MinimaList: To Do List &Widget Reviews

by Kbtpm

The this app lives up to its name. It’s a decent app overall. I like how it easily syncs to Google and iOS Calendar. There are a few issues that bug me though. I dislike having to pinch zoom to view multiple lists. Id prefer a one-handed option. Also, when the list is full, it often takes multiple tries to be able to pinch just right. It would also make more sense to pinch zoom inward from upper right and from lower left instead of from upper left and from lower right, as the text has a tendency to block the gesture.

Another issue I have is how tapping on items brings you to Focus Mode. I rarely use the focus mode and constantly inadvertently tap to that page. I ’d prefer options for to choose to decide what action takes place after tapping; one of the options being to edit mode instead of having swipe left slightly, which often leads me to the “are you sure remove the task?” query if I swipe a bit too hard. Although these issues are minor, adding them and other issues that I may mention later together leads to wasted time and not wanting to use MinimaList much. I like the design and layout, but the unintuitive gestures ruins it.

by Jff777

I have tried A LOT of to do list apps and I really feel like this one could be the best one I’ve ever tried. I love the layout, the minimal look of MinimaList does so much to help me stay focused and not get overwhelmed with my list. However, the bugs make it somewhat difficult to use which can be frustrating, especially after paying for the lifetime pro version.

The most prominent bugs are the drop down menu that moves tasks between lists and notification errors. When I am trying to move tasks between lists the drop down menu often just doesn’t work and I am unable to move my tasks around. I have to try sometimes 10 or more times to move them. Also, the notifications for a task continue to go off, even if I have already marked that task as complete. If some of these bugs would get worked out, I would be so impressed with MinimaList and be a loyal user.

On a personal note, and to echo another review I read: it would be nice to be able to change the time and date edit to one click and the pomodoro focus timer to two clicks. It seems much for intuitive to me as I am more apt to want to quickly change dates and times.

by Adastra32

AUGUST 2021 REVIEW UPDATE HELP App was working great until this month. Constantly syncing, constantly freezing, booting me out. I removed MinimaList and reinstalled- lost all my settings and mixed up what I already crossed off with what still needs to be done. I want my great app back! I use MinimaList EVERYDAY and it does what I need it to do- keep track of things I need to get done. Nothing fancy, very low learning curve The only reason this isn’t a 5 Star review is because I would Like to see the name of my lists in bold at the top of each separate list I make. If it’s DAILY CHORES , then I’d like to see that on the top, same thing if it’s just the current date. I would Like a mode where my list titles are visible along the top so that I can easily see them and access them. I can use the “pinch” method, but actually seeing the other titles as I am using one would be a great help. These are just my particular quirks, but great app overall!

by Happysimplemodern

This is the only task mgmt/to do list app amongst a multitude that has ever actually worked for me. It’s simple & effective. I’m not even sure I use the pro features I paid extra for, but it’s been so helpful to me that I don’t care. My biggest frustration/complaint is that I don’t use the pomodoro feature & REALLY wish the double-tap to edit/single-tap to focus gestures were switched around, or there was the option to change that in settings. Accidentally tapping an item & having to back out of focus mode is an annoyance that interrupts my productivity flow. Swiping right to go between lists is also touchy & often results in nearly deleting tasks. The ability to move tasks from one list to another would be VERY welcome as well. (Also: Does clearing completed tasks remove them from the stats as well? I’m afraid to try it & find out! 😬) Meanwhile, keep up the great work: The developers clearly care about MinimaList & make continuous improvements, & I always appreciate that! ❤️

by Mirindir

The list is condensed nicely so you can see many items at once. Once you learn the hand movements like swiping this way or that.. it’s very enjoyable to use! The tutorials are very helpful and short and sweet as you would expect from a minimal design. I really like the name too. I’m a big fan. I don’t usually pay for apps but this one is worth it. It’s really helping me stay on track with my tasks. I tried a couple other apps that were too big, ugly, and clunky and had distracting ads.. I’ve been accomplishing much more each day by making lists in my phone, and this is the best list/checkmark app I’ve found so far. I’m more likely to see/use my list in my phone than on a piece of paper, sadly. I know this from experience and from really really trying with paper ones. I was surprised that there wasn’t an option to put checkmarks to mark a task completed - instead of strikethrough; since MinimaList icon is a checkmark. Maybe the option is there and I just haven’t found it yet. The hand gesture tips/wizard pop up gradually and seemingly randomly after you get the hang of each thing. And I think there might still be more features than I’ve been shown so far. Anyway, good job to the people that made it, I don’t usually write reviews. I like the desktop icon too 👏🏼👍🏼

by Minsokim

I have a short attention span and I constantly forget what I meant to do. I have tried a few different task-organizing apps and sticky-note type apps, but found all of them inadequate except for this one.

This this app app is amazing. I’m using the free version which has been pretty good so far. It is simple, easy to use, and intuitive. I like how I can easily rearrange my task list in the order I want (believe it or not, this is not an option for some other apps).
I LOVE the Pomodoro function - if you click on a task, the Pomodoro timer sets 25min during which the phone encourages you to stop touching the phone and to focus on your task. You can adjust the focus-time, and choose background sound to forest/rain/etc. This function is amazing! My productivity has markedly increased thanks to MinimaList. I would give MinimaList 10 stars out of 5 if I could.

by Dllolllb

It is intuitive. I bet the creator of MinimaList uses it, because this is very refined. At first I was just into the simple main page without any complications, but I’ve been finding the other features to be quite nice the more I use it. Also I use this over Onenote for quick stuff even though I an a Onenote fanboy, because MinimaList this app opens on a dime like within half a second and I don’t have to navigate through menus to get to typing the note. That is important to me since I can quickly forget what I was going to write......P......I really like the reverse pinch to quickly see all other lists, and the swipe from edge to immediately get to the next list. So freaking quick and smooth! The pull down to add a note feels good. The option to change fonts and the background is something else I like though I’m not sure if I’ll use it as I seem to be kickin it real nice with the dark mode so far..........P.............I haven’t used the Stats page yet. However maybe after a few months of using MinimaList I will find that the statistics re my tasks and successes help to give perspective. They do say to know history or you are doomed to repeat it after all........P........Anyways, I’m loving it so far, my thanks to the creator of MinimaList !

by Samsavkin

Rarely review anything on anything but MinimaList takes the cake on to do lists and honestly apps in general. Everyone’s got so much extra stuff they try to shove at your face that’s totally unnecessary and a lot of the time annoying. The opposite here. The name of MinimaList is exactly how it behaves, minimally and without interference. Beautifully designed, it’s sleek, responsive and intuitive. Precisely what I was looking for and it doesn’t even cost anything to use the most important features. I might buy the premium just to support the company cause I’m so grateful that they delivered exactly what they said they would without any of the usual garbage a lot of these app developers try to throw at you. No annoying adds? Clean, OCD friendly design? What! F’n’A right this is the lit-est to do/organize app I’ve ever seen or had the pleasure of giving a permanent spot on my very small and limited Home Screen. Well done.

by 11JET

EDITED! (Read the end...)

MinimaList is as simple and sleek as pen-and-paper with the added bonus of reminders and notifications so that you don’t forget anything. The only complaint I have is that the widget for the iPhone homescreen doesn’t have the same aesthetic appeal that MinimaList does. If the developers fix that one problem, MinimaList would be perfect!! (I still decided to pay the lifetime price because it was only four bucks.)

EDIT: I contacted this app through the “contact us” feature in settings about the widget problem I was having. They got back to me super fast and helped me fix the problem!! Now my widget has the same font as my app and looks fantastic!! I have absolutely no more complaints about MinimaList. Go download it already! And to me, the fonts and color options were worth paying the lifetime price for because it helps me keep my homescreen aesthetic.

by Swordsands

This is the best one. If you’re like me you just want app that with an simple, efficient, and intuitive interface. And an aesthetically pleasing design as well. If you’re even more like me still, you can easily fall prey to spending hours of your life searching for just the right app; “it has to be out there!”, you keep thinking, “surely there’s something just a little closer to what I’m looking for”. You thirsty, and aggravated, as you tap, and swipe, tap, and scroll, you just want it end, but you’ve already invested SO MUCH TIME SEARCHING! The appointment and things you were going to use MinimaList for are long gone and forgotten! NO I CANT STOP! IT CANT ALL BE FOR NOTHIIIIIIING! Yeah, trust me, I already did that, don’t do that. You’re freeee! And it’s freeee! You don’t need a premium subscription either. Go now! Live! But if you’re like me that won’t stop you either.

by Lady_luck381

I love MinimaList. After reading the reviews, especially from those that have poor memory and/or ADHD (like me), I decided why the heck not - pay for lifetime. Totally worth it. I used it daily, multiple times a day. Like the name fantastically implies, it’s a this app... list.

It’s very basic in its function, with a straight-forward short tutorial at the beginning (you can revisit it if you don’t remember), and can be used as a widget, too. Not only have I gotten more things done, but even when I lose my memory, I can find great comfort in seeing that what I thought out was written already, conveniently on my smartphone widget.

You can see what tasks you’ve done, how frequently, and move around notes as you want prioritized. If you have trouble getting your thoughts organized, get this now!!! This is as basic as it gets, without all the eye-rolling and frustration from what other apps promise as “simple to use”. This is it! And yes, it is 100% worth paying for lifetime.

by I Love Dem Pigs

MinimaList it’s self is so easy to navigate so it’s really quick and doesn’t distract you. The free version is very usable so u don’t have to pay if you don’t want too, but I did just so I could have more than one list and change my font 😌 but anyways I only paid like 4 dollars for a lifetime payment so I’m pretty happy with it. Most apps are complicated and expensive but this one was very simple and ✨free✨ for the most part. 10/10 would recommend to ppl who procrastinate nonstop

Update: I finally started using the the timer and the only suggestion I have is to make the focus reminders use a different word other than “man” because I’m not a man and it’s sometimes weird to see that. It’s not a big deal at all because I know huMANity, but why not make it huWOMANity 🤩 or even better huPEOPLEity. It’s really not a big issue tho and I love MinimaList so far :)

by Dianna-8

this app might just be my favorite app! I’ve been using it daily for a few months now.

MinimaList has taken my productivity & focus to the next level. It’s user friendly, shortcuts are easy to adopt, and it has a simple, modern interface. I love that you can customize anything from the appearance of the lists to that of MinimaList icon.

Within MinimaList , you also have the ability to move lists & tasks around. I especially like being able to move tasks quickly from one list to another.

There are 2 features in particular that I love:

• Since MinimaList is available on other apple products (e.g., iMac), you can sync your lists between devices & get more things done.

• Stats are available on a weekly, monthly, & yearly basis, allowing you to see how your productivity & focus have increased over time.

In addition, it is relatively simple to contact support & they reply in a very timely manner.

Overall, I cannot express how much MinimaList has helped. I look forward to its continued updates.
A note to/feedback for the developer:

• I think the ability to group lists together would be pretty cool!

• Sometimes, when my lists are syncing between devices, there’s a little bit of a lag.

• Lastly, although uncommon, this app will unexpectedly shut down, on either my iMac or MacBook, from time to time. A potential cause is that I sometimes have it open on both devices.

Thanks again for creating MinimaList, 100% recommend!

by THEDEAK7474

I’m always on the hunt for the greatest productivity app. I’m a diagnosed ADHD college student studying drafting who also works full time and I also live on my own, so to do lists are significant in my life. Not only do I need a to do list, but I need a ridiculously simplified, easy, and attractive to do list. I need to be able to delete and edit with a couple finger motions, the UI needs to be attractive but not distracting, and I need it to work with Siri for the times I remember a task in my middle of driving.

If you’re like me, MinimaList is perfect. Also, something about shaking your phone to clear a list and then receiving an aesthetically pleasing free wallpaper feels more rewarding than any of those habit tracking rpg apps I’ve used.

The only thing I’d love to have in MinimaList would be the option for a subtask. I don’t think I’d care for having multiple levels of sub tasks (it would start to look like an outline), so just one would be fine. Being able to organize my list based on class or type would add to the clean feeling of my list rather than titling something “Math class - do your homework”

by Skoker89

So when I say I’ve tried every task management system out there, I mean it. Currently I am using Asana (but now this app) and although I love Asana for its many, many features, I’m not sure I am completing as many tasks as I’d like because I’m too busy trying to find what I’m looking for or resetting when it should remind me. With this app - I’m already productive! It too simple not to be. I absolutely love the feature the notifications: it reminds you and you can snooze. Because guess what, life gets busy and sometimes you need to snooze for another 15 minutes. That feature blows every other task management system out of the water. I also love how this app (hence the name) MinimaList looks! Personally, I believe the pro version is the best. I need multiple lists, and other devise access. MinimaList, though so simple is so perfect! Thank you designers!

As a note, one thing that could’ve helped when I first download was showing me where the tutorial screen is. I found it eventually but to all the new owners, there is a tutorial in your menu. Go find it, it makes finding all the wonderful features a lot easier.

by RolandC70

The whole idea behind a todo list is to keep it simple. Other todo lists complicate things by hiding your to dos until the due date and trying to organize them for you. That’s exactly what I don’t want! I’m not looking for ANOTHER organizer. I want my whole list in my face every time I look at it. That’s where this excels. I add an item and it’s right in front of me everyday until I check it off. And it also has the BEST Apple Watch views. I’ve tried to use several other big names and their Apple Watch screens were horrible. Somehow this app shows me everything I need to see and allows me to check it off the list right from my watch! Please just add the possibility of a round complication even if it is only an icon to quick launch MinimaList . I would add it front and center to my primary watch face!

The only thing I wish it had was Outlook integration. I would love to flag an email and have it show up as a task. The only drawback to this is its lack of integrations making me have to do double work to populate my list.

But as the ONLY to to list that really gives me what I want this is 5 stars hands down.

by Something Clever With List

I have downloaded pretty much all the apps out there for checklists, productivity, paid ones mind you. This one is the best by a country mile. I never thought I would find something better than good old pen and pad because all the apps try to do too much. this app is simple and intuitive but also packed with features. You decide how deep you go. The best feature for me and one that sets it apart is allowing me to create a reminder to repeat a task at the interval of my choosing, including custom, like every 4 days for example. GREAT for business and client follow up.

Do yourself a favor and go pro up front. it’s worth the money, it’s actually a steal. ALSO the developers are very open and receptive to user insights and will have a dialogue with you about it. MinimaList has already paid for itself exponentially since it’s helping me get things done which directly affect my bottom line.

Pomodoro, GTD, whatever you productivity protocol MinimaList works. I don’t typically write reviews but when something comes along that changes the way I do business and make money and costs less than a sandwich then I want to spread the word.

by Beepboopbuuubeep

This is a great productivity app! I'm a grad student with ADD/ADHD, so my phone is both a godsend-of-information and a time-wasting-curse. What I love about MinimaList is that it sends me a notification to setup my to do list everyday, and it syncs with my calendar so my calendar schedule populates as a task to accomplish.

The issues I've had with other productivity apps is that I'll write things down and forget that I wrote them. MinimaList works around that issue for me by displaying a notification bubble with the number of tasks I have left to complete. As you complete a task and check it off your to do list, the number goes down and until the list is complete. I hate seeing notifications, so this really helps me get my tasks complete.

Also there is a "focus mode" that allows you to tap the task you want to focus on for a set period of time (5-50 minutes). When that feature is activated, MinimaList sends a pop up message every time you pickup your phone telling you to put down your phone you should be working on your task. I mindlessly pickup my phone to scroll through social media apps or check my emails, and that reminder helps me refocus my mind on what I should be working on.

by ICarlson

As a university student, keeping track of tasks, assignments, and events is incredibly important. I have a physical planner I use for my assignments and events, but I am constantly looking for a good app to use for writing down all my tasks and other stuff, like grocery lists. Other apps are either too busy and difficult to adjust to, functional but unappealing to the eye, or nearly perfect but requires a ridiculous monthly fee. I used MinimaList once and fell in love. It only took a couple of days for me to break down and pay for the lifetime membership of around $8, which I found reasonable. (You can also pay in monthly or yearly payments (both very affordable), but I found the $8 an easier choice.) The interface is simple, but appealing, and acts similar to if I was just writing with a pad and pen. You can edit the theme, there's a timer for concentration, notifications, and you can sync with your other Apple devices, too.

One thing I ask to the developers: can you please add the ability to move around the individual group pages? Sometimes I want different pages to be next to each other, but currently there's only the ability to delete them. A small fix, but fantastic app overall!

by Eragon1111

It’s too good, stop reading the reviews and download the free app. Then after using the free version which has the basic functionality and not too many reminders to download the full version you will upgrade cause you will want more lists and cooler reminders and stuff. I love MinimaList it looks very simple and minimalistic however it actually has more and more secret options I discover. With the full version you can get alerts when you leave or arrive somewhere. There is a focus timer, detailed notification settings for time and day and repeat, it syncs with your calendar, there’s a history for all past items checked off that goes back pretty far. You can customize the colors and font and size etc for each list individually (only multiple lists with premium which is like $3). Lastly lists can be organized by date added date of notification like with calendar on, manually, there are also labels with 4 tiers of importance so even with time sorting you can override to have something at the top.

by Goodbyelizajane

I really wanted to love MinimaList. The simple aesthetic and basic functionality is really appealing, and the “focus” function which allows you to use this as a simple time tracker is also very helpful. But after the 50th time deleting or ticking off tasks by accident while trying to do something else (usually pinching to get back to the list of lists), I give up. It’s too much work to keep putting in recurring tasks over and over again. It’s also not very clear when recurring tasks disappear if you don’t get to them in time. After a period of time that doesn’t seem customizable, they vanish for the current cycle and reappear for the next. The main issue is the gestures, though. Either my iPad just isn’t intuitive enough to tell the difference between different gestures, or I’m not skilled enough at it. Either way, the gesture confusion ruins MinimaList for me. On to the next to-do app. Hoping to find the Holy Grail one day.

by Nickname Created11111

I downloaded this app because Clear failed me horribly after problems with their cloud syncing. I like a lot of things about this app but there are still a few issues with MinimaList including dragging and dropping items into other lists (many of the lists are out of view in the sidebar and not reachable to drop the item into causing the item to be inadvertently dropped into a random list leaving you to go around searching for where it was dropped into). The other issue is the pinch feature to back out of a list. It’s very inconsistent and doesn’t seem to work a lot of the times. I’m left pinching my screen repeatedly trying different distances and pressures to get MinimaList to recognize a “pinch.” Somewhat troublesome when trying to be quick and add a number of things. Other than those minor glitches I do enjoy MinimaList and find it very useful if you are heavy into using lists! Would recommend still!

by Goodtutor

I purchased MinimaList (Pro version, at half price) because the admirably designed Clear has disappeared and the high-powered multi-featured OmniFocus is unwieldy for simple list-keeping. The interface was mildly confusing at first, but as soon as I understood it, MinimaList became an indispensable tool. I’ve suppressed features I don’t like or don’t use (like the task timers and the accompanying nudges to get focused) and taken advantage of features that do serve my purposes (in particular, the creation of Siri shortcuts for voice access). MinimaList has been well thought out. I’m using it. I hope it doesn’t disappear the way Clear did.

One limitation: MinimaList syncs with my iPad, but it has no presence in MacOS. I can’t get to my lists from my computers. Is that expansion being considered?

by MaggieYWang

I’ve been searching for something like this for a while and tried many apps without being entirely happy about. And finally I found this - simple, easy to use, shows everything (including the specific due date even it’s 2-3 days from today. Other apps would just label them “someday” without showing the date) And it’s also genius to integrate the Pomo thing to MinimaList and you can customize focusing time too! Sooo good for students!! THE ONLY ONE bug/complain I have is I order tasks by their due date, but sometimes the further dues get in front of the more urgent ones... and it seems the default time zone has a problem too. Not sure which time zone it currently uses, definitely NOT US eastern time... hope it can fix it quickly and let everyone choose their own appropriate time zone. Thanks!

by Teamdevo

I’ve been using iPhones “notes” for tasks for a very long time. This got old and I wanted a more live and interactive plus simple way to have and keep track of my ongoing tasks. I feel this app delivers on that. It’s nice to just swipe and show completed tasks. It also keeps track of productivity, which is just a fun feature to look back on. I still use iPhone notes for like long term info that I want to look back on, ideas/concepts and other things. But boy was I using a stone tool for tasks before this. I even think (for me anyway) that this is far superior to Siri reminders. I do wish using Siri with this app there was some sort of easier explanation video tho. Thanks this app! Good work! I hope you always keep MinimaList simple!