Alcove vs TickTick: focused and calm, or everything in one app?
TickTick puts tasks, calendar views, kanban, habits, a Pomodoro timer and an Eisenhower matrix into one app on almost every platform, with Premium at $35.99 a year. Alcove does less on purpose: a calm day in the Mac menu bar, boards and notes that calculate, on Mac, iPhone and iPad, for $29.99 once.
TickTick is the Swiss Army knife of to-do apps: tasks, calendars, habits, a focus timer and more, on almost every device. Alcove is the opposite on purpose. Here's how they compare, checked on 28 September 2026.
At a glance
| Alcove | TickTick | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $29.99 once for Mac, iPhone and iPad, after a 14-day free trial | Free plan, or Premium at $35.99 a year (listed as a limited-time price, down from $49.99) |
| Platforms | Mac, iPhone, iPad | Web, Windows, Mac, iPhone, Android and more |
| Menu bar | Popup with today, lists, the month and notes; lists can float on top | Mini window with your tasks |
| Quick add | ⌥ Space, reads day, time, length, list, tag, priority and repeat | Global add shortcut, smart date parsing |
| Views | Lists, boards, month calendar | Lists, kanban, timeline, several calendar views |
| Extras | Notes that calculate, tables and budget rows | Habit tracker, Pomodoro timer, Eisenhower matrix, countdowns |
| Sharing | No | Shared lists and assigned tasks |
| Account | None; your own iCloud | TickTick account |
Where TickTick is stronger
- Everything in one place. Habits, a Pomodoro timer, an Eisenhower matrix and countdowns sit beside your tasks.
- Every platform. Web, Windows, Android and more.
- More views. Kanban, timeline and yearly, monthly, weekly and multi-day calendars.
- Sharing. Shared lists and assigned tasks.
Where Alcove is stronger
- Calm by design. Fewer features, one clear place for the day. Progress shows what you finished, with no streaks and no scores.
- Notes that calculate. Sums on any line, tables with totals and budget rows. See notes that do the maths.
- No subscription. $29.99 once for Mac, iPhone and iPad.
- No account. Your data stays on your devices and in your own iCloud.
- Floating lists. Pop any list out of the menu bar and keep it above your work. See the menu bar guide.
Which should you choose?
Choose TickTick if you want habits and a focus timer with your tasks, use Android or Windows, or share lists.
Choose Alcove if you'd rather have a calm, focused app on your Apple devices, want notes and tasks together, and prefer to pay once.
Sources
Checked on 28 September 2026:
Questions people ask
Is Alcove a good TickTick alternative?
If you want fewer features and more calm, one purchase and notes that calculate, yes. If you use habits, the focus timer or Android and Windows, TickTick fits better.
Do both apps work from the Mac menu bar?
Yes. TickTick has a menu bar mini window with your tasks. Alcove is built around its menu bar popup, which shows today, your lists, the month and your notes, and any list can float above other apps.
How much does TickTick cost compared with Alcove?
TickTick has a free plan, and its site listed Premium at $35.99 a year (a limited-time price, down from $49.99) when we checked. Alcove is free for 14 days, then $29.99 once.
Does Alcove have a habit tracker or Pomodoro timer?
No. Alcove keeps to tasks, notes, boards and the calendar.