Softwr

Productivity · head to head

Any.do vs Day One

Any.do logo

Any.do

Productivity

To do list & planner

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Day One logo

Day One

Productivity

Journalling app for iOS, Android and Mac now sold as a subscription after years as a one-time purchase

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; Day One it moved from a one-time purchase to a subscription after the Automattic acquisition, so long-term cost is materially higher than the original pricing implied.
  • They diverge on capability: Any.do covers Task lists, Day One covers Multiple journals.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Any.do and Day One actually diverge.

Attributes where Any.do and Day One differ
AttributeAny.doDay One
Pricing modelUnknownFree tier plus subscription
PlatformsWeb, macOS, Windows, iOS, AndroidiOS, Android, macOS, Web
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 Day One

  • Multiple journals
  • Rich entries
  • End-to-end encryption
  • On This Day
  • Cross-platform sync
  • PDF and Day One export

What people use each for

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

Any.do

  • Personal task managementnot Day One
  • Daily planningnot Day One
  • Shopping listsnot Day One
  • Project managementnot Day One
  • Team collaborationnot Day One

Day One

  • Someone wanting a private daily journal with photos that syncs between phone and laptopnot Any.do
  • A person keeping a travel journal that auto-attaches location and weather to each entrynot Any.do
  • Someone who wants encrypted entries kept separate from an unencrypted general journalnot Any.do
  • A user who wants automated daily writing prompts and On This Day nostalgia reviewnot 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

Day One

  • It moved from a one-time purchase to a subscription after the Automattic acquisition, so long-term cost is materially higher than the original pricing implied.
  • The free tier caps at one journal and 25 photo entries, which is restrictive enough that anyone journalling seriously for more than a few weeks needs to pay.
  • End-to-end encryption is opt-in per journal rather than on by default, so users have to actively choose it and understand which journals are protected.
  • Cancelling Premium after using multiple journals or heavy photo storage can leave content viewable but with sync and some features disabled, so people should export before cancelling.
  • As an Automattic product, its roadmap sits behind a company whose primary focus is WordPress and Tumblr, not journalling specifically.

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

Day One

Free
  • FreeFree
    • One journal
    • Up to 25 photo entries
    • Basic sync
  • Day One Premium$3.99/month
    • Unlimited journals and photos
    • End-to-end encryption
    • On This Day and audio transcription
  • Day One Premium Annual$34.99/year
    • Same as monthly Premium at a lower effective rate

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 Day One if

  • You need multiple journals.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on iOS, Android, macOS, Web.
  • You also want rich entries.
Day One review

Questions people ask

Is Any.do or Day One better?
Neither clearly leads. Any.do starts at Free and Day One at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Any.do or Day One?
Any.do starts at Free and Day One at Free.
Does Any.do or Day One run on more platforms?
Any.do runs on Web, macOS, Windows, iOS, Android. Day One runs on iOS, Android, macOS, Web.
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 Day One is typically brought in for.
What can Any.do do that Day One cannot?
Any.do covers Task lists, Calendar integration, Reminders, Daily planner. Day One covers Multiple journals, Rich entries, End-to-end encryption, On This Day.

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
Day One: Is Day One still a one-time purchase?

No. Since the 2021 Automattic acquisition it is sold as Day One Premium, a subscription. Older lifetime purchasers were grandfathered but new users pay a subscription.

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
Day One: Is encryption on by default?

No, end-to-end encryption is an option users turn on per journal, not a default for all entries.

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
Day One: Can I export my entries if I cancel?

Yes, PDF and native Day One export formats are available regardless of subscription status, though some sync and premium features stop working.

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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