Comparison

Simple5 vs NowThis

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

Head to head
About

Simple5

Read full description

Add up to 5 daily tasks by tapping the blue plus, then tap to complete or swipe left for 5-minute reminders. Each new day automatically gives you a fresh, clean slate to focus on what matters most. While other task apps overwhelm you with endless features and infinite task lists, Simple5 embraces the power of constraints. You're limited to just 5 tasks per day - not as a restriction, but as liberation from digital clutter and decision paralysis. This isn't random - it's based on cognitive science showing our brains can effectively prioritize maximum 5 items at once. When you can only choose 5 things, you automatically choose the RIGHT 5 things. When adding your tasks, you naturally consider the most important things you want to do. The app relies on that. Furthermore, you cannot delete your tasks once they have been written down. This is because it is not possible to "delete" something that has been written down with pen and paper. Choose how you want to spend your time wisely! Add up to 5 daily tasks by tapping the blue plus, then tap to complete or swipe left for 5-minute reminders. Each new day automatically gives you a fresh, clean slate to focus on what matters most. Key Features: * 5-task daily limit forces real prioritization * Automatic priority numbering (1-5) * Daily reset - no overwhelming backlog * Tap to complete, swipe for reminders * Built-in tutorial for instant understanding * Share your daily list as simple text * Clean, distraction-free design Why should I spend money: * No Subscriptions - Pay once, own forever * No Ads - Completely clean experience * Privacy First - Your tasks stay on your device * Thoughtful Design - Every detail carefully crafted * Quality Focus - Built for effectiveness, not feature bloat

About

NowThis

Organize tasks, calendar events, and personal reflections in a unified workspace. Supports multiple organizational methods like lists, Kanban boards, and the Eisenhower Matrix. Offers seamless syncing with Nextcloud while prioritizing user privacy with zero tracking.

Highlights
  • Unified task, calendar, and journal workspace
  • Multiple organizational views (List, Kanban, Eisenhower Matrix)
  • Markdown notes and natural language quick-add
  • Recurring tasks with automatic rescheduling
  • CalDAV/VTODO sync with Nextcloud Tasks
  • Offline-first operation
  • Zero tracking and analytics
Features
Read full description

Bring your tasks, calendar, and reflections together in one beautiful workspace. NowThis is the ultimate productivity companion designed for those who value both high-performance organization and absolute data ownership. Whether you prefer structuring your day with a classic list, a flexible Kanban board, or prioritizing via the Eisenhower Matrix, NowThis adapts seamlessly to your workflow. FULL-FEATURED TASK MANAGEMENT • Rich metadata: priority, due and start dates, Markdown notes, locations, URLs, and tags • Infinite subtask nesting — collapsible hierarchies with visual progress rings • Natural language quick-add — type "Call dentist tomorrow !high @health" and watch it parse in real time. The parser reads English date phrases. • Recurring tasks: daily, weekly, monthly, yearly or custom, rescheduled on completion • Swipe to complete or delete, drag to indent, long-press for quick actions MULTIPLE VIEWS FOR EVERY WORKFLOW • Task List — classic checklist with smart sorting and filter chips • Kanban Board — drag cards between Needs Action, In Progress, and Completed • Calendar — month and week views with drag-to-reschedule • Eisenhower Matrix — prioritize by urgency × importance in a 2×2 grid • Journals — Markdown entries linked to tasks via the open VJOURNAL standard SMART LISTS & FILTERS • Built-in smart lists: Today, Upcoming, Overdue, All Tasks, Completed • Custom filter builder with AND/OR logic across 8 fields, saved as sidebar presets • Overdue tasks always surface in Today so nothing falls through ROCK-SOLID SYNC • Full CalDAV/VTODO sync with Nextcloud Tasks — standards-compliant • Offline-first: edit hundreds of tasks offline, sync when you reconnect • Background App Refresh keeps tasks current before you open the app • ETag conflict detection, CTag delta checks, and automatic retry with backoff PRIVACY YOU CAN VERIFY • Zero third-party SDKs. Zero analytics. Zero tracking. Period. • Your data never touches a third-party server • Vault mode: fully local, no account required • Sign in with Nextcloud — Login Flow v2 with 2FA/SSO support ON YOUR WRIST • The Apple Watch app opens to today's and overdue tasks, pushed live from your iPhone • Watch face complications: remaining today, or next task with its due time • Browsing and complications are free. NowThis Pro — a one-time purchase, no subscription — unlocks checking tasks off and adding them by voice from the watch. Buying Pro directly supports its continued development DEEP SYSTEM INTEGRATION • Siri: "Add a task," "What's due today," "Show my tasks" — 8 voice commands, fully hands-free • Home Screen widgets in three sizes with tap-to-complete checkboxes • Spotlight Search, Shortcuts automation, and Focus Filters • Apple & Nextcloud Calendar sync: push tasks to a calendar as events CONTEXTUAL REMINDERS • Geofence alerts when you arrive at or leave a place • App icon badge shows your overdue count ACCESSIBLE BY DESIGN • Complete VoiceOver support on every screen • Full Dynamic Type scaling • Respects Reduce Motion, Reduce Transparency, and Increase Contrast • Widget tinted mode conveys status without relying on color alone BEAUTIFUL & NATIVE Built with SwiftUI and Apple's latest design language, including Liquid Glass on iOS 26. Smooth animations, a satisfying completion pop, and full Light & Dark mode. Native everywhere — no web views, no Electron. Aus dem Englischen mit KI übersetzt. Traducido del inglés con IA. Traduit de l'anglais par IA. Tradotto dall'inglese con IA. Vertaald uit het Engels met AI. HUGE thank you to our TestFlight testers!! Get help or request features: https://asc.is/support/ Privacy Policy: https://nowthis.app/privacy

Screenshots

Simple54 screens
NowThis4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Simple5 at none against NowThis's 1. NowThis's advantage is device support (3 vs 1). On price, update cadence, ads and iOS requirement 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

Simple5 costs $4.99 and NowThis $4.99 up front. NowThis sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Simple5 asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Simple5 ships an update every 6 weeks, NowThis every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 19, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Simple5 versus NowThis: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSimple5NowThis
Price$4.99$4.99
Rating—5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—33.3% of reviews
Number of ratings—1 — better
Update frequencyEvery 6 weeksEvery 3 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
Monetization—Paid
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPad, Apple Watch — better
Requires iOS17.6 — better18.0
Further details — not scored
Size12 MB11 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperChristopher FuchsA Secret Company, LLC

In-app purchases

None

Simple5

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

NowThis

One-time1
  • NowThis Pro$9.99

Questions

Is Simple5 free?
Simple5 costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is NowThis free?
NowThis costs $4.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Do Simple5 or NowThis have ads?
Neither Simple5 nor NowThis shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Simple5 or NowThis?
Simple5 ships an update every 6 weeks, and NowThis every 3 weeks. Most recently, Simple5 was updated on October 19, 2026 and NowThis on October 15, 2026.

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