When comparing Todo.txt vs Momentum, the Slant community recommends Todo.txt for most people. In the question“What are the best cross-platform task apps?” Todo.txt is ranked 9th while Momentum is ranked 34th. The most important reason people chose Todo.txt is:
Todo.txt can be edited in plain text and then displayed with neat styles.
Specs
Ranked in these QuestionsQuestion Ranking
Pros
Pro Easily editable format
Todo.txt can be edited in plain text and then displayed with neat styles.
Pro Editable from any text editor without needing any proprietary software
Because todo.txt is just a todo standard with various compatible apps to edit it, you can update it from any device as long as it can edit text and you can access your todo.txt file
It's convenient to be able to access your todo list quickly via your programming environment so you don't have to switch contexts, and to have a separate todo.txt file per project.
Pro Works with lots of apps for every platform
Todo.txt lists can be edited in virtually every text editor ever made and accessed on devices that support Dropbox. The user community has also created a number of apps for dozens of platforms.
Pro Command line support
You can edit your lists using the command line (e.g., Terminal) via a supplied bash script.
Pro Full control over your to-dos
You have full access to the underlying programming rules, and therefore total control over your task lists.
Pro Extensible
Has been extended to include most things people want, including a multiple of interfaces and app for all platforms.
Pro Easy syncing
Todo.txt automatically and seamlessly syncs through Dropbox.
Pro Wide range of interface apps
The community has developed a wide range of apps that interface with the basic file structure. These apps vary in how much they accomplish, how much hand-holding they do, their level of glitz, etc. They range from plugins for an editing app like vim to stand-alone, platform-specific GUI's. So YMMV depending on what you use. (todopy is particularly nice, a Python program that has a "console" mode which provides a keyboard-driven GUI.)
Pro Follows the unix philosophy
Does one thing: to do lists
Pro It's free
It runs on MacOS, Android, and Python (in the Mac's Unix CLI) -- all for free.
Pro Easy to sync up between lots of devices and interfaces
At a bare minimum you just need to be able to edit text, but there are many apps and advanced interfaces you can install on many devices to supplement your to-do list editing.
Pro Specifically designed for GTD
Pro Automated Next Steps
Next steps have a separate view. Tasks can be updated sequentially or parallel.
Pro Projects and Tasks can be endlessly nested
You can nest multiple projects with tasks, there is no limit.
Pro Has an offline mode
No permanent internet connection needed.
Pro Cross-platform
Web-based, progressive-web-app (PWA).
Pro Realtime synch
Data instantly updates on all devices.
Pro Clean design
Lots of space helps focus on the tasks.
Cons
Con No support for reoccurring tasks
Tasks have dates corresponding to creation and completion, but there is no explicit support for due dates or for tasks that reoccur.
Con Nested tasks not supported
Many todo tasks for developers end up having sub tasks that need to be performed for a parent task to be completed, but the todo.txt format does not have any nesting.
Con Android app not updated since 2013
The app only seems to support Dropbox. It would be nice to see support for different and newer file storage services.
Con Beta interface is confusing for first-timers
The interface is very opinionated (this is a good thing). But it is not obvious how to map user's own GTD variant onto the one the author has in mind. Maybe after it is in production, there will be better on-boarding.
Con No native apps
Con In Beta (development)
