Is Remember the Milk Good for Your To-Do Workflow?
Yes, Remember the Milk is a good fit for most individual to-do workflows, especially if you want a straightforward task manager with natural language input, smart lists, and reliable cross-platform sync. It is less ideal if you need heavy project management features like Gantt charts, dependencies, or team collaboration. This article explains what Remember the Milk does, how it compares to other tools, and how to decide if it fits your specific workflow.
Background: What Remember the Milk Is
Remember the Milk (RTM) is a task management service that launched in 2004, making it one of the oldest dedicated to-do apps still active. It was created by a small team and gained popularity for its fast, keyboard-driven interface and its ability to sync with Gmail, Google Calendar, and many other services. Over the years it has remained a paid subscription app, though it also offers a limited free tier. RTM is not a project management platform; it focuses on personal task lists, due dates, and reminders. That focus is both its strength and its limitation.
How Remember the Milk Works
RTM organizes tasks into lists, which can be nested and color-coded. Each task can have tags, a due date, a time, a priority (from 1 to 3, with 1 being highest), a URL, and notes. The standout feature is natural language input: you type something like “Call dentist every Monday at 9am starting next week”, and RTM parses the date, time, and recurrence automatically. This makes adding tasks very fast, especially on mobile.
Smart Lists are saved searches that display tasks based on criteria like tag, priority, due date, or location. For example, you can create a Smart List for “work and priority 1 and due before today” to see urgent work items. The app also supports location-based reminders (e.g., “remind me when I leave home”) on mobile, though this requires the paid Pro version.
How to Choose: Is It Right for You?
To decide if RTM fits your workflow, consider these factors:
- Complexity of your tasks: If you need sub-tasks, dependencies, or project timelines, RTM will feel limited. It has a “subtask” feature, but it is basic—no indentation, no progress tracking.
- Team collaboration: RTM allows sharing lists with others, but it lacks real-time collaboration features like comments, file attachments, or activity feeds. For team use, tools like Todoist or Asana are stronger.
- Platform usage: RTM has apps for iOS, Android, web, and browser extensions, plus integrations with Gmail, Google Calendar, and Evernote. If you live in those ecosystems, it works well. But it does not have a native Windows desktop app—only a web app.
- Budget: The free tier allows unlimited tasks and lists, but you can only access the last 100 tasks (including completed ones) and you lose features like Smart Lists, subtasks, and location reminders. Pro costs about $39.99/year, which is cheaper than many competitors.
- Speed and keyboard use: RTM is known for its fast keyboard shortcuts and quick add box. If you prefer typing over clicking, you will like it.
Common Problems and Misconceptions
One common misconception is that RTM is dead or abandoned because it is not as hyped as newer apps. In reality, the service is still actively maintained, with regular updates and a responsive support team. However, its development pace is slower than some competitors, and the interface has a dated look compared to modern apps like Todoist or TickTick.
Another issue is the free tier limitation. Many users start on free and then hit the 100-task limit, which can be confusing because the limit applies to the number of tasks you can access, not store. If you have more than 100 tasks in your account (including done ones), the oldest ones become hidden until you upgrade or clean them out. This is a deliberate upsell, and it can be annoying.
Sync issues are rare but can happen, especially if you have multiple devices and a flaky internet connection. RTM syncs via its own servers, and it generally works reliably, but some users report occasional delays when marking tasks complete on one device and seeing it update on another.
Comparison with Other To-Do Apps
To give you a clearer picture, here is how RTM compares to two popular alternatives:
- Todoist: Todoist has a cleaner interface, natural language input, and better collaboration features (comments, file uploads, project sharing). It also has a free tier that is more generous (up to 5 active projects). However, Todoist lacks location reminders and its Smart Lists are less flexible than RTM’s.
- Microsoft To Do: This is free and integrates with Outlook and Windows, but it has no natural language input, no tags, and only basic recurrence. It is better for simple lists, not for power users.
- TickTick: TickTick offers a built-in Pomodoro timer, habit tracking, and a calendar view, which RTM lacks. It is also cheaper on the premium tier. But TickTick’s natural language parsing is not as robust as RTM’s.
RTM’s unique advantage is its combination of natural language input, powerful Smart Lists, and location-based reminders—features that are hard to find together in one app. If those matter to you, RTM is a strong choice.
Costs and Value
RTM is a paid app, but it offers a free tier. The Pro plan costs $39.99 per year (as of 2025), which includes unlimited tasks, Smart Lists, subtasks, location reminders, and integrations. There is also a lifetime option for a one-time fee of $99.99, which is a good deal if you plan to use the app for years. The free tier is fine for basic use, but the 100-task limit is restrictive for heavy users.
Compared to Todoist Premium ($48/year) or TickTick Premium ($35.99/year), RTM is competitively priced. The value depends on how much you use the advanced features. If you only need a simple to-do list, the free tier of any app will do. But if you rely on Smart Lists and location reminders, RTM’s Pro is worth it.
Safety and Data Privacy
Remember the Milk stores your tasks on its servers, and the privacy policy states that they do not sell your personal data. They use encryption in transit (HTTPS) and at rest, and they offer two-factor authentication for your account. However, like any cloud service, there is a risk of data breach, so you should use a strong password and enable 2FA. RTM also allows you to export your tasks as CSV or iCal, so you are not locked in. That said, the company is small, and its long-term viability is not guaranteed, but it has been around for over 20 years, which is a positive sign.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Remember the Milk have a free plan? Yes, there is a free plan that allows unlimited tasks and lists, but you can only access the last 100 tasks (including completed ones). You also miss out on Smart Lists, subtasks, location reminders, and some integrations. The free plan is good for light users.
Can I use Remember the Milk offline? The mobile apps have limited offline support—you can view your tasks that were previously synced, but you cannot add new tasks or make changes until you are online. The web app requires an internet connection.
Does Remember the Milk work with Google Calendar? Yes, RTM offers a two-way sync with Google Calendar. You can see your tasks in your calendar, and you can create tasks from calendar events. This requires the Pro plan.
Can I share lists with others? Yes, you can share a list with other RTM users and give them view or edit permissions. However, there is no real-time collaboration like comments or file attachments, so it is not ideal for team projects.
What happens if I stop paying for Pro? Your account will downgrade to the free plan, and you will lose access to Smart Lists, subtasks, and location reminders. Your tasks remain, but you may hit the 100-task access limit.
Is Remember the Milk still being updated? Yes, the app is still actively developed. The developers release updates regularly, and the service has a public status page. However, the pace of new features is slower than some competitors.
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