Notes from the designer3 min read
Void Calendar vs Google Tasks
“Prepare for IELTS” still needs a starting point
Void CalendarIf you already use Gmail and Google Calendar, Google Tasks is an easy place to capture a quick action.
Reply to an email, submit a form, print some material. Write it down, give it a time, and check it off. That simplicity is useful.
My question is what happens when the work grows beyond a small reminder.
In short: If your tasks are mostly small, your day already runs through Gmail and Google Calendar, and you want to jot things down on your phone, Google Tasks is light and convenient, so keep using it. Consider Void Calendar if you plan on a Mac, your tasks need steps, materials, and protected focus time, and you want AI to fit them into time that is actually free while your data stays on your own computer.
At a glance
| Void Calendar | Google Tasks | |
|---|---|---|
| Platforms | macOS (Apple silicon), public beta | Web, Android, iOS, Gmail side panel |
| Price | Free with every feature; Pro sync not on sale yet | Google Account; some features need Workspace |
| AI scheduling | Your own model and API key; fits tasks into free time | Gemini app can add and edit tasks |
| Calendar connections | Apple Calendar and Reminders, Google, iCloud; Outlook planned | Dated tasks appear in Google Calendar |
| Tasks & notes | Every task has a note with [[ ]] links | Details, subtasks, recurrence, deadlines |
| Where data lives | On your Mac; no company cloud copy | Synced with your Google Account |
Competitor details checked October 8, 2026; see their official sites. Void Calendar is in public beta.
Google Tasks can schedule duration too
Google Tasks supports details, subtasks, recurrence, and deadlines. Creating a task in Google Calendar also lets you set a start time and planned duration. See Google’s task guide.
For a few straightforward tasks, that may already be enough. Another tool should solve a real problem.
“Prepare for IELTS” still leaves a lot to decide
Listening, speaking, reading, and writing require different materials and kinds of time.
A writing session might mean Task 2 only: review the previous corrections, outline the argument, then write a timed answer. Afterward, record recurring grammar mistakes and ideas that were hard to express.
Void Calendar gives tasks corresponding notes for those steps, references, and records. AI can organize them, break down work, and plan another session. Dependencies can establish which steps need to happen first.
Opening the task should give you a starting point, rather than another vague goal.
Keep your existing tasks in the process
Void Calendar can’t connect to Google Tasks yet; that integration is planned. Until then, the two can split the work: quick reminders stay in Google Tasks, while tasks that need steps, material, and focused time go into Void Calendar, alongside classes and your other calendars.
Which one fits
Choose Google Tasks if:
- You need to capture tasks on Android or iPhone today.
- Your email and schedule already live in Gmail and Google Calendar.
- Most of your tasks take a step or two and don’t need their own notes.
Choose Void Calendar if:
- You plan your day on an Apple silicon Mac.
- Your tasks need steps, reference material, and a record of what happened.
- You want AI, running on your own model and API key, to place tasks into time that is actually free.
- You’d rather keep tasks, notes, and focus records on your own computer.
Keep the familiar workflow for small reminders. For me, the reason to add a tool is when a task needs more room for instructions, material, and what happens afterward.
Read about time boxes with Google Calendar.
Sources checked October 8, 2026: Google Tasks help, Google Tasks product page, and tasks in Gemini Apps.