An open-source TickTick alternative
If you came to TickTick for a real GTD system and kept running into the list cap, the task cap, or a filter you can’t save without Premium, Mindwtr is worth a look. It is completely free — no subscription, no premium tier, no trial that ends — open source under AGPL-3.0, and it never asks you to create an account. Your tasks live in a local database on your own device, and sync happens only where you point it. TickTick is a good product; this page is about the parts of it that make people leave.
Mindwtr vs TickTick, head to head
Both products, side by side, on the things a switcher asks about. The rows where TickTick wins are in there too. The wider table lives on how Mindwtr compares.
Yes Partial No
| Capability | Mindwtr | TickTick |
|---|---|---|
| Open source | ||
| Completely free, with no paid tier | ||
| No account required | ||
| Works offline | ||
| Native apps for Linux, macOS, Windows, iOS, and Android | ||
| Full GTD method out of the box | ||
| Unlimited projects and tasks | ||
| Saved filters and searches without paying | ||
| You pick where data syncs (Dropbox, WebDAV, your server) | ||
| Your own AI API key or an on-device model | ||
| Habit tracker and Eisenhower matrix | ||
| Shared lists and task assignment |
Method. Checked against official TickTick product, pricing, download, and help pages. TickTick Premium is listed at US$49.99 per year; the free plan is capped at 9 lists, 99 tasks per list, 19 checklist items per task, 2 task reminders, 5 habits, and 1 attachment per day, and the plan table marks Filter, Timeline View, Task Duration, Integrations, and AI Features as Premium-only, with Calendar View, Eisenhower Matrix, Widgets, Themes, and Statistics listed as “Basic” on free and “Unlimited” on Premium. Mindwtr has no paid tier and no feature caps. “Full GTD” requires first-class Inbox, Next, Waiting, Someday, Review, and sequential projects; TickTick has lists, tags, and filters you can arrange into GTD but no built-in review flow. “No” means official sources do not document the capability — TickTick’s help center documents no offline mode, and its terms describe a TickTick Account for using the services. Sources: Mindwtr, TickTick plans, features, apps, help center, and terms of service.
What you gain by switching
The caps go first. Mindwtr has no list limit, no task limit, no checklist limit, and no reminder limit, because there is nothing to upsell: it is free software under AGPL-3.0, funded by donations. Saved searches, calendar views, and the board are part of the app. You also stop assembling the method yourself. Mindwtr ships GTD as structure — Inbox processing, Next, Waiting and Someday, Areas, sequential projects that surface only the task you can act on, and a guided Weekly Review. And there is no account: no sign-up, no email verification, and no server-side copy of your tasks unless you configure a sync target yourself. Your data sits in a local SQLite database with JSON export built in.
Local-first, still on all your devices
Leaving a cloud task manager usually means giving up sync. It doesn’t here. Mindwtr is offline by default — that is the normal state, not a degraded one — and multi-device when you want it: choose iCloud, Dropbox, WebDAV, a folder watched by Syncthing, or a small server you host yourself, and every device merges changes locally with a documented conflict-resolution algorithm. File-based targets can carry an optional passphrase that encrypts the files before they leave your device, so your sync provider stores ciphertext. AI features work the same way: bring your own API key or run an on-device model, instead of sending tasks to a vendor’s service. Native apps cover Linux, macOS, Windows, iOS, and Android.
What TickTick does better
TickTick is a broader product, and some of that breadth is real. It bundles a habit tracker, an Eisenhower matrix, and countdowns that Mindwtr has no equivalent for. It is built for more than one person: you can share a list, assign a task, and comment on it. Mindwtr is a single-person tool with no shared workspaces, assignment, or team threads. TickTick’s hosted integrations — Google Calendar, browser and email plugins, a Telegram bot, third-party connectors — reach further than Mindwtr’s local API, CLI, and MCP automation. It also offers a timeline view, location reminders on iOS, and 40-plus themes. If those are the features holding your system together, TickTick is the better fit, and that is a fine answer.
Moving your TickTick data across
It is one import, and it takes about thirty seconds. In TickTick’s web app, open your avatar → Settings → Account → Backup & Import → Generate Backup and save the file. In Mindwtr, open Settings → Data → Import from TickTick, choose that CSV or ZIP, check the preview summary, and confirm. Folders become Areas, lists become projects, tags stay tags, and priorities, due and start dates, time zones, recurrence, checklists, notes, and completed status come across where the backup records them. Mindwtr saves a recovery snapshot of your existing data first and reports anything it could not map. The full walkthrough, including what backups don’t carry, is in the TickTick import guide.
Common questions
Is Mindwtr really free, or is this a free tier?
Really free. Mindwtr is free software under the AGPL-3.0 license — there is no premium plan, no trial period, no in-app purchase, and no feature behind a paywall. Development is funded by donations.
Do I need an account?
No. There is nothing to sign up for and no email to verify. You install the app and start capturing; the app works fully without ever contacting a server.
Where is my data stored?
On your device, in a local SQLite database, with JSON export and backup you control. See data & sync for the on-disk format and backup guidance.
Will sync work across my phone and laptop?
Yes, once you pick a route: iCloud, Dropbox, WebDAV, a synced folder, or your own small server. Sync is opt-in — turn it off and Mindwtr is a purely on-device app.
Can I leave again if it isn’t for me?
Any time. Your data is already on your disk in a documented format, and CSV/JSON export is built in. No export fee, no account to close, nothing to cancel.
Comparing other task managers
The full sourced table, covering seven apps at once, is on how Mindwtr compares. If TickTick isn’t the only app you’re weighing, there are focused pages for the Todoist alternative and the wider TickTick roundup as well.