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Software · head to head

Any.do vs Roam Research

Any.do logo

Any.do

Software

To do list & planner

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Roam Research logo

Roam Research

Software

A note-taking tool for networked thought

From
$15/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Any.do has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Any.do bare-bones free plan: lacks recurring tasks and third-party integrations available only in paid plans; Roam Research cloud-dependent: no local-first option, all data stored on Roam servers
  • They diverge on capability: Any.do covers Task lists, Roam Research covers Bi-directional linking.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Any.do and Roam Research actually diverge.

Attributes where Any.do and Roam Research differ
AttributeAny.doRoam Research
Starting priceFree$15/month
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, macOS, Windows, iOS, AndroidWeb, iOS, macOS, Windows
Founded20112017

Identical on both: pricing model (Unknown), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

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 Roam Research

  • Bi-directional linking
  • Block references
  • Daily notes
  • Graph visualization
  • Sidebar navigation
  • Version history
  • Markdown support
  • TODO management

Both cover

  • Cloud deployment

What people use each for

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

Any.do

  • Personal task managementnot Roam Research
  • Daily planningnot Roam Research
  • Shopping listsnot Roam Research
  • Project managementnot Roam Research
  • Team collaborationnot Roam Research

Roam Research

  • Research notesnot Any.do
  • Writing projectsnot Any.do
  • Personal knowledge managementnot Any.do
  • Academic worknot Any.do
  • Creative thinkingnot 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

Roam Research

  • Cloud-dependent: no local-first option, all data stored on Roam servers
  • Offline sync issues: offline databases experience slow startup and synchronization problems
  • No native Android app
  • Requires internet connection for most functionality

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

Roam Research

$15/month
  • Pro$15/month
    • Unlimited graphs
    • Unlimited blocks
    • Daily notes
  • Believer$500/5 years
    • All Pro features
    • Cost effective long-term subscription

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 Roam Research if

  • You need bi-directional linking.
  • You work on Web, iOS, macOS, Windows.
  • You also want block references.
Roam Research review

Questions people ask

Is Any.do or Roam Research better?
Neither clearly leads. Any.do starts at Free and Roam Research at $15/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Any.do or Roam Research?
Any.do has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Any.do and $15/month for Roam Research.
Does Any.do or Roam Research run on more platforms?
Any.do runs on Web, macOS, Windows, iOS, Android. Roam Research runs on Web, iOS, macOS, Windows.
Can I use Any.do for free?
Yes. Any.do has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Roam Research starts at $15/month.
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 Roam Research is typically brought in for.
What can Any.do do that Roam Research cannot?
Any.do covers Task lists, Calendar integration, Reminders, Daily planner. Roam Research covers Bi-directional linking, Block references, Daily notes, Graph visualization. Both handle Cloud deployment.

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
Roam Research: Does Roam Research have a free plan?

No, Roam Research does not offer a free plan. However, it includes a 31-day free trial before requiring a subscription to either the Pro plan ($15/month) or Believer plan ($500 for five years).

Source
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
Roam Research: Can I use Roam Research offline?

Roam Research has limited offline support. Offline databases have significant performance issues, including slow startup times and sync problems. The platform is cloud-dependent and requires internet connectivity for most functionality.

Source
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
Roam Research: What platforms does Roam Research support?

Roam Research is available as a web app and native mobile apps for iOS and macOS. Windows users access it through the web app or Electron desktop wrapper. Android support is limited.

Source
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
Roam Research: Can I export my data from Roam Research?

Yes, you can export your entire database or individual pages as JSON or Markdown format by clicking the three-dot menu. However, block references do not translate perfectly, and migration to other tools may require manual cleanup.

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
Roam Research: Does Roam Research integrate with Slack?

Roam Research integrates with Slack through Zapier, allowing you to send Slack messages to Roam or add Slack messages to your Roam daily notes. No native Slack integration is available.

Source
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Related pages

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