pleaded for an upgrade (along with everyone else) and finally gave up after months of waiting and switched to using Notes (good but not perfect). I’m thrilled you guys have fixed Clear ! Clear may be simple but it is one of the best.

There are dozens of to-do and list apps in Clear Store and I’ve tried and used a lot of them. There’s something about this app that makes it stand apart from the rest. I’ve been testing it for quite a while, initially just out of curiosity, but I’ve grown attached to it over time. It’s a simple (and yes, “this app”) list making app and a to-do nag, but it has personality, and so do the devs. Kind of like the iMac was to the beige boxes back in the time of the second coming of Steve Jobs. You can certainly use a beige box if you want to, but wouldn’t you prefer something with a little attitude? That’s what this app is - it’s a clean, simple list making/to-do app… but with attitude 🤘 Do yourself a favor - give it a try. You might find out (as I did) that there’s more than meets the eye!

I used Clear since it was released. Only gripe is that the list of grayed out items at appear below each list are too easily removed. I was swiping up to show my lined out items (that I could later add back to the list) and another swipe just wiped them out. It’s too easy to do. Please add a confirmation to confirm deleting all the lined out items or change the gesture. This happens too many times and quite annoying.

I had been using this app for my shopping lists for years and was heartbroken when it stopped working after an iOS update. I lived without it for a few months until I just couldn’t stand the other app that I had installed to replace it. I checked back in Clear Store and was extremely pleased to find the latest version of this app that is 100% compatible with my iPhone - now also running the latest iOS version. What was already the easiest to use list app is now easier still with the newer features and the iCloud integration with my iPad is spectacular. I don’t EVER want to do without this app again.

I want to keep using this app exclusively but I also simply need to be able to navigate to an item on my watch just to mark it complete (and please include a watchface complication, even if it’s just a logo launcher).

I would subscibe or in-app purchase this functionality.

My app Review: this app is the most elegant to-dos app yet designed. It has stood the test of time. The design is so clean it’s practically art. That yummy-on-the-eyes form follows its function and leaves out everything you don’t need. You can plan entire projects within while also having a main regular to-do screen. None of that ability is complex to behold. Perfect app.

I am so grateful for Clear ’s repair after the iso 16 update. I’ve checked daily to see if this app was going to be fixed and did not find that assuring. In reading your note about the anguish also affecting the developer, I now understand and appreciate you even more. From the lack of information about the effort to get Clear operating, it was my expectation that this app was just going to be abandoned. I now understand that you were working furiously to get it back in place.

I use this exclusively on my iPhone and it works so well to not only provide a current to-do list but also my longer term memory for bigger projects to undertake.

Once I found Clear, I’ve never had to look for something better. It is easy to start with, and from there, add all the complexity you desire.

Today’s check of this app, finding it magically working, has me feeling grateful enough to write in thanks to the wonderful person or crew that fixed it!!!!!!

I didn’t realize how much I used Clear until after updating to IOS 16 and the bugs showed up. It would crash easily and it didn’t look like an update was coming because it’d been so many years since one had come out. I tried other apps and nothing was as easy to use and helpful to me as Clear so I figured out how to work around the bugs and made do. Now that they’ve updated it though it’s back to 100% functionality with the best UI out there. Thank you to the developers!!!!

I’ve had Clear since it was a weekly Starbucks freebie (yes, that long) and it’s still the most useful productivity app I’ve ever come across. It’s simple but effective. It helps me prioritize tasks and keep track of long term vs short term needs with different lists. The color gradient is a subtle yet effective tool for my brain, which I would even have thought of. I tend to get overwhelmed and don’t know where to start on my mental lists. Being able to drag items around to prioritize and visualize where I am is so helpful.

I have been using Clear since I got my first iPhone which was the iPhone 4 at the time. It works so cleanly and smooth. I like how it isn’t cluttered with a lot of extra features I don’t need. I admit I looked for another app at some point when there was a bug and no update for a while, but I couldn’t find anything I liked as much, even with the bug. I was so happy when the latest update/bug fix finally came out. It’s so easy to use. I don’t want to use anything else.

Thank you so much for the Dec 22 update. When Clear stopped showing what was being typed I was heartbroken. I’ve been using Clear since forever ago and figured it had finally died after all these years from the latest iOS update. Then suddenly it started working again and I ran to Clear Store and was pleasantly surprised that it’s still being updated after all these years. Talk about fantastic long term support! You guys are great and this is hands down the best todo app ever made.

this absolutely perfect little app is easily in the top ten greatest of all time.. Ima buy the sound packs (even though I can’t figure out what they do 🤣) as a thank you for bringing this back to life. I agree with another reviewer… it belongs in MoMA permanent collection. little surprise tonight at 1:08AM playing around with it so late gave me a surprise. iPhone was made for devs like you. .. how much joy can a little list/to-do app give you? more than you realize; it’s this app.

I LOVE Clear. I’m reaching a point in my life where I need to write down most everything or I’ll forget. I use Clear daily, several times a day, for work, for personal organization, even just musings that I don’t want to forget or look into later. I was worried updates were over and with the new iOS update that shut Clear down every time you made an entry, my heart sank thinking that was the end for Clear.

So glad it’s not. It’s easy to use, ready to jot down quick ideas, can organize those lists, and do everything other note apps make additional steps for. Someone like me, just needs lists. That’s it. I need to see my day item by item and organize them by importance - and I’m golden.

Thank you again!

I could cry! I was getting ready to let Clear go thinking that the developers had just moved on, but went to get the info off my lists and discovered it had been fixed! Thank you, thank you! I have been HATING using the Reminders app on my iPhone since this one stopped functioning and I feel like I have a little missing piece of my life back. (I’ve had Clear since the beginning and it makes me so happy.)

I have used this app for a number of years. I use it to make my shopping list, my to-do list & everything in between! Recently, there was a glitch when you needed to edit your entry where it would black out & you couldn’t see what you were typing. It was an inconvenience for sure, but I kept using Clear and hoping for a fix! The team did it! Yay! Thank you so much for restoring my “memory “!😊

Thank you for fixing Clear! I was an early adopter and was so very sad when it broke!

While you were gone, I tried other apps that claimed to be simple and beautiful and “just worked”….but they weren’t and they weeent and they didn’t. Lies! I missed this app! I missed the gradient colors and the swiping and the cool list pull down. I’m so glad you’re back. Thank you!

(Where is the place to get a TestFlight link? I don’t see it….)

Clear has helped me through many phases of my life and has been so helpful. I remember downloading Clear when Starbucks offered apps in their coffee shops for free. I have been hooked ever since. I haven’t had to reach out before, but the only thing I cannot figure out is how to sync the iPhone to my new ipad. Anyway, if y’all are still offering that newest test app, I’d be happy to try it! Thanks!

I’ve been using Clear since 2013. Its simple and easy to use design is what makes it stand out from other list apps, in my opinion. With the new iPhone update, this app had a bug that showed a black box when typing. However, it’s fixed now!! Thank you for all the hard work you put into making Clear work again!! Highly recommend!

Simply the best most intuitive todo tool on the block. The simplicity of this product is deceptive of its capability and intuitive nature. This is the way all Apps should be.

Missed you when you were gone, glad your back.

PS if you’re ever feeling adventurous it would be awesome if you were web based so I could find the same lists on my laptop, iPad and phone.

I’m shocked this has so few reviews because I’ve literally used this off and on for ten years & nothing compares. The elegance and simplicity of the design are particularly useful for anyone with ADD/ADHD. How many times a day do you reach for your phone to do one thing and then found yourself doing something else, only to ask yourself ‘what was I about to do?’ When I use this consistently, I find myself doing that far less. Paper lists are great for ADD folks, but you have to keep up with a pen and paper, whereas we always have our phones on us. Swiping complete on this and seeing the completed items is particularly useful for grocery lists as another reviewer mentione, as well as recurring to do’s. It’s also the closest you can get in the digital realm to the satisfaction & sense of progress of crossing something out on a physical list. Before my children too over the iPads, I loved the ability to sync across devices. I’ve come to appreciate its visual simplicity even more as I reach the dreaded ‘where are my reading glasses?’ era of my life.

I am so appreciative that they’ve done the update to keep Clear alive as our devices continue to evolve. Thank you to the creators of Clear and to those who keep it rolling 💞

I started with a “to do” list and gravitated to keeping all kinds of lists on it.
For example, if someone that is important to me mentions something that they would like to have, I start a list with their name and “wants” as the title. For example, “Natalie wants”. When Christmas or their birthday comes around I know what to surprise them with.
If I read about some particular lifestyle program that I want to implement, I store it in its own list so that I can give it a fair trial without cutting out something important.
When the developer recently upgraded to the new version, my lists disappeared for a couple of days and I was shocked by the amount of important (to me) information that I had stored on Clear. I also did not back it up, much to my dismay.
Thankfully, my lists reappeared within a couple of days and now realizing how important this little storage system is, I am looking for a way to backup the vital info and cleaning out the things that have basically timed out.

I originally used this app many years ago, and it was one of my favorite apps. Incredibly useful, simple interface, pleasant all around. It’s development seems to be on hol for a couple years or so, and it lost some useful features like cloud sync. Now they’ve updated Clear , and after giving it a try for a few days, I’ve made it my default list maker again because of the lovely interface and the promise of future support. My previous list maker, MinimaList, has unfortunately been riddled with bugs and wonky widgets since an update a few months back. this app’s widgets work just fine, and I haven’t encountered any awful bugs yet. So, I will give this app five stars, but there are some features I need and hope are included soonish: syncing between iPhone/iPad versions, and Apple Watch support. If these additions are made, this app will become perfect again for me. :)