Open Sunsama vs Todoist
The open-source Todoist alternative
Open Sunsama is an open-source Todoist alternative that plans when, not just what. Drag tasks onto your calendar next to your meetings, and let any AI agent help. The code is public, so you can self-host it.
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A task dragged from the list onto Open Sunsama's day calendar, then resized to fit
The short answer
Open Sunsama is the Todoist alternative built around your calendar
Open Sunsama is an open-source Todoist alternative for people who want to plan their day, not just their list. Tasks sit on a board of days. You drag them onto the calendar, then work one at a time with a focus timer.
We build Open Sunsama, so we put it first — here is why, and where Todoist fits better.
Todoist is a great list app. It has fast natural-language capture, apps on every device, and a calendar layout on its Pro and Business plans. If a list is what you need, stay with it.
In short
- A board of days, not one long list.
- Time blocking next to Google, Outlook and iCloud events.
- Focus mode that tracks planned vs actual time.
- One MCP URL for Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor or any agent.
- Public code, self-hosting and a REST API with API keys.
Should you switch?
Open Sunsama fits people who plan their day; Todoist fits people who manage lists
Both apps hold your tasks. The real choice is a list you check, or a day you plan hour by hour.
Switch to Open Sunsama if your list grows faster than you can finish it, and you want to plan what really fits today.
Switch to Open Sunsama if you want time blocking and a focus timer in the same app as your tasks.
Switch to Open Sunsama if you want Google, Outlook and iCloud calendars in one view.
Switch to Open Sunsama if you want to self-host, or read the code behind your planner.
Switch to Open Sunsama if you want your AI agent to see your meetings and your tasks together.
Stay with Todoist if you mostly capture and sort tasks, and a list is all you need.
Stay with Todoist if you share projects with your team or family.
Stay with Todoist if you want native apps on every device, from iOS and Android to your watch.
Stay with Todoist if you rely on Todoist's many integrations.
The daily loop
Your list turns into a planned day in four moves
Plan, block, focus, and move fast from the keyboard. Every clip below is a real recording of the app.
Pick what fits today on a board of days
Your backlog sits next to Today and Tomorrow. Drag only what fits into Today. Anything you don't finish rolls over to tomorrow on its own.
Pick what fits today on a board of daysSee the kanban board
Give each task a time
Drag a task onto the calendar next to your meetings, then drag its edge to set the length. Now it has a when, not just a due date.
Give each task a timeHow time blocking works
Work one task at a time
Focus mode hides everything but the task in front of you. The timer tracks real time, so you see planned vs actual.
Work one task at a timeHow focus mode works
Find anything from the keyboard
Press Cmd+K to find a task, jump to a day or run a command. Most actions have a shortcut.
Find anything from the keyboardSee the command palette
AI native
Any AI agent can turn your tasks into a planned day
Paste one URL into Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor or any MCP client, then sign in. Your agent sees your meetings and tasks together and plans around them.
Todoist has an official MCP server too. If AI access to a list is all you want, you don't need to leave Todoist.
The difference is the calendar. Open Sunsama's agent reads your meetings and your tasks in one call, then creates time blocks around them. And the code is public, so you can run it all on your own server.
MCP server URL: https://api.opensunsama.com/mcp
Prompts to try
- Here is my brain dump. Turn it into tasks and spread them over this week.
- Plan today around my meetings. Put my P0 tasks first.
- What's left from yesterday? Move it into free slots today.
Tools it calls: create_task, list_tasks, get_schedule_for_day, create_time_block, schedule_task
Claude plans the afternoon over MCP. Tasks and time blocks appear live.
Feature by feature
Open Sunsama adds a planned day to your tasks; Todoist adds sharing and apps everywhere
Todoist leads on capture, sharing and apps. Open Sunsama leads on planning your time and owning the app. Here is each feature side by side.
Open Sunsama adds a planned day to your tasks; Todoist adds sharing and apps everywhere| Feature | Open Sunsama | Todoist |
|---|
| How you plan | Board of days, then drag to the calendar | Lists and projects, with a calendar layout |
|---|
| Time blocking on your calendar | Yes: Every account | Partly: Pro and Business plans |
|---|
| Calendars | Yes: Google, Outlook, iCloud | Partly: Google or Outlook, one at a time |
|---|
| Focus timer with planned vs actual | Yes: Built in | No: Task durations only |
|---|
| Unfinished tasks | Roll over to the next day | Stay overdue until you move them |
|---|
| Natural-language quick add | No: Ask your agent | Yes: Yes |
|---|
| Shared projects | No | Yes |
|---|
| Built-in integrations | No: Calendars, REST API, your agent | Yes: Many apps |
|---|
| MCP server for AI agents | Yes: Hosted, tasks and calendar | Yes: Hosted, tasks and projects |
|---|
| Public REST API | Yes | Yes |
|---|
| Code you can read and self-host | Yes | No |
|---|
| Desktop apps | Yes: Mac, Windows, Linux | Yes: Mac, Windows, Linux |
|---|
| Phone and watch | Partly: Mobile web app | Yes: iOS, Android, Apple Watch, Wear OS |
|---|
Todoist facts come from its downloads page, its help pages on time blocking and the calendar integration, and its MCP server. Checked September 2026.
What you give up
Leaving Todoist costs you quick capture, sharing and apps everywhere
Todoist is a good app. Here is what it does that Open Sunsama doesn't, so you can choose with clear eyes.
Apps on every device. Todoist has apps for iOS, Android, Apple Watch and Wear OS. Open Sunsama runs in your phone's browser as a mobile web app, and has desktop apps for Mac, Windows and Linux.
Natural-language quick add. Todoist turns "call Sam Friday 3pm" into a dated task. In Open Sunsama you type the task and pick the day, or ask your agent to do it.
Shared projects. Todoist lets you share projects with a team or family. Open Sunsama is built for one person's day.
Built-in integrations. Todoist connects to many apps. Open Sunsama syncs your calendars only. Other tasks come in by hand, through the REST API, or from your AI agent.
A Todoist importer. There is no Todoist importer yet. Move your open tasks by hand, or connect both apps to Claude over MCP and ask it to copy them.
A license for company use. The code is public on GitHub. It uses a non-commercial license: you can read it, run it and self-host it for personal use. Companies need a commercial license. Read the license
How to switch
You can switch from Todoist in three steps
Plan your first day in Open Sunsama the same morning you sign up.
Create an account, or self-host
Sign up on the web or download the desktop app. Prefer your own server? Follow the Docker guide.
Connect your calendars
Add Google Calendar, Outlook or iCloud in Settings. Your meetings show up next to your tasks, so you see what really fits.
Bring over your open tasks
There is no Todoist importer yet. Connect both Todoist and Open Sunsama to Claude over MCP, and ask it to copy this week's tasks. Check the result before you stop using Todoist.
Questions before you switch from Todoist
What is the best open-source Todoist alternative?
We build Open Sunsama, and we think it is the best pick overall. It plans your day on a board and a calendar, and works with any AI agent. Vikunja is the closest Todoist clone you can self-host. Super Productivity is best if you want no server at all. Compare 8 open-source options
Is there a Todoist alternative with time blocking?
Yes. In Open Sunsama you drag any task onto your calendar and resize it to set its length. Todoist also has a calendar layout on its Pro and Business plans. How time blocking works
Can I import my tasks from Todoist?
Not with one click yet. Move your open tasks by hand, or connect both apps to Claude over MCP and ask it to copy them. Migration guide
Does Todoist have an MCP server?
Yes. Todoist runs an official hosted MCP server at ai.todoist.net/mcp. If AI access is all you want, you don't need to leave Todoist. Switch for time blocking, self-hosting or open code.
Does Open Sunsama have priorities like Todoist?
Yes. Tasks have priorities from P0 to P3, where P0 is the most urgent.
Does Open Sunsama have a phone app?
It runs in your phone's browser as a mobile web app and syncs in real time. There is no native app for iOS or Android yet. Get the desktop app
Is Open Sunsama really open source?
The code is public on GitHub. It uses a non-commercial license: you can read it, run it and self-host it for personal use. Companies need a commercial license. See the code
Give tomorrow's tasks a time
Drag your list onto the calendar, work one task at a time, and let the AI agent you already use keep the plan on track.
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