Notes from the designer3 min read
Void Calendar vs Todoist
An organized list can still overfill today
Void CalendarMy basic requirement for a list tool is simple: easy to capture, easy to find later.
Todoist’s projects, labels, and filters help organize many tasks. An organized list can still ask too much of today. Marking ten tasks for today does not create extra hours.
In short: If you capture tasks across phone, desktop, and web, and organize a long list with projects, labels, and filters, Todoist is mature and worth keeping. If you work on a Mac and want each task to carry its own notes and material, with AI on your own model placing work into time that is actually free and the data staying on your machine, Void Calendar is worth a try.
At a glance
| Void Calendar | Todoist | |
|---|---|---|
| Platforms | macOS (Apple silicon), public beta | Web, Mac, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android |
| Price | Free with every feature; Pro sync not on sale yet | Free plan; Pro US$5/month billed yearly |
| AI scheduling | Your own model and API key; fits tasks into free time | Todoist Assist and Ramble voice capture |
| Calendar connections | Apple Calendar and Reminders, Google, iCloud; Outlook planned | Syncs to Google and Outlook calendars |
| Tasks & notes | Every task has a note with [[ ]] links | Projects, labels, filters, task durations |
| Where data lives | On your Mac; no company cloud copy | Cloud account synced across devices |
Competitor details checked October 8, 2026; see their official sites. Void Calendar is in public beta.
Todoist already brings lists into calendars
Todoist has task durations and a calendar layout, with plan requirements for those features. Google and Outlook integrations can mirror scheduled tasks to a calendar. See durations and calendar integration.
Both tools can reserve time. I also care about whether the task’s content comes along.
Starting should not require another round of preparation
Capturing “finish the course report” is quick. Starting means finding the instructions, class notes, and earlier feedback.
Void Calendar connects a task with a note of the same name. Specify whether this session is for three references or the first outline. Keep lessons and mistakes with the task as you work.
AI can use that context to break down the goal and arrange time. Dependencies help research lead into drafting. The input can be more useful than a string of titles.
Keep a list that already works
Void Calendar doesn’t connect to Todoist yet; that integration is planned. For now, your capture list can stay in Todoist, and work you’ve committed to can move into Void Calendar, next to its project notes and your other commitments.
Which one fits
Choose Todoist if:
- You need to manage tasks on your phone, on Windows, or in a browser today.
- You have a lot of tasks and rely on projects, labels, and filters to sort them.
- You already sync scheduled tasks to Google or Outlook Calendar.
Choose Void Calendar if:
- You work mainly on an Apple silicon Mac.
- Your tasks need material and steps before you start, and a record after you finish.
- You want AI on your own model and API key to break down work and schedule it.
- You’d rather keep tasks and notes on your own computer.
Capture should stay light, and execution should be clear. A small errand may need one line; substantial work needs somewhere for material, instructions, and records.
Read about notes attached to calendar tasks.
Sources checked October 8, 2026: Todoist pricing, Pro pricing update, downloads, task durations, and calendar integration.