Softwr

Healthcare & Medical · head to head

Calm vs Todoist

Calm logo

Calm

Healthcare & Medical

Sleep, meditation and relaxation

From
Free
Rated
-
Todoist logo

Todoist

All industries

The world's #1 task manager and to-do list app

From
Free
Rated
-

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Calm free tier is severely limited, with almost all content requiring payment; Todoist no built-in time tracking for tasks; requires third-party integration like Toggl
  • They diverge on capability: Calm covers Sleep Stories, Todoist covers Natural language input.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Calm and Todoist actually diverge.

Attributes where Calm and Todoist differ
AttributeCalmTodoist
PlatformsiOS, Android, WebWeb, iOS, Android, macOS, Windows
CategoryHealthcare & MedicalAll industries
Founded20122007

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (Unknown), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated).

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 Calm

  • Sleep Stories
  • Guided meditations
  • Daily Calm
  • Breathing exercises
  • Calm Body stretching
  • Apple Health
  • Apple Watch
  • Samsung Health

Only in Todoist

  • Natural language input
  • Recurring tasks
  • Projects and sub-tasks
  • Labels and filters
  • Priority levels
  • Productivity tracking
  • Templates
  • Notifications

What people use each for

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

Calm

  • Workout trackingnot Todoist
  • Nutrition managementnot Todoist
  • Health monitoringnot Todoist
  • Fitness coachingnot Todoist
  • Wellness improvementnot Todoist

Todoist

  • Personal task managementnot Calm
  • Team project coordinationnot Calm
  • Goal trackingnot Calm
  • Habit buildingnot Calm
  • Daily planningnot Calm

Where each one falls short

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

Calm

  • Free tier is severely limited, with almost all content requiring payment
  • Only one meditation per day included in free tier (Daily Calm)
  • Annual pricing is among the highest in the meditation app category
  • Less extensive free content library compared to Insight Timer (which has 100,000+ free meditations)
  • Limited customization of meditation sessions; mostly follows Calm's curated content

Todoist

  • No built-in time tracking for tasks; requires third-party integration like Toggl
  • Free plan limited to 5 personal projects only
  • No Gantt charts, resource allocation, or advanced project management features for large enterprises
  • Phone support not available; email and help center only
  • Calendar view and advanced filtering only available on paid plans

Pricing, plan by plan

Calm

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Daily Calm
    • Select Sleep Stories
    • 1 breathing exercise
  • Premium Monthly$12.99/month
    • All content unlocked
    • Sleep Stories
    • Masterclasses
  • Premium Annual$69.99/year
    • All content unlocked
    • Sleep Stories
    • Masterclasses
  • Family Plan$99.99/year
    • Up to 6 accounts
    • All Premium content
    • Separate customization per member

Todoist

Free
  • BeginnerFree
    • 5 personal projects
    • Smart Quick Add
    • Task reminders
  • Pro$5/month
    • 300 personal projects
    • Calendar layout
    • Custom task reminders
  • Business$8/month
    • Everything in Pro
    • Shared team workspace
    • Up to 500 team projects

Which should you pick?

Choose Calm if

  • You need sleep stories.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on iOS, Android, Web.
  • You also want guided meditations.

Choose Todoist if

  • You need natural language input.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android, macOS, Windows.
  • You also want recurring tasks.

Questions people ask

Is Calm or Todoist better?
Neither clearly leads. Calm starts at Free and Todoist at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Calm or Todoist?
Calm starts at Free and Todoist at Free.
Does Calm or Todoist run on more platforms?
Calm runs on iOS, Android, Web. Todoist runs on Web, iOS, Android, macOS, Windows.
Can I use Calm for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Calm best used for?
Calm is most often used for workout tracking, nutrition management, health monitoring, fitness coaching. Of those, workout tracking and nutrition management are not what Todoist is typically brought in for.
What can Calm do that Todoist cannot?
Calm covers Sleep Stories, Guided meditations, Daily Calm, Breathing exercises. Todoist covers Natural language input, Recurring tasks, Projects and sub-tasks, Labels and filters.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Calm: What does Calm's free tier include?

The free plan includes 1 breathing exercise, Day 1 of programs, select Sleep Stories, and Scenes, plus the famous Daily Calm feature and bedtime stories. Most content is locked behind the paid tier.

Source
Todoist: Does Todoist work offline?

Basic editing and task management work offline, but advanced features like syncing reminders and shared updates require internet connectivity.

Source
Calm: What is included in Calm Premium?

Calm Premium (all paid tiers are identical) includes The Daily Calm, Sleep Stories narrated by celebrities, exclusive music playlists, masterclasses taught by experts, Daily Move video lessons for stretching and mindful movement, and the entire content library.

Source
Todoist: Does Todoist have a free plan and what does it include?

Yes, Todoist offers a free Beginner plan with 5 personal projects, Smart Quick Add, task reminders, flexible layouts, 3 filter views, and 1 week activity history. More advanced features require the Pro or Business plans.

Source
Calm: How much does Calm Premium cost?

Monthly subscription is $12.99/month, annual is $69.99-$79.99/year, Family Plan is $99.99/year (includes 1 Admin + 5 Members), and lifetime membership is available as a one-time payment.

Source
Todoist: Can I use Todoist on mobile devices?

Yes, Todoist offers native apps for both iOS and Android with over 30 million downloads. Mobile apps provide full task management functionality across devices.

Source
Calm: Does Calm offer pricing for organizations or teams?

Yes. Calm offers organizational plans for groups of 5-300 people with per-seat pricing based on total 'covered lives.' Larger groups receive deeper discounts. Pricing is significantly reduced compared to individual subscriptions.

Source
Todoist: What integrations does Todoist support?

Todoist integrates with over 100 apps including Slack, Google Calendar, Outlook, Microsoft Teams, Gmail, and Toggl Track. Additional integrations are available through Zapier, Make, and IFTTT automation platforms.

Source
Calm: Does Calm work offline?

Calm's app functions offline for already-downloaded content. Downloaded Sleep Stories, meditations, and Music programs can be accessed without an internet connection.

Source
Todoist: How much does Todoist cost?

Free plan is $0. Pro plan costs $5/month (billed annually) or $7/month (monthly billing). Business plan costs $8/month per user (annual) or $10/month per user (monthly), as of December 2025.

Source

Related pages

Other head to heads