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November 22, 2025 Productivity

Top 7 To-Do Apps for ADHD in 2025

We analyzed the science of ADHD productivity to find the tools that actually help you focus, organize, and get things done.

The Science: Why Traditional Lists Fail Us

If you have ADHD, you’ve probably downloaded dozens of productivity apps, used them for three days, and then abandoned them. This isn't a personal failure; it's a mismatch between the tool and your brain.

The ADHD Brain & Productivity

1. Dopamine Deficit: We struggle to start tasks because our brains lack the dopamine reward signal that neurotypical brains get from simply "doing what needs to be done."

2. Working Memory: We have limited "RAM" in our brains. If a task isn't written down immediately, it vanishes.

3. Time Blindness: We struggle to estimate how long things take, leading to over-scheduling and inevitable burnout.

The best apps for ADHD don't just list tasks; they externalize executive function. They reduce the friction of starting, visualize time, or limit choices to prevent paralysis. Here are the top 7 apps that get it right.

1. Todoist

Todoist ADHD Score: 4.5/5

Best for Quick Capture

The Strategy: Reducing Friction.
ADHD brains have fleeting thoughts. Todoist's superpower is its natural language input. You can type "Buy milk every Friday at 5pm" and it instantly creates the task with the due date. This speed is critical for offloading tasks from your working memory before they disappear.

Pros

  • Fastest task entry (zero friction)
  • Works on literally every device
  • "Karma" points give small dopamine hits

Cons

  • Can become a cluttered "graveyard" of tasks
  • Reminders require a subscription

2. TickTick

TickTick ADHD Score: 4.5/5

Best All-in-One

The Strategy: Body Doubling & Time Boxing.
TickTick isn't just a list; it's a productivity suite. Its built-in Pomodoro timer is a game-changer for ADHD. By breaking work into 25-minute chunks, it makes starting easier. It also has a habit tracker, helping you visualize streaks.

Pros

  • Built-in Pomodoro timer (Focus mode)
  • Habit tracker included
  • Voice input is excellent

Cons

  • Interface can feel busy/overwhelming
  • Feature overload if you just want a list

3. Due

Due ADHD Score: 4/5

Best for Forgetfulness

The Strategy: Brute Force Reminders.
For tasks you must do (meds, bills, feeding the cat), Due is unbeatable. It doesn't care about projects or sub-tasks. It cares about nagging you. If you miss a reminder, it keeps buzzing every minute or hour until you mark it done. It outsources the job of "remembering" entirely.

Pros

  • Impossible to ignore (Auto-Snooze)
  • Fastest time setting on iOS
  • Critical for medication adherence

Cons

  • Can be stressful/anxiety-inducing
  • Not for planning complex projects

4. 3ThingsPal

3ThingsPal ADHD Score: 5/5

Best for Overwhelm

The Strategy: Artificial Constraints.
Most apps fail because they let you add 50 tasks, creating a "Wall of Awful" that paralyzes you. 3ThingsPal is the only app that stops you. You can only choose 3 tasks for the day.

This constraint forces you to prioritize before you start working. It reduces decision fatigue and gives you permission to be "done" for the day. Plus, it clears your list every night, so you never wake up to a backlog of shame.

Pros

  • Prevents Overwhelm: Hard limit of 3 tasks.
  • No Backlog: Fresh start every morning.
  • Visual Focus: Live Activities keep tasks visible.
  • Privacy: No account needed.

Cons

  • Not for storing "someday" ideas
  • No collaboration
Download 3ThingsPal

5. Tiimo

Tiimo ADHD Score: 4.5/5

Best Visual Planner

The Strategy: Visualizing Time.
Tiimo is designed specifically for neurodivergent brains. It combats time blindness by showing your day as a visual timeline (like a pie chart of your day). It helps you see where you are in the day and what you should be doing right now, rather than just a list of text.

Pros

  • Designed for neurodiversity
  • Visual timeline is intuitive
  • Great Apple Watch app

Cons

  • Subscription only
  • Requires setup time to be effective

6. Structured

Structured ADHD Score: 4/5

Best Day Planner

The Strategy: Time Blocking.
Structured combines your calendar and to-do list into a beautiful vertical timeline. It's great for seeing the "shape" of your day. If you have 15 minutes between meetings, Structured helps you see that gap and fill it with a small task, preventing "waiting mode" paralysis.

Pros

  • Beautiful visual timeline
  • Syncs with Apple Reminders/Calendar
  • "AI Assistant" helps plan your day

Cons

  • Can feel rigid if your day changes often
  • Best features require Pro

7. Things 3

Things 3 ADHD Score: 4/5

Best Design

The Strategy: Reducing Visual Noise.
Visual clutter creates mental clutter. Things 3 is the cleanest, most "calm" app on this list. Its "Someday" list is excellent for parking ideas so they don't clutter your "Today" view. The tactile animations provide a small but meaningful reward for completing tasks.

Pros

  • Stunning, calming design
  • One-time purchase (no subscription)
  • Excellent Apple integration

Cons

  • Expensive upfront cost
  • Apple ecosystem only

Conclusion

There is no single "best" app for ADHD, because ADHD manifests differently in everyone.

Ready to simplify your day? Download 3ThingsPal on the App Store and see what happens when you do less, but better.