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Manage tasks and projects on your own server with offline sync, shared lists, optional end-to-end encryption, and bring-your-own-AI support.
One person sets up OpenTodo on a home server or small VPS. Everyone else in the household gets an account and installs the PWA from the browser on their phone or laptop, no app store needed. Shared projects handle grocery lists, family chores, and renovation planning with comments and assignees.
If everyone in the household prefers a fully managed mobile-first app with no setup, Todoist or TickTick require less technical overhead to get started.
The `ot` CLI connects to any OpenTodo server over the REST API and supports dry runs, JSON output, and scripting. The MCP endpoint lets any AI coding assistant read and modify tasks. Keyboard shortcuts cover every action without touching the mouse, and Vim keybindings are available as an opt-in.
If your task workflow does not involve scripting or terminal access, the CLI and MCP integration add setup complexity with no benefit over the web app alone.
Optional E2E encryption covers task titles, notes, comments, and names on your devices before the data reaches the server. Combined with self-hosting on your own infrastructure, no third party can read your task content, even if the server is compromised or subpoenaed.
If you do not need E2E encryption and trust a managed service with your data, the self-hosting requirement adds overhead that Todoist or TickTick avoid.
A shared OpenTodo server covers project tracking with roles (viewer, editor, admin), threaded comments, assignees, an activity feed, and a Kanban board view. The server handles any number of team members at the same hosting cost, replacing per-seat fees from managed task management services.
Teams that need deep integrations with external ticketing systems (Jira, Linear) or advanced reporting features will find OpenTodo's scope limited to task management and collaboration.
Subscription task apps charge per person, so a household of four or a small team quickly pays more in annual fees than a simple server costs to run. Features like push reminders, shared projects, and advanced recurring rules are often locked behind paid tiers, and your data sits on the vendor's servers under their retention and privacy policies.
Exporting cleanly when you want to leave is the second problem. Moving tasks from Todoist or TickTick means going through a vendor-provided export, which rarely preserves recurring task rules, project membership, or comments in full. When pricing changes or a service shuts down, there is no clean migration path.
Every device keeps a full copy of your tasks and applies changes locally first, so the app works without a connection. Changes sync to your server and other devices when back online, with conflict-free field-level merging rather than version prompts. Adding and completing tasks on a flight or in a basement works the same as with a connection.
OpenTodo ships as one Docker container with a fully static binary under 25 MB. It uses SQLite for storage with no Postgres, Redis, or external service required. Idle memory usage runs at around 20 MB, so it fits on a Raspberry Pi or the cheapest VPS. One Docker run command gets you to a running server in under five minutes.
Turn on E2E encryption per account and your task titles, notes, comments, and names are encrypted on your devices before they reach the server. The server holds only ciphertext, so even a full backup or server access reveals nothing about task content. Encryption is off by default and opt-in per user.
Connect an AI assistant using your own API key with Anthropic, OpenAI, Gemini, or a model running on your own network. The integration is off until the server owner enables it, every change is proposed for review before it is applied, and conversations stay on the device. An MCP endpoint also lets Claude Desktop, IDEs, or any MCP client read your tasks.
Quick add parses natural language into task fields offline: 'Call the dentist next Wed 3pm #Home @call p1 +30m' sets the date, time, project, label, priority, and estimate in one input. Six languages are supported (English, German, French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese) and the parser runs on the device with no network call.
Share any project with accounts on your server as viewer, editor, or admin. Members work offline and converge to the same state through your server. Each task supports threaded markdown comments with @mentions, assignees, and an activity feed showing who completed or rescheduled what across all shared projects.
Both tools cover the core task management surface: inbox, today and upcoming views, recurring tasks, push reminders, labels, shared projects, and a Kanban board. The deciding factor is deployment model and cost structure.
| Feature | OpenTodo | Todoist |
|---|---|---|
| License | AGPL-3.0 | Proprietary |
| Self-hosting | Yes (Docker) | No |
| Pricing | Server cost only | Per-seat subscription |
| Offline | Full local-first | Limited |
| E2E encryption | Optional per account | Not offered |
| AI integration | Bring your own key | Proprietary add-on |
OpenTodo is the better choice when you want task data on your own server, shared across a family or small team at no per-person cost, with optional E2E encryption. Todoist is the better choice when you need a zero-setup managed service and a polished mobile experience without any server to run.
TickTick and OpenTodo share a similar surface area: natural language task input, time-blocking calendar views, recurring tasks, push reminders, shared projects, and filters. Both support desktop and mobile with offline capability.
| Feature | OpenTodo | TickTick |
|---|---|---|
| License | AGPL-3.0 | Proprietary |
| Self-hosting | Yes (Docker) | No |
| Pricing | Server cost only | Subscription-based |
| CalDAV sync | Yes, two-way | No |
| E2E encryption | Optional per account | Not offered |
| AI integration | Bring your own key | Not offered |
OpenTodo is the better fit when two-way CalDAV sync, E2E encryption, and full data ownership are the deciding requirements. TickTick is the stronger choice when you want a zero-setup subscription service with no server to run or maintain.
Deploy OpenTodo with a single Docker command on any Linux server, VPS, or Raspberry Pi.
```bash
docker run -d --name opentodo -p 8080:8080 -v opentodo-data:/data ghcr.io/pixari/opentodo:0.6
```Yes. Every device keeps a full local copy of your tasks and applies changes immediately, whether connected or not. Tasks added or completed offline are queued and sync to the server and your other devices when you reconnect. The sync uses conflict-free field-level merging, so there are no version conflict prompts.
The quickest path is one Docker command: docker run -d --name opentodo -p 8080:8080 -v opentodo-data:/data ghcr.io/pixari/opentodo:0.6. Open the URL in a browser, create the owner account, and the server is ready. Docker Compose, Coolify, and Unraid installs are also documented on the project site.
Yes. The project website offers guided migration flows from Todoist and TickTick. OpenTodo also accepts CSV files and other task managers' JSON exports, with a preview and duplicate detection before the import commits. How completely recurring task rules and comments transfer depends on what the source app exports.
OpenTodo supports Anthropic (Claude), OpenAI, Google Gemini, and models running on your own network, all connected using your own API key. The AI integration is off by default and requires the server owner to enable it. Each user accepts what task data is sent to the provider before any data leaves the device. All conversations stay on the device.
OpenTodo is a Progressive Web App you install directly from the browser on iPhone, Android, Mac, Windows, or Linux, with no app store required. It works offline and receives push notifications for reminders after installation. No separate native app download is needed.
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