Comparison

Dalo Task Manager vs NotePlan

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Dalo Task Manager

This task manager helps overcome procrastination by leveraging a unique method that focuses on doing what you want to do now. It allows you to select tasks that stand out and work on them in small, manageable steps without pressure.

Highlights
  • Long-list task management
  • Psychological productivity method
  • Minimalistic interface
  • Duplicate tasks
  • Automatic archiving
  • Schedule tasks for later
Read full description

Dalo is a long-list task manager. It was created to help you take full advantage of one of the most effective productivity methods invented by Mark Forster. The beauty of Mr. Forster’s method lies in the combination of how simple it is to use and how well it uses certain aspects of our psychology to make us more productive. THE ISSUE Sometimes we get mental resistance towards working on tasks that seem time-consuming, tedious or difficult. This resistance makes us try to avoid doing this work until the very last moment. Or we don't even make an attempt, leaving stale tasks in our to-do lists. We may well have sorted our tasks by priority or due dates, grouped them into projects, but if we are not psychologically ready to actually do the task that’s in front of us, it may be all for nothing. So, how to avoid this resistance or how to be psychologically ready for the time-consuming, tedious or difficult tasks? THE SOLUTION Trust yourself that you subconsciously already know what needs to be worked on. Then rely on your subconsciousness and select the tasks from your list which stick out for you. Find one that you actually want to do now and start there. Only do as much work as you want on each selected task. You don’t have to finish it in one go. These simple principles can help eliminate procrastination as there is no pressure to finish or to work for too long. Even the smallest step will do. THE METHOD • Write all your tasks into one long list • Scan the list and select the tasks that stick out (Helper question: What do I want to do more than the previous task I selected?) • When you find the task that you want to do now, start working on the selected tasks from the end (last selected = first to do) • Only do as much work as you want on each task If the task is not finished, complete a step, another step is added to the end of the list Make a new selection, repeat 
(Any new tasks are added to the end of the list) FEATURES • Automatically adds new steps, where needed • Pages mimicking the original paper-based method • Minimalistic interface, focusing on speed and efficiency • Conveniently duplicate tasks (when need to copy part of title or information in notes across) • Automatic archiving of completed pages • Schedule tasks for later (not part of the original method, but sometimes convenient nevertheless) PREMIUM FEATURES • Sync via iCloud with your Macs*, or other iPhones or iPads • Lists to divide tasks into separate contexts (such as work, personal, errands) • No ads * (coming soon: Projects) *a separate MacOS app purchase required for Macs

About

NotePlan

Organize your tasks, notes, and calendar in one unified app. Quickly plan your day with Markdown, link notes bi-directionally, and stay on top of your to-dos with powerful review and search features. Seamlessly integrates with your existing calendars and syncs across all your Apple devices.

Highlights
  • Unified task, note, and calendar view
  • Markdown for quick task and note creation
  • Bi-directional note linking
  • Calendar integration (iCloud, Google, Exchange)
  • Flexible recurring tasks
  • Global Command Bar for fast navigation
  • Plaintext note storage
Features
Read full description

Having trouble planning your day, managing your to-do list, and organizing your notes? Always jumping between apps and losing track of what to do and where you put things? Say hello to NotePlan! NotePlan lets you manage everything in one place: your tasks, notes, and calendar. Perfect for project managers, designers, researchers, writers, students, or anyone who wants to be organized and efficient. QUICKLY PLAN YOUR DAY WITH MARKDOWN • Plan your day by seeing your calendar, notes, and tasks in a single view • Create tasks and notes quickly with Markdown • Add #tags to organize tasks and notes • Use @mentions to find people • Reschedule to-do items easily • Create flexible recurring tasks • Work faster with autocomplete BUILD YOUR NETWORK OF NOTES • Create your own network of notes • Organize any way you want to: from simple folders over P.A.R.A. to a Zettelkasten system • Bi-directional notes: link your calendar and your notes in any direction, automatically • Cross-reference and link notes easily STAY ON TOP OF THINGS WITH REVIEW • Search all tasks and notes, instantly • See all open tasks with the click of a button • Get a list of overdue to-do items • See upcoming tasks at a glance • Create custom filters with your own queries using status, #tags, @mentions, or even text SEAMLESS INTEGRATION WITH YOUR CALENDAR • Create events and reminders right in NotePlan • Support for iCloud, Google, and Exchange calendars • Time-block tasks on your calendar simply by typing AVAILABLE ON MAC, IPHONE & IPAD • Sync everything between your Apple devices • Use any sync method you like: CloudKit or iCloud Drive • A single subscription for all your devices OPEN, PRIVATE & FAST • All your notes are stored in plaintext so you're never locked in • Your information is private and cannot be accessed • Enjoy lightning speed thanks to local files and native apps ANY THEME YOU WANT • Choose from a variety of built-in themes • Work with light or dark versions • Create your own custom theme SHORTCUTS FOR MAXIMUM SPEED • Extended Markdown syntax support with customization options • Move around without ever leaving the keyboard • Find everything with the Global Command Bar NotePlan is developed independently and prioritizes user features and requests. We have long-term roadmaps and listen to customers to improve the apps. - - - - - Price may vary by location. Subscriptions will be charged to your credit card through your iTunes account. Your subscription will automatically renew unless canceled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. After purchase, manage your subscriptions in App Store Account Settings. - - - - - Email: hello@noteplan.co Web: noteplan.co Discord: https://discord.gg/D4268MT Twitter: NotePlanApp Reddit: reddit.com/r/NotePlanApp Learn NotePlan course: https://noteplan.eo.page/newsletter Terms of use: http://noteplan.co/tos/ Privacy policy: https://noteplan.co/privacy/

Screenshots

Dalo Task Manager4 screens
NotePlan4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is monetization model: Dalo Task Manager at freemium against NotePlan's subscription. Dalo Task Manager also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 85%). NotePlan's advantage is ratings volume (1.5K vs 13). On price, rating, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Dalo Task Manager sells 10 one-off in-app purchases and NotePlan sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for Dalo Task Manager against 4.8 for NotePlan. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: NotePlan has 1.5K ratings behind it against 13, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 100% of Dalo Task Manager's written reviews are positive against 85% of NotePlan's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Dalo Task Manager ships an update every 3 weeks, NotePlan monthly. The most recent releases landed on September 16, 2026 and September 30, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Dalo Task Manager versus NotePlan: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterDalo Task ManagerNotePlan
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (13 ratings)4.8 (1.5K ratings)
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews — better85.0% of reviews
Number of ratings131.5K — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeks — betterMonthly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFreemium — betterSubscription
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — better
Requires iOS14.0 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size28 MB210 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperNishco LtdNotePlan LLC

Customer experience

Dalo Task Manager

All ratings13 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews10 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

NotePlan

All ratings1,506 ratings
Positive95.2%
Neutral1.9%
Negative2.9%
Written reviews474 reviews
Positive85.0%
Neutral4.6%
Negative10.3%

Bugs and requests

Dalo Task Manager

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

NotePlan

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • Inconsistent sync between devices
  • Crashes when opening certain files

Requested features

4 requests
  • Improved iPad and mobile app experience
  • Better integration with other productivity apps
  • More automation and scripting capabilities
  • Weekly or monthly calendar view

In-app purchases

10 purchases

Dalo Task Manager

One-time10
  • Free TrialFree
  • Gold to Platinum$0.99
  • Silver to Gold$1.99
Show 7 more
  • Kind Tip$1.99
  • Silver to Platinum$2.99
  • Silver Premium$3.99
  • Generous Tip$4.99
  • Gold Premium$5.99
  • Amazing Tip$7.99
  • Premium Features$8.99
8 purchases

NotePlan

Subscriptions8
  • Personal Weekly$4.997 Days
  • Personal Monthly$6.991 Month
  • Personal Monthly1 Month trial$11.991 Month
Show 5 more
  • Personal Monthly2 variants$12.001 Month
  • Personal Annual7 Days trial$59.991 Year
  • Personal Annual7 Days trial2 variants$99.991 Year
  • Personal Annual1 Month trial$119.991 Year
  • Business Class1 Month trial$199.991 Year

Questions

Is Dalo Task Manager free?
Dalo Task Manager is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is NotePlan free?
NotePlan is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Dalo Task Manager or NotePlan?
Dalo Task Manager and NotePlan are both rated 4.8 out of 5 on the App Store, from 13 and 1.5K ratings respectively.
Do Dalo Task Manager or NotePlan have ads?
Neither Dalo Task Manager nor NotePlan shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Dalo Task Manager or NotePlan?
Dalo Task Manager ships an update every 3 weeks, and NotePlan monthly. Most recently, Dalo Task Manager was updated on September 16, 2026 and NotePlan on September 30, 2026.

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