Ellie Planner vs Google Tasks: Comprehensive Comparison

Overview

In today's fast-paced world, choosing the right productivity tool can make all the difference. This comprehensive comparison between Ellie Planner and Google Tasks will help you understand which tool best fits your workflow and productivity needs.

⚡ Quick Summary

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.

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🌟 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.

What is Google Tasks?

Google Tasks is a simple task management app for creating, organizing, and managing to-do lists and tasks, with reminders and syncing across devices. This app is particularly effective for those who are already using Google Workspace, as it seamlessly integrates with Gmail, Google Calendar, and other Google apps. The minimalist design allows users to quickly add, organize, and track tasks without the complexity of more feature-heavy tools.

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🌟 Key Features of Google Tasks

• ✦Simple Task Management: Easily create, edit, and manage tasks.

• ✦Google Workspace Integration: Seamlessly works with Gmail and Google Calendar.

• ✦Subtasks: Break tasks into smaller, manageable steps.

• ✦Due Dates and Reminders: Set due dates and get notifications.

• ✦Multiple Lists: Organize tasks into different lists with drag-and-drop prioritization.

• ✦Cross-Device Sync: Access and sync tasks across all devices.

📊 Feature Comparison

🔗 Integrations

Ellie Planner

Apple Calendar, Google Calendar, Microsoft Outlook, Slack, Notion, Zapier

Google Tasks

Gmail, Google Calendar, Google Drive, Google Docs, Google Chat, Slack, Notion, Todoist, WhatsApp Business, Telegram

💰 Pricing Comparison

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.

Google Tasks

Free

Free

💡 Things to Consider

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.

When Choosing Google Tasks

• →You Value Simplicity: Google Tasks is suitable for those who need a straightforward task management tool, but it may be too basic for users requiring advanced features.

• →You're Integrated into the Google Ecosystem: It works well if you already use Google's services, though its integration capabilities are limited compared to more comprehensive tools.

• →You Don't Need Collaboration: While it's perfect for personal use, it lacks sharing, team assignment, and collaboration features that teams require.

⭐ User Reviews

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."

Google Tasks

"Google Tasks is a user-friendly task management app designed for simplicity and integration within the Google ecosystem. It allows users to create tasks with due dates, subtasks, and recurring options, with seamless sync across devices and strong Gmail/Calendar integration. While praised for its straightforward interface and being completely free, it lacks advanced features like collaboration, file attachments, and complex prioritization that power users might need."

🎯 Conclusion

Both Ellie Planner and Google Tasks are excellent productivity tools with their own strengths.

Ellie Planner excels in 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., while Google Tasks shines with Simple Task Management: Easily create, edit, and manage tasks.. 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.