GoodTask - Detailed Review
Productivity Tools
GoodTask - Product Overview
Introduction to GoodTask
GoodTask is a versatile and powerful task and project management tool that integrates seamlessly with Apple’s Reminders and Calendars. This app is designed to help users manage their tasks, projects, and daily life more efficiently.
Primary Function
GoodTask’s primary function is to enhance the capabilities of Apple’s built-in Reminders and Calendars. It allows users to create, manage, and organize tasks in various ways, from simple checklists to complex project management. This makes it an ideal tool for both personal and professional use.
Target Audience
The target audience for GoodTask includes a wide range of individuals who need to manage tasks and projects. This can include:
- Students and academics looking to organize their assignments and research tasks.
- Professionals seeking to manage work projects and deadlines.
- Anyone who uses Apple’s Reminders and Calendars and wants additional features to boost their productivity.
Key Features
GoodTask offers several key features that make it a comprehensive task management tool:
- Syncing: It syncs with iCloud, Exchange, and other calendar services, ensuring all your tasks and calendar events are up-to-date across all your devices.
- Customizable Recurring Tasks: Users can set up fully customizable recurring tasks, which is particularly useful for routine activities.
- Multiple Views: The app provides various views such as List, Day, Week, and Month views, as well as a Board view that can be filtered by Date, Priority, List, and Tag type.
- Smart Lists: GoodTask allows users to create smart lists that filter tasks based on text, tags, priorities, and other criteria. This includes features like overdue tasks, location-based tasks, and recent tasks.
- Quick Actions: Users can quickly edit tasks on the fly and perform bulk actions to edit, check, or delete multiple tasks at once. Features include duplicating tasks, changing due dates, and adding or switching tags/lists.
- Notifications and Reminders: The app includes app icon badges and notifications to keep users reminded of their tasks. It also supports Today Widget and Apple Watch complications.
- Themes and Customization: GoodTask offers various themes, including a dark theme, and allows users to customize the app with different fonts and layouts.
- Subtasks and Repeat Features: For more advanced users, GoodTask 3 includes features like subtasks, automatic repeat after completion, and manual sorting.
Overall, GoodTask is a flexible and powerful tool that can be used in a variety of contexts to enhance productivity and task management.
GoodTask - User Interface and Experience
User Interface
The user interface of GoodTask is designed to be intuitive and versatile, making it a powerful tool in the productivity tools category.
Basic Interface
GoodTask is divided into three main sections: ‘Lists,’ ‘Tasks,’ and ‘Task Detail.’ On iOS devices, these sections are displayed prominently, while on iPad and Mac, the ‘Lists’ section appears as a sidebar.
- Lists: This section displays your lists, including Smart Lists and regular lists synced from Apple’s Reminders app. Smart Lists allow you to filter tasks based on various criteria, regardless of their original list. You can also manage your lists using ‘Groups’ and ‘Spaces’ to organize them efficiently.
- Tasks: Here, you can view tasks within a selected list. The tasks can be displayed in multiple views, including List View, Board View, and Calendar View. In List View, you can switch between day, week, and month views by swiping on the date area. Board View allows you to organize tasks by date, priority, list, or tag types.
- Task Detail: This section provides a detailed view of a selected task, showing the title, status bar, notes, quick actions, and subtasks. On Mac, this detail page appears in a separate window, which can be integrated into the main window if preferred.
Ease of Use
GoodTask is known for its simplicity and ease of use, despite its powerful features.
- Swipe and Tap Actions: You can switch between different views and dates by swiping on the tasks or date area. Long tapping on a task opens a context menu for quick actions or drag-and-drop functionality to move tasks around.
- Customization: The app offers extensive customization options. You can configure swipe actions, context menus, and sort options according to your preferences. The ‘Settings’ menu allows you to adjust various aspects, such as appearance, task display, and theme settings.
- Search Functionality: Searching for tasks is straightforward; you can pull down to search, and the results will appear as you type. This feature helps you quickly find specific tasks and adjust the list view accordingly.
User Experience
The overall user experience of GoodTask is positive, with several features enhancing usability.
- Responsiveness and Performance: While some users have reported occasional responsiveness issues, many users find the app to be generally responsive and efficient, especially on iOS devices.
- Integration and Synchronization: GoodTask integrates seamlessly with Apple’s Reminders app, ensuring that your data is synced across both platforms. This integration is particularly useful for those who rely on multiple devices.
- Custom Themes and Appearance: Users can fully customize the appearance of the app using themes, which can be selected from pre-made options or created and shared through the GoodTask community. This customization extends to widgets as well.
Feedback and Improvements
Some users have provided feedback on areas for improvement, such as the handling of subtasks. Currently, subtasks are saved as simple text in the Notes field, which can make them difficult to manage, especially when syncing with other apps like Outlook.
In summary, GoodTask offers a user-friendly interface with a range of customization options, making it a versatile and powerful tool for task management. While it has some areas for improvement, it generally provides a positive user experience due to its ease of use and robust features.
GoodTask - Key Features and Functionality
GoodTask Overview
GoodTask is a powerful task and project management tool that integrates seamlessly with Apple’s Reminders and Calendars apps. Here are the main features and how they work:
Integration with Apple’s Reminders and Calendars
GoodTask syncs with your iOS Reminders and Calendars data, ensuring that all your tasks and calendar events are consolidated in one place. This integration allows for automatic syncing across all devices connected to the same iCloud account.
Customizable Views
GoodTask offers multiple views to manage your tasks, including List, Day, Week, Month, and Board views. Each view can be customized further with various child view types, allowing you to focus on the tasks that matter most to you. For example, the Board view can be organized by Date, Priority, List, or Tag type.
Smart Lists
Smart Lists in GoodTask enable you to filter tasks based on various criteria such as text/tags, priorities, and due dates. You can create powerful and customizable lists using logical ‘ADD’ or ‘OR’ operations, and even invert filters to show tasks that do not match the criteria. This feature helps in organizing tasks efficiently and reducing clutter.
Recurring Tasks
GoodTask supports fully customizable recurring tasks. You can set recurrence rules based on completion date rather than due date, using the ‘Repeat after Completion’ option. This feature is particularly useful for tasks that need to be repeated at regular intervals.
Quick Actions and Bulk Editing
The app allows for quick editing of tasks on the fly and bulk actions to edit, check, or delete multiple tasks at once. You can duplicate tasks, change due dates, add or switch tags/lists, and more, making task management more efficient.
Location-Based Tasks and Alerts
You can add location-based alerts to your tasks, choosing either your current location or favorite locations. This feature is handy for reminders that are tied to specific places.
Subtasks and Automatic Repeat
GoodTask supports subtasks, which can be added and managed within the app. The ‘Automatic Repeat after Completion’ feature ensures that recurring tasks are generated based on when the previous task was completed.
Themes and Customization
The app offers various themes, including custom fonts, allowing you to personalize the appearance to suit your preferences. You can also long tap to move lists and tasks, and the app supports both portrait and landscape modes on all devices.
Notifications and Apple Watch Support
GoodTask includes app icon badges and notifications to keep you updated on your tasks. It also supports Apple Watch with complications, ensuring you can manage your tasks even on your wrist.
Time Zone Support and Multi-Tasking
The app supports different time zones, which is useful for users who work across multiple regions. Additionally, it supports multi-tasking on iPads, making it easier to manage tasks while using other apps.
AI Integration
While GoodTask does not explicitly integrate AI features like some other productivity tools, its powerful filtering and customization options can be seen as a form of intelligent task management. However, there is no direct AI assistance like task suggestion or automated task creation built into GoodTask based on the available information.
Conclusion
In summary, GoodTask is a versatile and feature-rich task manager that leverages the data from Apple’s Reminders and Calendars to provide a comprehensive and customizable task management experience. While it does not include AI-driven features, its robust set of tools makes it highly effective for organizing and managing tasks.
GoodTask - Performance and Accuracy
Performance
GoodTask users have reported some performance issues, particularly in recent times. For instance, some users have experienced sluggish performance, with tasks taking 1.5 to 3 seconds to complete, and simple actions like drag and drops causing brief delays.Key Points
- This slowness is not necessarily due to hardware limitations, as users with high-end devices like the MacBook Pro M1 Max have also encountered these issues.
- One potential cause is the accumulation of completed tasks. Users have found that removing completed tasks or managing large lists more efficiently can improve performance. For example, deleting completed tasks or unchecking large lists in the settings can help.
Accuracy and Features
GoodTask is known for its quick actions and flexibility, but it has some limitations, especially in managing projects.Key Points
- Users have struggled with managing multiple projects, often having to create numerous lists or use tags as GTD contexts. This can become cumbersome, especially with a large number of projects.
- The app lacks a seamless project management system, which is a significant shortcoming. Users have suggested features like drag-and-drop functionality onto smart lists and the ability to archive smart lists to improve project management.
User Experience
Despite its performance issues, GoodTask is appreciated for its integration with other tools and its powerful features.Key Points
- Users value its quick actions and the ability to manage tasks in various views, such as lists and calendars.
- However, the app’s performance and project management capabilities need improvement to match user expectations, especially compared to other task management tools like Things 3.
Areas for Improvement
To enhance performance and accuracy, GoodTask could focus on the following areas:- Optimizing Data Management: Improving how the app handles large numbers of tasks, including completed ones, could significantly boost performance.
- Project Management: Enhancing project management features, such as introducing better smart list functionality and archiving options, would make the app more user-friendly for those managing multiple projects.
- User Interface: Streamlining the user interface to reduce lag and improve responsiveness would enhance the overall user experience.
GoodTask - Pricing and Plans
Pricing Structure of GoodTask
Free Trial
GoodTask offers a 14-day free trial for both iOS and macOS versions. This trial allows you to use the full features of the app without any limitations during this period.iOS Version
For the iOS version, you have several options to unlock the app’s full features after the trial period:Unlock Everything
This is a one-time purchase available for $24.99. It unlocks all the features of GoodTask without any recurring fees.Supporter
This is an optional auto-renewing yearly subscription for $12.49. It supports the continuous development of the app and automatically unlocks all features if you haven’t already done so.Support Once
Another optional one-time payment of $12.99 to support the app’s development.macOS Version
For the macOS version, you can purchase the app outright from the Mac App Store for $39.99. There is no subscription model for the macOS version; it is a one-time purchase.Features Across Plans
Regardless of the plan you choose, GoodTask offers a range of features, including:- List, Day, Week, Month views
- Board view with Date, Priority, List, and Tag type
- Smart Lists with various filters
- Quick Actions and Bulk actions
- Subtasks, Repeat after Completion, and Manual sort
- Support for Apple Watch, iPad Pro, and multi-tasking on iPads
- Customizable themes and notifications
Summary
- Free Trial: 14 days for both iOS and macOS.
- iOS:
- One-time purchase: $24.99 (Unlock Everything)
- Yearly subscription: $12.49 (Supporter)
- One-time support: $12.99 (Support Once)
- macOS: One-time purchase: $39.99.
- All plans include a wide range of productivity features without additional costs beyond the initial purchase or subscription.
GoodTask - Integration and Compatibility
GoodTask Overview
GoodTask is a powerful task manager app that integrates seamlessly with various tools and offers broad compatibility across different platforms and devices. Here are some key points regarding its integration and compatibility:Integration with Apple’s Reminders and Calendars
GoodTask is built on Apple’s Reminders and Calendars, which means it syncs all your tasks and calendar events automatically. This integration allows you to manage your Reminders lists and Calendars easily within the app.Compatibility with Other Email and Task Services
In addition to Apple’s ecosystem, GoodTask can also integrate with Outlook.com and Microsoft To Do. If you use Outlook for iOS and Outlook.com, your flagged emails can appear in your task list within GoodTask. This setup also allows for the use of tags, subtasks, and file links from OneDrive, enhancing cross-platform functionality.Cross-Platform Usage
GoodTask supports both iOS and Mac devices. It offers a consistent experience across iPhones, iPads, and Macs, including support for landscape mode on all devices and multi-tasking on iPads, including the iPad Pro.Customization and Smart Lists
The app provides various viewpoints and smart lists that can filter tasks based on text, tags, priorities, and more. This flexibility makes it useful for both simple checklists and complex project management.Additional Integrations
GoodTask also integrates well with other productivity tools through features like URL schemes. For example, you can copy a link to a task within GoodTask and use it in other apps, such as Craft Docs, to create seamless workflows.Apple Watch and Widgets
GoodTask supports Apple Watch with complications and offers Today Widget support, allowing you to manage your tasks on the go.Themes and Customization
The app is fully customizable with various themes, including custom fonts, which enhances user engagement and personalization.Conclusion
In summary, GoodTask offers a versatile and integrated task management solution that works well within the Apple ecosystem and also supports integration with other services like Outlook and Microsoft To Do, making it a valuable tool for managing tasks across multiple platforms and devices. GoodTask - Customer Support and Resources
Customer Support
If you have questions or need assistance, you can reach out to the GoodTask support team through several channels. Here are a few ways to get help:
- You can mention @goodtaskapp on Twitter to get direct support from the team.
- For more detailed inquiries, you can send an email to
contact@hahaint.com.
Community Forum
GoodTask has a community forum where users can discuss features, provide feedback, and share suggestions. This forum is a great place to interact with other users and the development team. For example, users have discussed potential integrations, such as integrating GoodTask with Contacts, which shows the active engagement between the community and the developers.
Documentation and Resources
The GoodTask website and the app’s description on the App Store provide comprehensive information about the app’s features, including how to use Smart Lists, Quick Actions, and other key functionalities. This documentation helps users get the most out of the app.
App Store Features and Reviews
GoodTask is featured in various sections of the Apple App Store, such as ‘Apps We Love Right Now,’ ‘Be More Productive,’ and ‘Get Stuff Done.’ These features and user reviews can provide valuable insights and testimonials from other users who have found the app helpful.
Trial and Feedback
GoodTask offers a two-week free trial, allowing users to test the app’s features before committing to a purchase. This trial period is an excellent opportunity for users to provide feedback and see if the app meets their needs.
By leveraging these support options and resources, users can effectively manage their tasks and projects with GoodTask, ensuring they get the most out of this powerful task and project management tool.
GoodTask - Pros and Cons
Advantages of GoodTask
Integration and Compatibility
GoodTask seamlessly integrates with Apple’s Reminders and Calendars, ensuring that all your tasks and calendar events are synchronized and accessible in one place. This integration is particularly useful if you are already using iCloud or Outlook with Reminders and Calendars.
Customization and Flexibility
The app offers a high degree of customization, including fully customizable recurring tasks, various themes with custom fonts, and the ability to manage tasks in different views such as List, Day, Week, Month, and Board views. You can also use Smart Lists to filter tasks by text, tags, priorities, and more.
Efficient Task Management
GoodTask provides Quick Actions that allow you to edit tasks quickly on the fly, perform bulk actions to edit, check, or delete multiple tasks at once, and use presets and text snippets for speedy task addition. The app also supports subtasks, automatic repeat after completion, and manual sorting (available in GoodTask 3).
Multi-Device Support
The app is compatible with multiple Apple devices, including iPad Pro, all iPads with multi-tasking support, Apple Watch with complications, and Today Widget support. It also supports portrait and landscape modes on all devices.
User-Friendly Features
GoodTask includes features like app icon badges and notifications, time zone support, and long tap functionality to move lists and tasks. These features enhance the overall user experience and make task management more efficient.
Awards and Recognition
GoodTask has been recognized as a ‘MacStories Selects App of the Year’ and has been featured in various Apple App Store categories such as ‘Apps We Love Right Now,’ ‘Be More Productive,’ and ‘Get Stuff Done.’
Disadvantages of GoodTask
Subscription Model
While GoodTask offers a two-week free trial, it operates on an optional subscription model to support continuous development. This might be a drawback for users who prefer one-time purchases or are hesitant about recurring payments.
Limited Third-Party Access
Some features, such as tags, are not accessible to third-party apps due to Apple’s restrictions. This limitation might affect the full potential of GoodTask’s customization options.
Dependence on Apple Ecosystem
GoodTask is heavily integrated with Apple’s ecosystem, which means it may not be the best choice for users who prefer or need to use non-Apple devices or services.
No AI-Driven Features
Unlike some other productivity tools, GoodTask does not incorporate AI-driven features, which might be a disadvantage for users looking for advanced automation or predictive task management capabilities based on AI technology.
In summary, GoodTask is a powerful and flexible task manager that excels in integration, customization, and efficiency within the Apple ecosystem, but it may have limitations for users outside this ecosystem or those seeking AI-driven features.
GoodTask - Comparison with Competitors
GoodTask
GoodTask is a task manager that builds upon Apple’s Reminders and Calendars, making it an excellent choice for those already invested in the Apple ecosystem. Here are some of its standout features:
- Seamless Sync: GoodTask syncs with iOS Reminders and Calendars, ensuring all your tasks are accessible and up-to-date across all your Apple devices.
- Customizable Views: It offers various viewpoints such as List, Day, Week, Month, and Board views, allowing users to manage tasks in a way that suits them best.
- Smart Lists and Filters: Users can create smart lists that filter tasks by text, tags, priorities, and more. It also includes features like overdue tasks, location-based tasks, and recent tasks.
- Quick Actions and Bulk Editing: GoodTask allows for quick editing of tasks on the fly and bulk actions to edit, check, or delete multiple tasks at once.
- Additional Features: It includes app icon badges, notifications, various themes, Apple Watch support, and Today Widget support.
Motion
Motion is an AI-powered task and calendar management tool that stands out for its automated scheduling features:
- AI-Powered Auto-Scheduling: Motion uses AI to prioritize and allocate tasks into your calendar, ensuring deadlines are met and reducing manual planning efforts.
- Integration: It combines task management and calendar scheduling in one platform, though it has limited information on compatibility with external tools beyond basic calendars.
- Real-Time Adjustments: Motion simplifies daily planning with real-time adjustments to schedules and deadlines.
Reclaim
Reclaim is another AI-driven tool that focuses on dynamic scheduling and protecting focus time:
- Dynamic Scheduling: Reclaim adapts in real-time to changes in your calendar, ensuring high-priority tasks are given appropriate time slots.
- Focus Time Protection: It automatically blocks focus time and schedules meetings, integrating with Google Calendar for real-time adjustments.
Taskade
Taskade is a more comprehensive platform that unifies project management, task organization, and team communication:
- Customizable AI Agents: Taskade uses AI agents for tasks like research, SEO, and content creation, automating workflows and generating insights.
- Real-Time Collaboration: It supports real-time collaboration with features like chat, video conferencing, and shared document editing.
- Visual Project Management: Users can create dynamic project views as lists, boards, or mind maps, and it integrates with over 5000 apps through Zapier.
Key Differences and Alternatives
- Integration with Existing Tools: GoodTask is ideal for those deeply integrated into the Apple ecosystem, while Motion and Reclaim are more focused on AI-driven scheduling and may appeal to users looking for automated calendar management. Taskade, on the other hand, is a more all-encompassing platform suitable for team collaboration and project management.
- AI Capabilities: Motion and Reclaim rely heavily on AI for scheduling and task prioritization, whereas Taskade uses AI for a broader range of tasks including research and content creation. GoodTask does not have built-in AI features but enhances the functionality of Apple’s Reminders and Calendars.
- User Interface and Customization: GoodTask offers a clean, simple interface with extensive customization options, including themes and smart lists. Taskade provides a visual builder for project views and supports various work styles.
In summary, GoodTask is a powerful tool for individuals already using Apple’s Reminders and Calendars, offering extensive customization and integration within the Apple ecosystem. For those seeking AI-driven scheduling and calendar management, Motion or Reclaim might be more suitable. If you need a comprehensive platform for team collaboration and project management with advanced AI capabilities, Taskade could be the better choice.
GoodTask - Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions about GoodTask
Q: What is GoodTask and how does it integrate with other Apple services?
GoodTask is a task manager and planner app built on top of Apple’s Reminders and Calendars. It enhances these tools by adding additional features to boost your productivity. It seamlessly syncs with iOS Reminders and Calendars, allowing you to manage your tasks and calendar events in one place.
Q: What are the different views available in GoodTask?
GoodTask offers various viewpoints to manage your tasks. You can view your tasks in List, Day, Week, and Month views for each list. Additionally, it features a Board view that can be filtered by Date, Priority, List, and Tag type.
Q: How do recurring tasks work in GoodTask?
GoodTask supports fully customizable recurring tasks. You can set tasks to recur with various options, and there is a ‘Repeat after Completion’ feature that creates the next task based on the completion date rather than the due date.
Q: Can I customize the appearance of GoodTask?
Yes, GoodTask is highly customizable. You can choose from various themes, including custom fonts. The app also supports portrait and landscape modes on all devices and has Apple Watch complications and Today Widget support.
Q: How do Smart Lists work in GoodTask?
Smart Lists in GoodTask allow you to create lists based on specific criteria. You can filter tasks by including or excluding text/tags, priorities, and more. For example, you can create a list for tasks due today, including past due tasks, or filter by high priority items.
Q: Can I perform bulk actions on tasks in GoodTask?
Yes, GoodTask allows you to perform bulk actions. You can quickly edit tasks on the fly, and there are options to edit, check, or delete multiple tasks at once. You can also duplicate tasks, change due dates, add or switch tags/lists, and more.
Q: Does GoodTask support subtasks?
Yes, GoodTask supports subtasks, which is a feature available in GoodTask 3. This allows you to break down larger tasks into smaller, manageable subtasks.
Q: How does syncing work in GoodTask?
GoodTask syncs automatically with iOS Reminders and Calendars. If you have an iCloud account connected to your Reminders/Calendars app, it will sync across all devices using the same account. You can also force sync the data by pulling down the list to sync immediately.
Q: Are there any subscription requirements for using GoodTask?
Subscriptions in GoodTask are optional and are intended to support the continuous development of the app. If you choose to subscribe, it will unlock all features automatically. Subscriptions are available on a yearly basis and can be managed through your App Store account settings.
Q: How can I get support if I have questions or issues with GoodTask?
If you have questions or need support, you can email the GoodTask team at contact@hahaint.com or mention @goodtaskapp on Twitter. There is also a support forum available where you can find answers to common questions and interact with other users.
GoodTask - Conclusion and Recommendation
Final Assessment of GoodTask
GoodTask is a highly versatile and powerful task manager that builds upon Apple’s built-in Reminders and Calendars, making it an excellent choice for individuals seeking to enhance their productivity.Key Features
- Seamless Sync: GoodTask syncs perfectly with iOS Reminders and Calendars, ensuring that all your tasks and calendar events are accessible in one place.
- Customization: It offers fully customizable recurring tasks, smart lists with various filters (text/tags, priorities, overdue tasks, etc.), and the ability to add tasks quickly using presets and text snippets.
- Multiple Views: Users can view their tasks in list, day, week, or month formats, as well as a board view with date, priority, list, and tag types.
- Additional Tools: The app supports bulk actions, subtasks, automatic repeat after completion, and manual sorting. It also includes features like app icon badges, notifications, various themes, and support for Apple Watch and Today Widgets.
Who Would Benefit Most
GoodTask is particularly beneficial for:- Users of Apple’s Reminders: Since it integrates seamlessly with Reminders, users can transition easily without having to recreate their tasks in a new system.
- Those Needing Advanced Task Management: Individuals managing complex projects or those who require detailed subtasks and recurring events will find GoodTask’s features highly useful.
- Family or Team Collaboration: It is ideal for families or teams sharing iOS reminders and calendars, as it allows for comprehensive management without disrupting others’ processes.