Key Points
- Our choice for the overall best reminder app is Remember the Milk.
- Reminder apps are a great way to stay organized and productive.
- When looking for a reminder app, consider the way it sends notifications, its additional features, and the overall look and feel of the app.
Hustle and Bustle. Multi-tasking. These terms have entered our zeitgeist and reflect how busy we in our society are. We’re constantly running to and from jobs, appointments, and meetings while trying to sync our schedule with others around us — family, friends, and colleagues. To keep us better organized, we look to technology. We keep digital calendars and to-do lists. But reminder apps can organize our tasks, chores, and meetings so we can set it and forget it; until you get the pop-up on your phone or computer. Additionally, reminder apps keep you productive while removing the stress of remembering everything in your head.
If you’ve searched for any type of app, you’ve probably noticed that there are many to choose from. So how can you know which is the best? This article looks at the five best reminder apps available today and their best and most useful features. That way, you can decide which reminder app is the best for you.
History Computer’s Top Picks for the Best Reminder Apps
- Remember The Milk
- Google Keep
- Microsoft To Do
- BZ Reminder
- Todoist
Best Overall Reminder App: Remember The Milk
Our pick for the best overall reminder app is Remember The Milk. This popular app is perfect for any device, as it syncs seamlessly across your mobile and desktop. Not only does Remember The Milk sync across your devices, your reminders will appear in multiple places at once. For example, you can get a reminder notification via text, email, instant message, and even Twitter (now X).
We also like that you can share your to-do lists to make it even easier for colleagues and families to stay on track. For example, if you love to cook for your loved ones, you can use Remember The Milk as a handy recipe book. Within the app, you can save your favorite dishes, add their ingredients to your shopping list, and then tick your groceries off as you buy them. Or you can share the shopping list with a family member.
Additionally, you can organize any of your reminders by due date, tags, or priority. And, if you use Google Workspace or Evernote, this handy reminder app integrates well with both.
Finally, if you don’t get to a task on your list, it will roll over to the next day rather than just disappearing. This rollover means you won’t have to enter your goal more than once. However, completed list items will disappear instead of being grayed or lined out.
Unfortunately, some of the best reminder options require a subscription, which may be expensive for some people.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Multiple reminders ensure you never miss an important meeting or task again. | Most reminder abilities are only available with a subscription. |
| The paid version is expensive. |
Best Location-Based Reminder App: Google Keep
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Our pick for the best location-based reminder app is Google Keep. Keep is another popular reminder app, and for good reason. Google Keep is the ultimate to-list, where you can use text, drawings, voice, and images to create notes. Also, you can schedule reminders for created lists and notes and schedule these reminders for a particular time or when you reach a specific location. For example, you can remind yourself to get bread once you’re at the store. While you may not know precisely when you’ll be at the store, you can rest assured Keep will remind you once you arrive if you set it to.
We like that you can use Google Keep in dark mode, which is easy on your eyes. Also, we appreciate that the reminder app lets you organize notes by type, such as your reminders, personal, work, and inspiration. Also, you can archive your reminders and notes in order to reference them later.
Unfortunately, to use location-based reminders, you will have to give Keep access to your location (all the time). The constant tracking of your whereabouts can cause privacy concerns.
Google Keep is free but shares storage space with your other Google apps.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Google Keep is free to use. | Your storage limits apply to the combination of all your Google apps. |
| Some users may not want to keep their location services on due to privacy concerns. |
Best for Microsoft Suite Users: Microsoft To Do
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Microsoft To Do is our pick for the best reminder app for Microsoft Suite users. To Do has an excellent daily planner called My Day, which syncs across the app and your desktop. This planner integrates well with Outlook to keep track of your personal and business tasks.
We like the helpful Upcoming view, where your future reminders appear, so you’re reminded of what you need to do today and have an advanced view of the next day. Also, you can break down your projects, creating reminders for each step of the way.
Microsoft To Do is free to use. However, some users may find To Do too detailed, more suited for day-to-day tasks. These people may find Microsoft Lists fits their lives better for those big-picture notes.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| To Do is completely free to use. | This app is better for day-to-day use, while big-picture tasks may be better in Microsoft Lists. |
| The app has an easy-to-use calendar and also syncs well with Outlook. |
Best for Android Users: BZ Reminder
Our pick for the best reminder app for Android users is BZ Reminder. BZ Reminder is on our list because it features a simple, easy-to-use calendar and has a plethora of features. You can set recurring reminders with your voice and custom notifications, such as reminders to take your medication or take a walk.
BZ Reminder integrates well with Android Wear to get reminders on your watch. Also, you can use helpful, customizable widgets to stay even better organized. And, if you need to send someone a reminder, BZ makes it easy to do so.
BZ Reminder is free, but many features require a subscription. Unfortunately, many reviews mention that the free version of BZ Reminder is inundated with annoying ads.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| BZ Reminder pairs easily with Android Wear. | According to the reviews, the free version of the app has too many ads. |
Best for iOS Users: Todoist
Our pick for the best reminder app for iOS users is Todoist. This clean and uncluttered app is on our list because it looks good, is user-friendly, and has an extremely helpful quick-add feature. The quick add feature in this reminder app is key for anyone who prefers using their voice to set reminders. For example, you can speak your details, and Todoist will highlight all the essential information and create a reminder that makes sense. You can organize these quick adds, like you do your other reminders, adding them by prioritization or to a specific project or goal. In Todoists’s productivity view, you can quickly see how fast you reach your goals with the handy daily and weekly graphs.
You can use Todoist’s free version or pay for a personal or business subscription.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Use the quick add feature to add reminders quickly. | Some of the best features require a subscription. |
| Graphs are helpful for visual learners. |
How to Pick the Best Reminder App: Step-by-Step
When choosing which reminder app to download or buy, most people will consider the following:
- Method of notifications
- Additional features
- Look and feel
- Price
Method of Notifications
You may already know you want a reminder app to send you notifications, but have you considered how you want those messages? Some reminder apps will send them to your mobile device. However, other apps can send them to your desktop, email, and even social media accounts. If you need multiple reminders because you’re on the go and unsure where you’ll be, consider a reminder app that can send you notifications based on your location and across all your devices.
Additional Features
©History-Computer.com
The best notification apps have more abilities than just sending reminders. When exploring which app to get, you may realize you need something more robust than just a bell reminding you that your meeting is starting. You may want to consider a reminder app that lets you create to-do lists, organize entries by date and priority, and share with others. Take the time to read reviews and the app description to understand its features better.
Look and Feel
How a reminder app looks will contribute to its ease of use. Also called user-friendly, a clean, well-organized, and easy-to-navigate reminder app will be more beneficial than an app that is cluttered or features glaringly annoying colors. Be sure to check out screenshots of the reminder app you’re considering in order to get an idea of how it appears.
Price
Some reminder apps are free to download, and once you do, you can access all the app’s features. Others require a payment or subscription plan to access the best reminder features. Of course, which you decide may depend on your budget and needs. For example, if you need a simple reminder to drink water, you probably won’t want to pay extra for organizational features. However, if you need to remember several meetings, tasks, and important dates, a paid version may be the answer.
What to Know Before Choosing a Reminder App
Before you download another app to your mobile device, you would typically check out what it looks and does. The same is true for reminder apps. Before you get a reminder app, you’ll want to consider the available features and if they’re free or require a subscription. If you’re unsure about an app, consider using the free version (if available) before committing to a monthly or yearly payment.
In addition, you’ll want to consider the other features of the reminder app. If you need to organize your reminders by importance, or set up weekly occurrences, be sure the app you want can do that. Also, you’ll want to be sure the app syncs across the devices you need and is compatible with your devices.
Using Reminder Apps: What It’s Like
No matter which reminder app you choose, you’ll likely find it helps you stay on top of your to-dos. Setting reminders that appear where you need them when you need them is like having a helpful friend there to keep you on task.
Reminder apps can help your productivity, especially if you’re one to lose track of time. For example, you can set reminders for meetings and project due dates. And some apps let you break down projects into multiple steps. Reminder apps are also an excellent way for families to stay organized. By sharing calendar dates, kid pick-up schedules, and grocery lists, you’re empowering everyone to keep up with your busy lives.
If you find you need daily, weekly, monthly, or even yearly reminders, try downloading a reminder app to see how it can help you.
Summary Table
| App | Key Features | Cons |
|---|---|---|
| Remember The Milk | Syncs across devices, reminders appear in multiple places, integrates with Google Workspace and Evernote, tasks roll over to the next day | Some features require a subscription which may be expensive |
| Google Keep | Use text, drawings, voice, and images to create notes, schedule reminders for a particular time or location, organize notes by type | Requires access to your location all the time, shares storage space with other Google apps |
| Microsoft To Do | Daily planner called My Day, integrates with Outlook, helpful Upcoming view, can break down projects into steps | Some users may find it too detailed, more suited for day-to-day tasks |
| BZ Reminder | Simple, easy-to-use calendar, set recurring reminders with voice and custom notifications, integrates with Android Wear | Many features require a subscription, free version has many ads |
| Todoist | Clean and uncluttered, quick-add feature, productivity view with daily and weekly graphs | Some of the best features require a subscription |
The image featured at the top of this post is ©ChristianChan/Shutterstock.com.
