9 Best Sunsama Alternatives in 2026: Open Source, AI or Simple

Name: Open Sunsama
Author: Open Sunsama

The 9 best Sunsama alternatives in 2026, compared on planning, AI and price. See why Open Sunsama leads, plus Ellie, Akiflow, Motion and what Reddit uses.

Open Sunsama Team · January 30, 2026 · Updated September 24, 2026 · 13 min read

9 Best Sunsama Alternatives in 2026: Open Source, AI or Simple

The best Sunsama alternative overall is Open Sunsama. It is an open-source daily planner with time blocking that works with any AI agent. Your data stays yours: you can self-host it, and it has a public API.

If you want the same calm feel in a simpler, lighter app, pick Ellie Planner. If you want AI to build your schedule for you, pick Motion or Reclaim.

We build Open Sunsama, so we put it first — here is why, and where others fit better.

We compared 9 Sunsama alternatives in September 2026, using their docs, prices and real user reviews. Below you'll find a comparison table, what each app does well, where each falls short, and who should pick it.

Key takeaways

Best overall: Open Sunsama. Kanban days, time blocking and focus mode, plus public code, self-hosting and a hosted MCP server for Claude, ChatGPT and Cursor.
Best simple manual planner: Ellie Planner. Brain dump, timebox and go. It has a free plan and the lightest setup here.
Best for pulling tasks from many tools: Akiflow. One inbox for Slack, Gmail, Notion, Asana, Jira and more.
Best AI auto-scheduling: Motion. It fills your calendar for you and reshuffles when plans change.
Best for defending focus time at work: Reclaim. It guards focus blocks and habits inside Google or Outlook Calendar.
Best unified calendar: Morgen. Many calendars and task tools in one view, with apps for Linux too.
Best offline and local-first: Super Productivity. MIT-licensed, no account needed, strong time tracking.
Best all-in-one on a budget: TickTick. Tasks, habits, Pomodoro and a calendar view.
Best visual day on your phone: Structured. A clean timeline for your whole day.

Why people look for a Sunsama alternative

Sunsama is a good app, and many people who leave come back. We read about 700 Reddit comments to learn why people switch. Four reasons came up again and again.

The price feels high for "a to-do app". One user said they feel "silly paying $20 a month for a todo app", then keep coming back.
The phone app is a companion. Sunsama's own App Store listing calls it a companion to the desktop app, not a replacement.
The daily ritual can turn into a chore. One Redditor said the final straw was the ritual "becoming a 20-minute chore" (thread).
There is no public API. Sunsama now has an official MCP server, but the request for a REST API has been open since December 2019 with 887 votes.

If none of these bother you, Sunsama may still be your best pick. Our Sunsama review covers who should stay.

Sunsama alternatives compared (September 2026)

App	Best for	How you plan	Calendars	AI and agents	Apps	Open source	Price (checked Sept 2026)
Open Sunsama	Best overall: open source, self-hosting, any AI agent	Manual kanban of days	Google, Outlook, iCloud	Hosted MCP (24 tools), REST API	Web, Mac, Windows, Linux; mobile web	Yes (non-commercial license)	Hosted app, or self-host for personal use
Sunsama (for reference)	Guided, calm daily ritual	Manual, guided ritual	Google, Outlook, iCloud	Sunny assistant, official MCP	Web, Mac, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android	No	$17/mo yearly or $22/mo monthly; 14-day trial
Ellie Planner	Simple timeboxing	Manual, brain dump first	Google, Apple	AI assistant (Pro)	Web, Mac, Windows, iPhone, iPad	No	Free plan; Pro $9.99/mo; lifetime $299.99
Akiflow	Pulling tasks from many tools	Manual, keyboard-first	Google, Outlook	Aki assistant, official MCP	Web, Mac, Windows, iOS, Android	No	$19/mo yearly or $34/mo monthly; 7-day trial
Motion	AI auto-scheduling and projects	Automatic	Google, Outlook	AI chat, REST API	Web, Mac, Windows, iOS, Android	No	$19/seat/mo yearly or $29 monthly; 7-day trial
Reclaim	Focus time at work	Automatic	Google, Outlook	AI planner, Claude and ChatGPT links	Web, calendar add-ons	No	Free Lite plan; Starter $10/seat/mo yearly
Morgen	One view of many calendars	Manual plus AI Planner	Google, Outlook, iCloud, CalDAV	AI Planner	Web, Mac, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android	No	$15/mo yearly or $30/mo monthly; 14-day trial
Super Productivity	Offline, local-first work	Manual timeboxing	Calendar import, basic CalDAV	Plugins	Web, Mac, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android	Yes (MIT)	Free
TickTick	All-in-one tasks and habits	Manual	Calendar subscribe	Some AI features	All major platforms	No	Free plan; Premium $49.99/yr
Structured	Visual day on your phone	Manual timeline	Import calendars	Plan with AI	iPhone, Android, Mac, web	No	Free plan; Pro $29.99/yr or $99.99 lifetime

Prices come from each vendor's pricing page in September 2026. They change often, so check before you buy.

How we compared these Sunsama alternatives

In September 2026 we checked each app's website, pricing page, help docs, changelog and MCP or API docs. For each one, we looked up how it handles five daily jobs.

Moving tasks from a backlog into today.
Dragging tasks onto the calendar and resizing the blocks.
Rolling unfinished work over to tomorrow.
Replanning the afternoon after a meeting runs long.
Letting an AI agent plan the day.

Then we read hundreds of user reviews, plus threads on Reddit, Hacker News and Product Hunt. That shows what the docs don't, like which phone apps people give up on.

We also build and use Open Sunsama every day.

We compared each app on five things readers ask about most:

Daily planning feel. Does it give you a calm, realistic day?
Calendar and time blocking. Can you drag tasks onto your real calendar?
Phone app. Can you plan away from your desk?
AI and agents. Can Claude or ChatGPT read and change your plan?
Ownership. Can you export your data, use an API or run it yourself?

1. Open Sunsama: best overall Sunsama alternative

Verdict: The best overall pick. It is the closest match to Sunsama's daily planning, with code you can read, run and change.

Best for: people who want Sunsama's calm board and time blocking, plus full control of their data and their AI agent.

Plan your whole day in one place with Open Sunsama

Key features

A kanban board of days: backlog, today, tomorrow and beyond.
Time blocking by drag and drop, with day and week views.
Two-way sync with Google Calendar, Outlook and iCloud.
Focus mode with a timer, so you see planned vs actual time.
Automatic rollover of unfinished tasks, recurring tasks and reminders.
A hosted MCP server with 24 tools for Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor and any MCP client. It reads your synced meetings too.
A public REST API with scoped API keys.
Web and desktop apps (Mac, Windows, Linux), plus a mobile-friendly web app for your phone.
Self-hosting with Docker.

What works

Planning your day feels like Sunsama. You open the board, drag tasks from the backlog into today, and the day fills up.

Drag tasks from the backlog into Today to plan your day.

Time blocking works on your real calendar. Drag a task onto a time slot, then pull the edge to resize it.

Drag a task onto the calendar and resize the block.

The AI part is where Open Sunsama stands apart. You connect Claude or ChatGPT once with OAuth, then say "plan my afternoon". Claude sees your meetings and your tasks in one call, then plans around them.

Tasks and time blocks appear on your board as the agent works. Setup takes a couple of minutes with our MCP guide.

An AI agent plans the afternoon over MCP while tasks and blocks appear live.

Sunsama has an MCP server too, so that alone is not the difference. The difference is what sits under it.

The code is public, there is a documented REST API, and you can self-host it with Docker. Your agent can even read the code and help you add the feature you want.

Open Sunsama kanban board with a backlog and columns for each day — Your backlog and each day sit side by side on one board.

It also works away from your desk. On your phone, the web app lets you add, move and check off tasks on the go.

Open Sunsama in a phone browser showing today's tasks — Today's tasks in the mobile web app.

Limitations

Fewer native integrations. There is no built-in import from Asana, Jira, Slack or Gmail yet. You route those through the API or an AI agent.
No guided five-step ritual. The board is your plan. If you want an app that walks you through planning, Sunsama does that better.
Non-commercial license. The code is public on GitHub under a non-commercial license. You can self-host for personal use. Companies need a commercial license.
No native phone app yet. On phones you use the web app in your browser, not an App Store or Play Store app.
A younger product. It has a smaller team and a shorter track record than Sunsama.

Pick it if: you want Sunsama-style planning that you own, on the web and desktop, and that any AI agent can drive. See how it lines up feature by feature on our Sunsama comparison page, or download the apps.

2. Ellie Planner: best simple manual planner

Verdict: The lightest way to get Sunsama's "plan my day" feeling.

Best for: students, creatives and anyone who wants a brain dump and a timeline, with almost no setup.

Key features

A brain dump list next to your real calendar.
Timebox mode: drag tasks beside Google or Apple Calendar events.
Recurring tasks, labels, subtasks, due dates and reminders on Pro.
An AI assistant that turns loose thoughts into a plan.

What works

Ellie gets out of your way. You dump tasks in, drag them onto the day, and start.

Ellie comes up often in Reddit threads about leaving Sunsama. The free plan covers unlimited tasks and brain dumps.

Limitations

Timeboxing and calendar sync need Pro.
There is no Android app.
It has fewer integrations than Sunsama, and no Outlook sync on the pricing page.

Pick it if: you want a calm, simple day planner and you use an iPhone, iPad or computer. Visit ellieplanner.com.

3. Akiflow: best for pulling tasks from many tools

Verdict: A fast, keyboard-first command center for people whose work arrives in ten places.

Best for: founders, managers and consultants who juggle Slack, email and several project tools.

Key features

One inbox that pulls tasks from Slack, Gmail, Notion, Todoist, Asana, ClickUp, Jira, Linear, Trello and GitHub.
A command bar for quick capture and replanning.
Time slots, booking links, and daily and weekly rituals.
Aki, an AI assistant, and a hosted MCP connector included in Pro.

What works

Capture is excellent. Tasks from every tool land in one place, and you drag them onto the calendar. When your day breaks at 3pm, you can rebuild it from the keyboard.

Limitations

It costs more than Sunsama on both yearly and monthly billing.
The trial is 7 days and needs a card.
It feels dense. One Redditor said it lacks Sunsama's sense of calm (thread).

Pick it if: your main problem is too many tools and tabs. Compare it head to head in Akiflow vs Sunsama vs Motion, or see our Akiflow alternatives.

4. Motion: best AI auto-scheduling

Verdict: The strongest pick if you want AI to decide when you do each task.

Best for: busy people and small teams with packed, shifting calendars.

Key features

AI that places tasks into open calendar slots by deadline and priority.
Automatic reshuffling when meetings move.
Projects, docs and team features in one app.
A public REST API.

What works

Motion takes planning off your plate. You add tasks with a deadline and a length, and it builds the day.

When a meeting lands, it moves the rest. For some people that feels freeing.

Limitations

It can feel like a black box. One reviewer said you have to reverse engineer how your own week got built.
It has grown into a work "SuperApp", so there is more to learn.
AI features use monthly credits. Its MCP servers are community-built, not official.

Pick it if: you'd rather approve a plan than make one. Read Motion vs Sunsama or our Motion alternatives.

5. Reclaim: best for defending focus time at work

Verdict: An AI layer on top of your work calendar that protects focus time and habits.

Best for: people in meeting-heavy teams on Google or Outlook Calendar.

Key features

Focus Time goals that the AI defends around meetings.
Habits, buffer time and smart meetings.
Task sync from Todoist, Asana, ClickUp, Jira and Linear on paid plans.
Links to Claude, Claude Code and ChatGPT.

What works

The free Lite plan is useful on its own. Reclaim works inside the calendar you already use, so there's no new app to open. Dropbox acquired Reclaim in 2024, and it keeps shipping.

Limitations

It is not a daily planner in the Sunsama sense. There is no board or shutdown ritual.
There is no full mobile app. You see its blocks in your normal calendar app.
Like Motion, it makes choices for you.

Pick it if: your calendar is full of meetings and you want time for real work. Visit reclaim.ai.

6. Morgen: best unified calendar

Verdict: A calendar-first planner that brings many calendars and task tools into one view.

Best for: people with several calendar accounts, including Outlook, iCloud and Fastmail.

Key features

One view of Google, Outlook, iCloud and CalDAV calendars.
Tasks from Notion, Todoist, Linear, ClickUp and more.
An AI Planner that drafts your day for you to approve.
Booking pages and scheduling links.

What works

Morgen handles messy calendar setups well. Its AI Planner suggests a plan, but you stay in charge. It runs on Windows, Mac, Linux, iPhone and Android, and data is hosted in Switzerland or the EU.

Limitations

The monthly price is high unless you pay yearly.
It can feel busy once you connect many tools.
There is less of a guided ritual than in Sunsama.

Pick it if: your pain is juggling calendars, not picking tasks. Visit morgen.so.

7. Super Productivity: best offline, local-first pick

Verdict: A mature open-source task app with timeboxing and time tracking that runs without an account.

Best for: developers, freelancers and privacy fans who want their tasks on their own device.

Key features

Timeboxing, time tracking, a Pomodoro timer and break reminders.
Imports from Jira, GitHub, GitLab, Linear and more.
Works offline, with optional sync over WebDAV, Dropbox or its own sync server.
MIT license, with apps for every major platform.

What works

It is truly yours. There is no account, no tracking, and you can export everything. Time tracking and work logs are the best on this list.

Limitations

It is a task and time tracker first, not a calm day board.
Calendar sync is basic compared to Sunsama.
There is no hosted MCP server for AI agents.

Pick it if: you want offline-first and a classic open-source license. Visit super-productivity.com. For more options, see our best open-source productivity apps.

8. TickTick: best all-in-one on a budget

Verdict: A feature-packed task app with habits, a Pomodoro timer and a calendar view.

Best for: people who want tasks and habits in one app across every device.

Key features

Lists, kanban and Eisenhower views.
A habit tracker and a focus timer.
A calendar view with task durations on Premium.

What works

TickTick does a lot for its price. It is quick to set up and works on almost everything.

Limitations

The free plan caps lists and tasks, and calendar views need Premium.
There is no guided daily plan or shutdown.
Time blocking is less natural than dragging onto a real calendar.

Pick it if: you want one app for tasks, habits and focus. Read TickTick vs Sunsama.

9. Structured: best visual day on your phone

Verdict: A clean hourly timeline that shows how full your day really is.

Best for: phone-first planners and visual thinkers.

Key features

A visual timeline of tasks and events.
Calendar import, recurring tasks and habits.
Apps for iPhone, Android and Mac, plus a web app.

What works

It is quick to use and easy to read at a glance. The free plan is enough to start, and a lifetime plan exists.

Limitations

Few integrations with project tools.
It is built for one person, not teams.
There is no AI agent access.

Pick it if: you plan on your phone and want a clear picture of the day. Read Structured vs Sunsama.

What Reddit recommends instead of Sunsama

The top "sunsama alternative reddit" threads are a few years old, but the advice still holds. Here is what keeps coming up.

Akiflow for people who want every task source in one inbox.
Motion and Reclaim for people who want AI to do the scheduling.
Ellie Planner and TickTick for people who mostly want a lower bill.
Todoist plus a calendar for people who only need a list and blocks.
Nothing for self-hosters. In a r/selfhosted thread, one user said they had not seen anything that comes close.

That last gap is why we built Open Sunsama. It is a Sunsama-style planner you can run on your own server.

Which Sunsama alternative should you pick?

For most people: Open Sunsama. You get Sunsama's calm board and time blocking. You also own your data, and any AI agent can plan with it.

You want the same calm feel with less setup: Ellie Planner.
Your tasks start in Slack, email and five project tools: Akiflow.
You want AI to build and fix your schedule: Motion.
You need focus time in a meeting-heavy job: Reclaim.
You juggle several calendar accounts: Morgen.
You want offline and a classic open-source license: Super Productivity.
You want tasks, habits and focus in one cheap app: TickTick.
You plan on your phone and think visually: Structured.
The guided ritual is the whole point for you: stay with Sunsama.

If AI agents are your reason to switch, read our guide to Sunsama's MCP server. It shows what each MCP can and can't do.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best Sunsama alternative?

Open Sunsama is the best overall. It is an open-source daily planner with time blocking that works with any AI agent, and you can self-host it. Pick Ellie Planner for a simpler app, or Motion if you want AI to build your schedule.

Can you use Sunsama for free?

Only for 14 days. Sunsama has a 14-day trial with no card, and no free plan after that. Its pricing page says it does not plan to add one.

How much does Sunsama cost?

Sunsama costs $17 a month billed yearly ($204 a year) or $22 a month billed monthly, per its pricing page in September 2026. There is one Pro plan with every feature, plus an Enterprise plan for big companies.

Is Sunsama good for ADHD?

Many ADHD users say yes. Rollover, time estimates and the guided plan help with time blindness and overplanning. Others find the daily ritual a chore and the phone app too thin, so test it during a hard week, not an easy one.

What is the best free agenda app?

For a plain agenda, Google Calendar with Google Tasks is hard to beat. TickTick's free plan adds lists and a Pomodoro timer. Super Productivity is a free, open-source pick that works offline.

What is the best open-source Sunsama alternative?

Open Sunsama is the closest match: a kanban board of days, time blocking on your real calendar, focus mode and rollover, with public code you can self-host. Super Productivity is the best pick if you want an offline, local-first app with an MIT license.

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.

Which Sunsama alternative works with Claude or ChatGPT?

Open Sunsama, Akiflow and Sunsama itself all have hosted MCP servers. Reclaim connects to Claude and ChatGPT too. Open Sunsama is the only one that also gives you public code and a documented REST API.

In r/productivity and r/ProductivityApps threads, the names that come up most are Akiflow, Motion, Morgen, Ellie Planner, TickTick and Todoist paired with a calendar. Self-hosters in r/selfhosted often say nothing open source came close.