Disclosure: we make 3 Tasks, the app ranked first here. Everything we say about the other apps comes from their own App Store pages, and we say plainly where they beat us. Prices and ratings are from the US App Store on 7 October 2026.
The idea is old and simple: write down the few things that matter today, do them, and ignore the rest. Long to-do lists fail because every task looks equally urgent; a hard limit of three forces the choice up front. Few apps actually enforce the limit. Three do, and two popular planners can be bent to it.
The ranking
- 3 Tasks: best overall, three slots, a timer on each, free.
- Three Todo: best for a long backlog shown three at a time.
- Top 3: best if you want the list to start fresh every day.
- Structured: best if you would rather plan the day on a timeline.
- TickTick: best full to-do app with a focus timer.
Why 3 Tasks is #1
- Three slots and no more, on one screen. There is no list to scroll and nothing to file.
- A stopwatch on each task: tap to start, tap again to pause. Only one runs at a time, so you work on one thing.
- A home screen widget, small, medium or large, that shows your three tasks.
- Free, with no in-app purchases and no subscription. No account.
- On iPhone and iPad, and it runs on Macs with Apple silicon.
The five apps at a glance
| Limit of three | Timer | Price (US) | Privacy label | Rating (US) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. 3 Tasks (ours) | Yes, three fixed slots | Stopwatch per task | Free, no in-app purchases | Data Used to Track You (usage data) | 5.0 · 5 |
| 2. Three Todo | Yes, shows three at a time | No | $0.99 upfront | Data Not Collected | 4.9 · 16 |
| 3. Top 3 | Yes, three per day, daily reset | No | Free; premium one-time purchase | Data Not Collected | 4.0 · 5 |
| 4. Structured | No | Pomodoro | Free; Pro subscription or lifetime | Data Linked to You | 4.8 · 167,145 |
| 5. TickTick | No | Pomo timer | Free; Premium subscription | Data Linked to You | 4.9 · 46,242 |
Privacy labels are what each developer declares on the App Store; Apple does not verify them. Ratings are from Apple's public lookup API on 7 October 2026.
1. 3 Tasks: three slots and a stopwatch
3 Tasks is one screen with three slots. Type a task into each, tap one to start its stopwatch, tap again to pause, and mark it done when it is done; a ticking sound plays while the timer runs, and you can mute it. Only one timer runs at a time. A home screen widget in three sizes shows your three tasks. It is free, with no in-app purchases, and needs no account. It runs on iPhone and iPad, and on Macs with Apple silicon.
Where others beat it: the list does not reset by itself each morning (Top 3 does), the time on each task is not saved once you close the app, and there is no history or statistics. There is no sync between devices, no reminders and no Apple Watch app, and the app is in English only. It uses Firebase Analytics and asks for permission to track, which is why its privacy label reads Data Used to Track You; Three Todo and Top 3 declare Data Not Collected.
2. Three Todo: a backlog, three at a time
Three Todo lets you put in as many tasks as you like but only ever shows you three. Each one can be Done, Deferred or Dropped, and the app keeps track of how you are doing. It costs $0.99, once, and declares that it collects no data. Best if your problem is a long list you cannot face, not choosing three things.
3. Top 3: a fresh list every day
Top 3 is built on the same rule: three priority tasks a day, no more, and you cannot see several days at once. Each day starts fresh. It is free; a one-time premium purchase adds editing tasks and planning future days. It declares that it collects no data. Best if you want the daily reset that 3 Tasks does not have.
4. Structured: the day as a timeline
Structured is not a three-task app; it lays your tasks and calendar on a visual timeline so you can block out the day. It has a Pomodoro focus timer, interactive widgets, Live Activities and sync across iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch and Mac. It is free, with a Pro subscription or a lifetime purchase. If three tasks feels too blunt, time blocking is the next step.
5. TickTick: a full to-do app with a focus timer
TickTick is a complete task manager: sync across devices, reminders, calendar views, recurring tasks, shared lists, habits and a Pomo timer. It does not limit you to three, but its focus timer and a short “today” list get you close. It is free, with a Premium subscription. Pick it if you need reminders and sync more than you need a hard limit.
How to choose
- A hard limit of three, a timer on each, free: 3 Tasks.
- A long backlog you want shown three at a time: Three Todo.
- A list that starts again every day: Top 3.
- Planning the whole day on a timeline: Structured.
- Reminders, sync and everything else: TickTick.
Whichever you pick, write the three the night before or first thing in the morning, and make the first one the task you would most like to avoid.