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A Todoist alternative for two people who share the work
Updated · by the Simpleban team
In short
Todoist is one of the best personal to-do apps there is. It is weaker the moment two people share it: shared projects need a paid plan for the second collaborator's full features in practice, a flat list hides what is stuck or waiting on someone, and reminders come from the person who set them. Simpleban is a kanban board built for exactly two people — every card has an owner: you, your partner, or either of you, handing one over is visible and emailed, repeating cards can alternate between you — and it is free with every feature. If your tasks are mostly yours alone, keep Todoist.
List vs board, for two people
A list has one dimension: done or not. A board adds stages, so “waiting on the plumber” and “waiting on you” stop looking like “to do”. For one person this rarely matters; for a couple or a freelancer and client, the stuck and waiting items are the ones that cause friction, and a board makes them visible without a conversation.
What changes when you switch
- Ownership is built in: every card has an owner (you, your partner, or either of you), visible to both.
- Handoffs replace reminders: hand a card over and it shows as “waiting on you” on the other board, with one email if they're away and a short 8am nudge the next morning.
- Repeating cards come back on their due day and can alternate between the two of you.
- Due dates are calm — a Today and This week filter, no overdue red — with a calendar feed for Google, Apple or Outlook.
- Both people get the full app on their own phone. The other person joins from a link with a name and an email.
Side by side
| Todoist | Simpleban | |
|---|---|---|
| Shape | List with projects and sections | Kanban board with columns and cards |
| Best for | One person's tasks | Two people's shared work |
| Ownership | Assignee in shared projects | An owner on every card |
| Reminders | You set them; they come from the app for you | The app nudges whoever has something waiting |
| Recurring tasks | Excellent natural-language dates | Daily, weekly, weekdays, every N days, monthly; can alternate between two people |
| Natural-language quick add | Yes | No |
| Integrations, labels, filters, karma | Yes | No |
| Price for two | Free tier; paid plan for more | Free, every feature, written promise |
Who should stay on Todoist
Anyone whose tasks are mostly their own, who loves quick-add and natural-language dates, or who needs integrations and filters. Simpleban is only better once the work is genuinely shared between two people.
Templates to start from
Questions, answered
- Is Simpleban good for couples who use Todoist together?
- That is exactly what it is for. Ownership and handoffs are built into every card, repeating chores can alternate between you, and the app sends the morning reminder instead of your partner.
- Does Simpleban have natural-language dates?
- No. Due dates are set with quick picks (Today, Tomorrow, This weekend, Next week) or a date picker.
- Is it free for both people?
- Simpleban is free forever for two: you and the one person you invite get every feature, unlimited boards and cards, no trial and no credit card. The promise is written into the Terms: nothing that is free today will ever move behind a paywall, and your +1 never pays. If you need more people or want to share boards beyond your +1, we'll soon introduce subscription tiers — a flat rate, never per seat.
- Can I use Simpleban alone?
- Yes, and the Personal kanban and ADHD weekly planner templates are built for that — but if you are only ever solo, Todoist may suit you better.
A list is for one. A board is for two.
Start a board and send your +1 the link.
Your board starts as “Household chores” — columns and example cards you can change or delete.
Try the live demo board first