Comparison
TodoCity vs Todoist: a private Todoist alternative for Mac
TodoCity is a private, Mac-only alternative to Todoist. Where Todoist keeps your tasks in its cloud behind an account, TodoCity keeps them on your Mac, works offline and uses on-device AI to turn copied text into dated tasks. Todoist is the better pick if you need apps on every platform or shared projects with a team. TodoCity can import your Todoist projects, sections, tasks and completed tasks.
At a glance
| Feature | TodoCity | Todoist |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free for personal use | Free plan, paid plans for more |
| Platforms | Mac | Web, Mac, Windows, iPhone, Android and more |
| Where tasks live | On your Mac | Todoist's servers |
| Account | None | Required |
| Works offline | Fully | Partly |
| AI | On your Mac | Cloud features |
| Turn copied text into a task | ⌘C twice, in any app | Browser extensions, email forwarding, share sheet |
| Sharing with others | No | Yes, shared projects |
| Import from the other | Imports Todoist (API token or CSV) | — |
Why people switch
- Privacy: no account and no cloud copy of your tasks.
- Capture from any app with ⌘C twice, read by AI on your Mac.
- Planning on the clock: Today with its hours and a week calendar beside your events.
- A work Mac that can't use cloud apps can still sync with your personal Mac, end-to-end encrypted.
- A calmer kind of motivation: your city lights up as you finish things — no karma points or streaks.
What carries over
| Todoist | TodoCity |
|---|---|
| Project (and sub-projects) | Project (a building) |
| Inbox | Tasks with no project |
| Section | Floor |
| Sub-tasks | Sub-tasks |
| Labels | #tags |
| Priority 1–3 | #p1–#p3, if you choose |
| Description and comments | Notes |
| Recurring dates | Repeats (daily, weekdays, weekly, every 2 weeks, monthly, yearly) |
| Completed tasks | Done tasks — lit windows in your city |
Who should pick which
- Pick TodoCity if your tasks are personal, you work on a Mac, and you'd rather they never leave it.
- Pick Todoist if you need Windows, Android or the web, or share projects with other people.
Questions
How do I move from Todoist to TodoCity?
In TodoCity, open Settings → Move in → Todoist and paste your Todoist API token (Todoist → Settings → Integrations → Developer). Or export projects as CSV files. Todoist isn't changed.