Softwr

Productivity · head to head

Any.do vs Canary Mail

Any.do logo

Any.do

Productivity

To do list & planner

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Canary Mail logo

Canary Mail

Productivity

Security-focused AI email client with end-to-end encryption and a lifetime purchase option

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Any.do bare-bones free plan: lacks recurring tasks and third-party integrations available only in paid plans; Canary Mail pGP encryption only protects a message if the recipient also supports and uses PGP, so most everyday mail to non-technical contacts stays unencrypted regardless.
  • They diverge on capability: Any.do covers Task lists, Canary Mail covers AI Copilot.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Any.do and Canary Mail actually diverge.

Attributes where Any.do and Canary Mail differ
AttributeAny.doCanary Mail
Pricing modelUnknownPer user per year, or one-time purchase
PlatformsWeb, macOS, Windows, iOS, AndroidmacOS, Windows, iOS, Android
Founded2011Unknown

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Productivity).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Any.do

  • Task lists
  • Calendar integration
  • Reminders
  • Daily planner
  • Voice input
  • Drag and drop
  • Smart suggestions
  • Focus mode

Only in Canary Mail

  • AI Copilot
  • AI Summaries
  • Smart Search
  • PGP encryption
  • Read receipts
  • Lifetime licence

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Any.do

  • Personal task managementnot Canary Mail
  • Daily planningnot Canary Mail
  • Shopping listsnot Canary Mail
  • Project managementnot Canary Mail
  • Team collaborationnot Canary Mail

Canary Mail

  • A privacy-conscious user who wants PGP encryption built into a mainstream-feeling clientnot Any.do
  • Someone who wants to avoid an open-ended subscription and prefers a lifetime purchasenot Any.do
  • A user who wants AI summaries without sending mail content through an unfamiliar third party indefinitelynot Any.do
  • Someone consolidating several IMAP accounts into one client with unified searchnot Any.do

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Any.do

  • Bare-bones free plan: lacks recurring tasks and third-party integrations available only in paid plans
  • Short planning window: only allows planning up to seven days ahead, limiting long-term project planning
  • Limited desktop performance: web and desktop versions struggle with functionality and responsiveness
  • Slow customer support: email support takes approximately 48 hours to respond
  • Missing drag-and-drop: inability to drag tasks between lists creates workflow friction

Canary Mail

  • PGP encryption only protects a message if the recipient also supports and uses PGP, so most everyday mail to non-technical contacts stays unencrypted regardless.
  • Team and shared-inbox features are minimal compared with Spark or dedicated tools, so it does not suit a support team out of the box.
  • The lifetime purchase price and terms have shifted over past versions, and buyers should confirm current lifetime pricing directly before assuming it still applies.
  • AI features still require sending thread content to a processing service to generate drafts and summaries, so the privacy story is stronger for encryption than for the AI layer itself.
  • Windows and Android apps have historically received updates later than the macOS and iOS versions.

Pricing, plan by plan

Any.do

Free
  • Premium$7.99/month
    • Recurring tasks
    • Location reminders
    • WhatsApp reminders
  • Family$9.99/month
    • All Premium features
    • Family sharing space
    • Up to 4 members

Canary Mail

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Unified inbox
    • Basic search
    • PGP support
  • Growth$36/year
    • AI Copilot and summaries
    • Send later
    • Inbox cleaner
  • Pro+$100/year
    • Advanced security features
    • Priority support
    • All Growth features

Which should you pick?

Choose Any.do if

  • You need task lists.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, macOS, Windows, iOS, Android.
  • You also want calendar integration.
Any.do review

Choose Canary Mail if

  • You need ai copilot.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on macOS, Windows, iOS, Android.
  • You also want ai summaries.
Canary Mail review

Questions people ask

Is Any.do or Canary Mail better?
Neither clearly leads. Any.do starts at Free and Canary Mail at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Any.do or Canary Mail?
Any.do starts at Free and Canary Mail at Free.
Does Any.do or Canary Mail run on more platforms?
Any.do runs on Web, macOS, Windows, iOS, Android. Canary Mail runs on macOS, Windows, iOS, Android.
Can I use Any.do for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Any.do best used for?
Any.do is most often used for personal task management, daily planning, shopping lists, project management. Of those, personal task management and daily planning are not what Canary Mail is typically brought in for.
What can Any.do do that Canary Mail cannot?
Any.do covers Task lists, Calendar integration, Reminders, Daily planner. Canary Mail covers AI Copilot, AI Summaries, Smart Search, PGP encryption.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Any.do: Does Any.do have a free version?

Yes, Any.do offers a free plan with no time limit or credit card required. The free plan includes basic tasks, lists, calendar sync, and daily planner features. Premium features like recurring tasks, location reminders, and AI features require a paid subscription starting at $4.99/month.

Source
Canary Mail: Does Canary Mail host my email?

No, it is a client over Gmail, Outlook, iCloud or IMAP accounts you already have.

Any.do: Can you share tasks with other users?

Task sharing is limited on Any.do. With a single-user license, you cannot share personal tasks. Team collaboration requires purchasing additional licenses at $5 per user per month on top of your base plan.

Source
Canary Mail: Is the lifetime licence still available?

Canary has offered a one-time lifetime purchase alongside its subscriptions; check current pricing on their site as terms have changed over time.

Any.do: Does Any.do integrate with Google Calendar?

Yes, Any.do syncs with Google Calendar, Outlook, and iCloud. However, users report some difficulties with the depth of Google Calendar integration compared to competing products.

Source
Canary Mail: Does PGP encryption work automatically?

Only between users who both have PGP set up; it does not encrypt mail to recipients without it.

Any.do: Does Any.do work offline?

Any.do is primarily a cloud-based application and does not have robust offline functionality. The web and desktop versions sometimes struggle with performance when offline.

Source
Any.do: What platforms does Any.do support?

Any.do is available across desktop (Mac and Windows), web browsers, iOS, and Android, providing cross-platform access to your tasks and calendar.

Source
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