Alcove vs Microsoft To Do: free everywhere, or built for your Mac?
Microsoft To Do is free on Windows, Mac, iPhone, Android and the web, with My Day, steps, shared lists and Outlook tasks. Alcove is for Mac, iPhone and iPad only, puts your day in the Mac menu bar and adds boards, a calendar with an hour grid and notes that calculate, for $29.99 once. Choose To Do for free and cross-platform, Alcove for a Mac-first app.
Microsoft To Do is free, runs everywhere and is a natural choice if you use Outlook. Alcove is built for people who live on a Mac and an iPhone. Here's how they compare, checked in October 2026. I make Alcove, so weigh that, but I've tried to be fair about where Microsoft To Do is the better choice.
At a glance
| Alcove | Microsoft To Do | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $29.99 once for Mac, iPhone and iPad, after a 14-day free trial | Free |
| Runs on | Mac, iPhone, iPad | Windows, Mac, iPhone, iPad, Android, web |
| Account | None; your own iCloud | Microsoft account |
| Daily view | Today, plus a menu bar popup with today's count | My Day, with suggestions |
| Quick add | ⌥ Space from any app; one sentence sets day, time, length, list, tag, priority and repeat | Add in the app |
| Menu bar | Today, lists, the month, notes and boards; lists float | None |
| Sub-tasks | Checklists in notes that can become tasks | Steps inside each task |
| Calendar | Day, Week and Month with an hour grid | Planned view by date |
| Boards | Yes | No |
| Notes | Notes that calculate, with tables | A note field on each task |
| Attachments | Files and pictures, synced through your iCloud | Files on each task |
| Sharing | No | Shared lists and assigned tasks |
| Outlook | No | Flagged emails and Outlook tasks |
Where Microsoft To Do is stronger
- Free, and everywhere. No price at all, on Windows, Android and the web as well as Apple devices.
- Outlook and Microsoft 365. Flagged emails become tasks, and To Do appears inside Outlook.
- Sharing. Shared lists with assigned tasks.
Where Alcove is stronger
- Made for the Mac. Your day is in the menu bar, one click from any app, and lists can float above your work. See the menu bar guide.
- Quick add in one sentence. Type "Bins out every monday 8pm #home" and the day, time, repeat and tag are set. See adding tasks from any app.
- Plan on a calendar. Day, Week and Month views with an hour grid; drag a task to a time. See time blocking.
- Boards and notes. Kanban boards and a notebook with tables that total themselves.
- No account and no tracking. Everything stays on your devices and in your own iCloud.
Which should you choose?
Choose Microsoft To Do if you use Windows or Android, work in Outlook, or want something free.
Choose Alcove if your devices are a Mac, an iPhone and an iPad, and you want a calm, quick list in the menu bar, with notes, boards and a calendar in the same app.
Sources
Checked in October 2026:
Questions people ask
Is Microsoft To Do really free?
Yes. Microsoft To Do is free with a Microsoft account, with no paid tier, on Windows, Mac, iPhone, Android and the web.
Is Alcove a good Microsoft To Do alternative on a Mac?
If you only use Apple devices and want a Mac-first app, yes. Alcove lives in the menu bar, adds tasks from any app with Option-Space, and has boards, a calendar and notes. If you use Windows, Android or Outlook at work, Microsoft To Do is the better fit.
Does Microsoft To Do have a menu bar app on the Mac?
No. You open the Microsoft To Do app window to see and add tasks. Alcove's menu bar popup shows today, every list, the month, your notes and boards.
Do I need an account for Alcove?
No. Alcove has no account; it syncs through the iCloud account already on your devices. Microsoft To Do needs a Microsoft account.