To-do list apps without a subscription for Mac and iPhone
To-do apps you can buy once for Mac and iPhone include Alcove ($29.99 for Mac, iPhone and iPad together), Things 3 ($79.97 for all three, sold separately), OmniFocus 4 (a $74.99 universal licence), 2Do ($79.97 for all three) and Kan Do ($2.99, boards only). Apple Reminders and Microsoft To Do are free.
Subscriptions make sense for apps with servers to run and teams to support. For a to-do list on your own devices, many people would rather pay once. Here are the apps that let you, what they really cost across a Mac, an iPhone and an iPad, and how that compares with the subscription apps over three years.
I make Alcove, which is on this list. Prices are US prices from each app's App Store page or website, checked in October 2026.
One-time purchase and free to-do apps
| App | Mac | iPhone | iPad | All three | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alcove | Included | Included | Included | $29.99 once | One purchase, 14-day free trial, Family Sharing |
| Things 3 | $49.99 | $9.99 | $19.99 | $79.97 | Separate purchases; free trial on Mac |
| OmniFocus 4 Standard | Included | Included | Included | $74.99 once | Universal licence; Pro is $149.99 |
| 2Do | $49.99 | $9.99 | $19.99 | $79.97 | Separate purchases; 14-day trial on Mac |
| Kan Do | Included | Included | Included | $2.99 once | Kanban boards rather than a full to-do app |
| Apple Reminders | Free | Free | Free | Free | Built in |
| Microsoft To Do | Free | Free | Free | Free | Also on Windows and Android |
What the subscription apps cost over three years
| App | Per year | Three years |
|---|---|---|
| Todoist Pro | $60 ($5 a month billed yearly) | $180 |
| TickTick Premium | $49.99 | $149.97 |
| OmniFocus subscription | $99.99 | $299.97 |
| Alcove | $0 after the first $29.99 | $29.99 |
| Things 3, all three devices | $0 after the first $79.97 | $79.97 |
Subscriptions do buy you things: Todoist and TickTick run on Windows, Android and the web, and include sharing. If you need those, the yearly price may be worth it. If you only use Apple devices and work alone, a one-time purchase usually costs less within a year.
The apps in more detail
Alcove covers Mac, iPhone and iPad with one $29.99 purchase. It puts your day in the Mac menu bar, with lists, a calendar with an hour grid, boards, notes that do the maths, widgets, Siri and reminders that can ring like an alarm on iPhone. There's no account; everything syncs through your own iCloud. See the home page for the full tour.
Things 3 is the polished classic, bought once per device. It's beautiful and mature, with an Apple Watch app. See Alcove vs Things 3.
OmniFocus 4 offers both a perpetual licence and a subscription. The licence covers every Apple device; the subscription adds the web version. It's the deepest GTD tool here. See Alcove vs OmniFocus.
2Do is a long-standing power-user app with many views and options, sold once per device like Things 3.
Kan Do is a $2.99 kanban app for every Apple device, with boards, smart lists, widgets and private iCloud sync. If boards are all you want, it's hard to beat on price. See the best personal kanban apps.
Apple Reminders and Microsoft To Do are free. Reminders is built in and has sections, a column view and, from iOS 26.2, urgent reminders that ring. Microsoft To Do adds Windows and Android.
Things to check before you buy
- Is it one purchase or one per device? Things 3 and 2Do are sold per device; Alcove, OmniFocus 4 and Kan Do are universal.
- Is there a trial? Alcove has 14 days on every device; Things 3 and 2Do have trials on the Mac.
- What happens to your data if you stop? With Alcove your tasks stay readable and exportable even without the unlock.
- Does Family Sharing cover it? Alcove's does.
Sources
Checked in October 2026:
- Things 3 for Mac, iPhone and iPad on the App Store
- OmniFocus 4 pricing
- 2Do licensing explained
- Kan Do
- Todoist pricing and TickTick Premium
- Microsoft To Do on the Mac App Store
Questions people ask
Which to-do app is the cheapest one-time purchase for Mac, iPhone and iPad?
Among full to-do apps, Alcove is $29.99 once for all three, after a 14-day free trial. Kan Do is $2.99 for every Apple device but is a kanban board app rather than a full to-do app. Apple Reminders and Microsoft To Do are free.
Is Things 3 a subscription?
No. Things 3 is a one-time purchase, sold separately for each device: $49.99 for Mac, $9.99 for iPhone and $19.99 for iPad.
Does OmniFocus still sell a one-time licence?
Yes. OmniFocus 4 sells a universal perpetual licence for Mac, iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch and Vision Pro at $74.99 (Standard) or $149.99 (Pro), alongside a $99.99 yearly subscription that includes the web version.
What happens to my tasks if I don't buy Alcove after the trial?
They stay. Your tasks and notes remain readable and exportable and keep syncing through iCloud, and nothing is deleted. Adding and editing need the one-time unlock.
Does Family Sharing work with one-time purchase to-do apps?
It depends on the developer. Alcove's unlock is included in Family Sharing, so everyone in your family group gets it from one purchase.