Clear vs Ellie Planner: Comprehensive Comparison
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Overview
In today's fast-paced world, choosing the right productivity tool can make all the difference. This comprehensive comparison between Clear and Ellie Planner will help you understand which tool best fits your workflow and productivity needs.
⚡ Quick Summary
Aspect | Clear | Ellie Planner |
|---|---|---|
Best For | Minimalist gesture-based to-do list app for iOS | A minimalist daily planner app focused on time-blocking with drag-and-drop task scheduling and calendar integration. |
Pricing | ~$4-5/mo (proposed) | Free Plan available. Pro: $9.99/month, $99.99/year, or $299.99 lifetime. |
Platforms | iOS, Apple Watch, Web | Web, iOS, Mac, Windows |
What is Clear?
Clear is a minimalist to-do list and task management app focused on gesture-based input for quick list creation and organization, emphasizing simplicity and visual appeal. The app uses intuitive swipe gestures like pull down to add, pinch to insert, and swipe to complete/edit/delete tasks.
🌟 Key Features of Clear
✦Intuitive swipe gestures for task management
✦Customizable lists with colors, fonts, and themes
✦iCloud syncing across devices with Clear Pro
✦Gamification via achievements and rewards
✦List management with archiving capabilities
✦Apple Watch integration
What is Ellie Planner?
Ellie Planner is a minimalist daily planner and time-blocking app that combines tasks and calendar events to help users plan and visualize their day. It features drag-and-drop task scheduling, a brain dump area for quick capture, and built-in time tracking with analytics. The app includes AI assistant capabilities for task organization and scheduling optimization.
🌟 Key Features of Ellie Planner
✦Time Blocking with Drag-and-Drop: Core feature allowing users to drag tasks from a Kanban-style list directly into their calendar view for visual time blocking and day planning.
✦Brain Dump & Task Management: Quick capture inbox area combined with comprehensive task management including lists, priorities, due dates, labels, subtasks, and recurring tasks.
✦Built-in Timer and Analytics: Time tracking capabilities with analytics on how you spend your time, providing insights into productivity patterns and time allocation.
✦AI Assistant: AI-powered features for bulk task creation, smart organization, time estimation, automated scheduling, finding free time, and priority guidance (Pro feature).
✦Calendar Integration: Syncs with Google, Apple, and Outlook calendars to provide a unified view of appointments and tasks in one interface.
✦Cross-Platform Access: Available on web, iOS, Mac, and Windows with native apps and browser-based access for flexible planning anywhere.
📊 Feature Comparison
Feature | Clear | Ellie Planner |
|---|---|---|
📅 Calendar Integration | ✗ No | ✓ Yes |
✅ Task Management | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
⏰ Time Blocking | ✗ No | ✓ Yes |
🗣️ Natural Language Processing | ✗ No | ✓ Yes |
🔔 Notifications | — | ✓ Yes |
🌍 Time Zones Support | — | ✗ No |
📆 Scheduler | — | ✓ Yes |
📈 Analytics | ✗ No | ✓ Yes |
🔗 Integrations
Clear
Very limited integrations - Clear Cloud sync only
Ellie Planner
Apple Calendar, Google Calendar, Microsoft Outlook, Slack, Notion, Zapier
💰 Pricing Comparison
Clear
~$4-5/mo (proposed)
Proposed $4-5/mo for Clear Pro (pricing not finalized)
Ellie Planner
Free Plan available. Pro: $9.99/month, $99.99/year, or $299.99 lifetime.
Free Plan: $0 with unlimited tasks and braindump. Ellie Pro: $9.99/month, $99.99/year, or $299.99 one-time lifetime purchase.
💡 Things to Consider
When Choosing Clear
→Best for simple, quick lists rather than complex project management
→Subscription model for sync features may not appeal to all users
→Limited integrations with third-party productivity tools
When Choosing Ellie Planner
→You Value Visual Time-Blocking: Ellie Planner excels at drag-and-drop task scheduling into calendar views, making it ideal if you prefer visual daily planning over text-based task lists.
→You're Willing to Pay for Core Features: The free plan is quite limited, so you'll need Pro ($9.99/month) for time-blocking, calendar integration, and most useful features - consider if this fits your budget.
→You Use iOS/Web/Desktop: Best experience is on iOS and web platforms. Skip if you need Android support or prefer fully native desktop applications over web-based interfaces.
⭐ User Reviews
Clear
"Users love the simplicity, speed, and fun feel, calling it one of the most thoughtfully designed productivity apps. Great for quick, everyday lists but lacks advanced project management features like recurring tasks, tags, or complex organization."
Ellie Planner
"Ellie Planner is praised for its intuitive, minimalist interface and effective time-blocking capabilities with drag-and-drop functionality. Users appreciate the brain dump feature, calendar integration, and responsive indie developer support. However, the free plan is quite limited, pricing is considered high compared to alternatives, there's no Android app, and it offers fewer advanced features than comprehensive tools like Sunsama. Best suited for individual users who prioritize visual time-blocking and simplicity over complex workflows."
🎯 Conclusion
Both Clear and Ellie Planner are excellent productivity tools with their own strengths.
Clear excels in Intuitive swipe gestures for task management, while Ellie Planner shines with Time Blocking with Drag-and-Drop: Core feature allowing users to drag tasks from a Kanban-style list directly into their calendar view for visual time blocking and day planning.. The best choice depends on your specific needs, workflow preferences, and budget.
We recommend trying both tools to see which one fits better with your productivity style.
