# Mindlist vs Bento

The clearest difference is rating: Mindlist at 4.7 against Bento's 4.1. Mindlist also leads on review sentiment (76% vs 54%) and ratings volume (1.6K vs 339). Bento's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs fortnightly) and iOS requirement (15.1 vs 17.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Mindlist sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Bento sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Mindlist holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.1. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1.6K and 339 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 76% of Mindlist's written reviews are positive against 54% of Bento's.

Mindlist ships an update fortnightly, Bento weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 27, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Mindlist | Bento |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (1.6K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mindlist-to-do-list-and-tasks/id1505964697/reviews)** | [4.1 (339 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bento-the-do-less-timer/id1595945715/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **1.6K** | 339 |
| Positive reviews | **76.4% of reviews** | 53.8% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Freemium | Freemium |
| Size | 25 MB | 117 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **15.1** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Mac | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Nova Ocean](https://appshunter.io/developer/789749894) | [Keep Productive Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1595945717) |

## What reviewers say

### Mindlist

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mindlist-to-do-list-and-tasks/id1505964697)

This app helps you manage your daily schedule and tasks with a minimalist interface. It offers features like reminders, calendar visualization, and customizable task lists to boost productivity without distractions.

**Highlights:** No ads, Customizable task lists, Reminders for appointments, Calendar visualization, Simple and fast task entry, Dark mode

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Buy Premium | $5.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Simple and easy to use
- 👍 Useful with friendly design
- 👍 Clear and simple way to make to-do lists
- 👍 Customizable
- 👍 Syncs across devices

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Issues with tasks disappearing or not being saved
- 🐛 Bugs with repeating tasks and calendar integration
- 🔒 Concerns about data storage and syncing
- 🔒 Lack of account/login system
- 🔒 Limited customization options in free version

**Reported bugs**

- Tasks disappearing or not being saved
- Repeating tasks not functioning properly
- Calendar integration issues
- Syncing problems between devices
- Unexpected app behavior after updates

**Requested features**

- Add shortcuts for Mac version
- Implement subtasks and task filtering
- Improve calendar integration and timeline view
- Add ability to move tasks between lists
- Implement Apple Watch support


### Bento

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bento-the-do-less-timer/id1595945715)

This app offers a calm focus timer designed to enhance productivity for work and study. It utilizes Japanese-inspired themes and a distraction-free interface to help users achieve deep work states, manage tasks, and improve focus patterns with insightful analytics.

**Highlights:** Aesthetic Japanese focus scenes, Task limitation for reduced overload, Deep focus mode to block distractions, Customizable daily routines, Focus score and analytics, Focus booster for momentum

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Bento Premium - Monthly | $1.99 | per month |
| Bento Premium - Annually | $9.99 | per year |
| Bento Premium - Quarterly | $12.99 | per 3 months |
| Bento Premium - Semiannual | $19.99 | per 6 months |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Helps focus on important tasks
- 🎨 Beautiful and calming design
- 🕰️ Useful Pomodoro-style timer
- 📚 Bento methodology is insightful
- 👍 Simple and easy to use

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 App freezes and crashes frequently
- 🔋 Drains battery quickly
- 💰 Paid app now requires subscription
- 🔇 Limited music/sound options
- 🤔 Confusing or unintuitive UI

**Reported bugs**

- Titles randomly deleted
- Timer stops working unexpectedly
- Switching themes doesn't work
- Accessibility issues

**Requested features**

- Add more music/sound options
- Implement a widget for quick access
- Allow customization of Bento templates
- Sync tasks across devices
- Add an Apple Watch app


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Mindlist free?

Mindlist is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Bento free?

Bento is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Mindlist or Bento?

Mindlist is rated higher. Mindlist averages 4.7 out of 5 from 1.6K ratings, while Bento averages 4.1 from 339 ratings.

### Do Mindlist or Bento have ads?

Neither Mindlist nor Bento shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Mindlist or Bento?

Mindlist ships an update fortnightly, and Bento weekly. Most recently, Mindlist was updated on October 29, 2026 and Bento on October 27, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*