Alcove vs Todoist: menu bar calm or everywhere teamwork?
Todoist runs on nearly every platform, is great for shared projects and has many integrations, with a free plan and Pro at $5 a month billed yearly or $7 month to month. Alcove is for Mac, iPhone and iPad only, lives in the Mac menu bar, has notes that calculate and costs $29.99 once with no subscription.
Todoist is one of the most popular to-do apps in the world, and for good reason: it's everywhere, it's fast, and it's built for working with other people. Alcove makes different choices. I make Alcove, so weigh that, but I've tried to be fair about where Todoist is the better choice.
How I compared. This comparison is based on Todoist's pricing page, its help centre and its App Store listings (version 9.31 for Mac), checked on 8 October 2026, not on a hands-on test of Todoist. The sources are listed at the end. Prices are US.
At a glance
| Feature | Alcove | Todoist |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free, or $29.99 once for everything on Mac, iPhone and iPad | Free plan (5 personal projects), Pro $5 a month billed yearly or $7 monthly |
| Platforms | Mac, iPhone, iPad | Web, Windows, Mac, iPhone, Android and more |
| Quick add | ⌥ Space from any app, plain-language parsing | Global Quick Add shortcut and a menu bar icon, plain-language parsing |
| Speaking tasks | Speak tasks: say several at once, check them, add them | Ramble: talk, and its AI turns it into tasks; monthly limit on the free plan |
| Menu bar | Popup with today, lists, the month and notes; lists can float on top | Menu with today's and tomorrow's tasks and calendar events; click one to open it |
| Boards | Yes | Board layout |
| Calendar | Day, Week and Month, with an hour grid, in the app; the month in the menu bar | Calendar layout in Pro |
| Notes | Notes that calculate, with tables and budget rows | Task descriptions and comments |
| Sharing | No | Shared projects, comments and assigned tasks |
| AI | Local MCP server on your Mac, with no cloud account, your approval for each assistant and a log of every request | Official MCP server and connectors for Claude, ChatGPT and other assistants, plus built-in AI features such as Task Assist |
| Account | None; your own iCloud | Todoist account |
Where Todoist is stronger
Todoist and Alcove both turn a typed sentence into a task, but Todoist reaches much further: more platforms, more people and more connected apps.
- Every platform. Todoist runs on the web, Windows, Android and more, so it follows you off Apple devices.
- Teams. Shared projects, comments, assigned tasks and a Business plan for workplaces.
- Integrations. Official integrations with calendars, automation services and AI assistants, plus browser and email extensions. Its MCP server works with assistants online, wherever you are.
- A free plan. Enough for up to five personal projects, and it includes Ramble, with a monthly limit.
Where Alcove is stronger
Alcove and Todoist both run well on a Mac, but Alcove is made for it first: your day in the menu bar, notes beside your tasks and one purchase.
- The menu bar. Todoist's menu bar menu lists today's and tomorrow's tasks. Alcove's popup is where you work through the day: tick tasks off, open any list, check the month and read your notes, and any list can float above your work. See keeping your to-do list in the Mac menu bar.
- Notes that calculate. Notes live beside your tasks and do the sums, with tables and budget rows. See notes that do the maths.
- No subscription. One purchase covers Mac, iPhone and iPad. Over three years, Todoist Pro billed yearly comes to $180; Alcove stays at $29.99. See what to-do apps cost.
- No account, no tracking. Your data stays on your devices and in your own iCloud, and Alcove's MCP server runs on your Mac rather than online. See to-do apps that work with Claude.
Which should you choose?
Choose Todoist if you use Windows or Android, share projects with other people, or depend on integrations.
Choose Alcove if you work alone on Apple devices, want your day in the Mac menu bar, keep notes with your tasks and would rather pay once.
For more apps that cover what Todoist does, see Todoist alternatives for Mac and iPhone. If you're choosing between Todoist and Things, see Things 3 vs Todoist.
Sources
Checked on 8 October 2026:
- Todoist pricing and Todoist Pro pricing update
- Todoist Ramble
- Use Task Quick Add in Todoist
- Todoist downloads and Todoist integrations
- Todoist for Mac on the App Store
- Todoist changelog entries from 2025, for the menu bar menu
- Use Todoist in Claude and Connect Todoist to an AI assistant
Questions people ask
Is Alcove a good Todoist alternative?
For one person on Apple devices who'd rather pay once, yes. If you need Windows, Android, the web or shared projects, Todoist is the better fit.
How much does Todoist cost compared with Alcove?
Todoist has a free plan limited to five personal projects, and Pro costs $5 a month billed yearly ($60 a year) or $7 month to month. Alcove is free to use, and $29.99 once unlocks everything.
Do both have natural language quick add?
Yes. Both turn a sentence into a task with its date and more. Alcove reads the day, time, length, list, tag, priority and repeat, and opens with Option-Space from any app.
Can I speak my tasks in both?
Yes. Todoist's Ramble turns what you say into tasks using its AI, on every plan with a monthly limit on the free one. Alcove's Speak tasks uses Apple's speech recognition and, where your device has it, Apple Intelligence, rather than an outside service, and needs no account.
Can Alcove work with a team like Todoist?
No. Alcove is built for one person and has no shared lists.