TeuxDeux is a cloud-based To-Do list app designed to be as easy as using a piece of paper, but without losing the “dopamine hit” of crossing things off. To be fair, this is not the only app that does this, but is TeuxDeux the best To-Do list app on the market?
Well, here are my thoughts . . .
Setting up
Setting up is straightforward.
You just register for your 30-day free trial with your name and email address and then click your welcome email to confirm. Pretty standard stuff and no credit card is required to set up.
The first time you start, you get a nice and clear introduction page with pre-listed “tasks” that show you how to format your entries. A three-minute video walkthrough is also linked. You can watch it here if you want to check it out now.
The whole interface is simple and quick to negotiate and edit. There is very little learning required, which is always the case for many productivity apps, especially when they try to deliver too much in terms of functionality.
TeuxDeux doesn’t try to do everything.
It just tries to do one thing well and, in my view, it succeeds.
What can it do then?
The interface divides the screen into two sections: a timeline area in the top half in which five days at a time are visible on the desktop/web version and one on a mobile device; and what they term as a “staging area” in the bottom half of the screen, which is where you can add collections of lists of things, notes, etc, separate from the timeline in the top half of the screen.
You can use this as a kind of “brain dump” for all the things you need to get done and group them in a way that makes sense to you. Then you can simply drag them across to the appropriate day in the timeline area when you are ready to action them. If you have used a personal kanban board before, it’s the same as moving a task from “To-Do” to “Doing”.
TeuxDeux allows you to set up recurring tasks and also supports markdown so you can highlight relevant parts of a to-do list in bold or italics or add a hyperlink,if required.
You can set a daily digest of your tasks for the day via email at a time you select. Just make sure you set yourself up with the correct time zone in the account section first.
Colours are customizable and you also have the option of adding a flying cat. Don’t ask – just go check it out for yourself. It’s a bit random and maybe some kind of in-house joke, but it’s quite cute, I suppose.
In terms of pricing, you can start using TeuxDeux with a free 30-day trial and if you want to continue using it after that, it’s $2 per month if paid annually.
TeuxDeux is available as an iPhone app, but if you use Android, you need to use an Android client-version of the app called Tehda.
However, the app is kind of redundant, since it works and looks just fine on mobile web browsers. On my Android phone, I just added the TeuxDeux webpage to my home screen and it’s the same as havng it as an app and easily accessible. Sorted!
Screenshots from an Android phone below.
I think what I like about TeuxDeux the most is its minimalistic simplicity and the fact the fonts and design are pleasing to the eye.
Creator, Tina Roth Eisenberg (aka Swiss Miss), has infused her Swiss design style into this app and although I cannot put my finger on exactly why it is so nice to use – it just is.
Here’s an overview of the Pros and Cons of TeuxDeux.
The Pros
- Simple to use, no learning curve or induction period required.
- Intuitive, uncluttered, minimalist interface that looks beautiful
- Looks great and works well on both desktop and mobile browser
- Supports markdown so you can highlight relevant parts of a to-do list if required
- Tasks automatically roll over to the next day if not marked complete
- Perfect for “beginner-level” task management
The Cons
- No native Android app (although Android client, Tehda, is available)
- Too expensive at $24 per year?
- Can’t be used when offline, but that’s rarely an issue these days unless you’re in the middle of the Amazon forest somewhere
- Some people complain about a lack of options for integration with other apps, but I think this is a deliberate choice in trying to maximize the efficacy of the To-Do list. Having one strategy that works well is better than having all kinds of bells and whistles that water down the overall efficacy of the strategy
So, about the cost. Is $24 per year too steep for such a simple app?
Some people might be put off by the annual subscription price. I know that in my review of the Remember The Milk To-Do List app, I baulked a little at the annual subscription cost of $39.99, so TeuxDeux is substantially cheaper, although it has less functionality.
I would personally find some kind of one-time fee more appealing, but plenty of people are purchasing the app at this price, so the TeuxDeux team are obviously happy with the price point currently.
I suppose it also depends on how you put it into context.
For example, if you’re into bullet journaling, the apparent journal of choice, a Leuchtturm1917 Medium A5 Notebook, is going to set you back $20, so I’ll let you decide.
But I guess it’s like anything, if you actually use it on a daily basis and it keeps you organized and productive, then $24 a year is totally worth it – far less than the average price of just one take-out coffee each month (in the USA, at least, but not where I live!)
Time Hack Hero Takeaway
I think there are some great apps available to help you manage and organise your time more effectively, but a lot of them try to incorporate too much functionality, making them less easy to use and can almost make you less productive, which defeats the purpose.
The appeal and possibly the whole point of TeuxDeux is its simplicity.
It strips away the complexity and the distractions that you often get with other productivity apps. It is “just” a digital To-Do list, but it does it well. And this is great because if you don’t have the inclination to implement any other type of strategy, just using a To-Do list and using it well, will make a huge positive difference to your time management.
Ultimately, you need to find a tool that fits your own preferences and needs. The simplistic, minimalistic design of TeuxDeux won’t be everyone’s cup of Schümli Pflümli, but others will love it.
So, is TeuxDeux for yeux? (That’s their little rhyming pun, not mine)
There’s only one way to find out and that is to head on over and register now. It’s free for 30 days and no credit card is required to set up, so nothing to lose.
Remember, a To-Do list is never going to do the work for you. It is an essential time management tool, but only part of the puzzle.
Ultimately, some kind of action is required to make things happen, so you also need to consider how you schedule your time, how you prioritize your tasks and the methods you use to ensure that you can focus at the right times to be as productive as possible.
More reading
How To Write A To-Do List – Properly!
Should Your To-Do List Be Paper Or Digital?