Last updated
The Apple Reminders alternative for when lists aren't enough
Done Bear is the Apple Reminders alternative for people who've outgrown lists. It adds real GTD structure (Inbox, Today, Upcoming, Anytime, Someday), Windows and web apps, real-time team workspaces, and CLI and MCP automation, while staying local-first fast. Free to start.
Done Bear vs Apple Reminders
Done Bear
Apple Reminders
Done Bear
Apple Reminders
GTD structure
Platforms
Offline speed
Collaboration
CLI / API / MCP
Pricing
Why people switch from Apple Reminders
Lists stop scaling; systems don't
Reminders gives you lists; GTD needs a system. Done Bear separates capture, commitment, and later into Inbox, Today, and Someday.
Leave the walled garden without losing speed
Your tasks shouldn't require an Apple device. Done Bear runs in any browser, with native Windows and Linux apps, so a work PC stops being a dead end.
Automation beyond Shortcuts
Reminders automation tops out at Siri and Shortcuts. Done Bear has a CLI, a GraphQL API, and a hosted MCP server, so scripts and assistants like Claude can triage for you.
Who should stay on Apple Reminders
If your list is groceries, a few dated reminders, and whatever you say to Siri, stay on Apple Reminders. It is free, already on your devices, and asks for no new account. Come back when those lists become a workload.
Moving from Apple Reminders
Most Reminders setups move in one sitting: create a project per list, then re-enter the tasks that still matter. Treat it as a review; half of an old list is usually done or dead.
Explore Apple Reminders alternatives
Frequently asked questions
What does Done Bear do that Apple Reminders doesn't?
Reminders has no real GTD structure: no Someday list, no distinction between scheduled and available work, and projects are just more lists. Done Bear ships the five GTD views as the app's navigation, so bigger workloads stay organized without you inventing a system.
Does Done Bear work on Windows, or is it Apple-only like Reminders?
Yes, and that is usually why people leave Reminders. Apple ships no Windows app and no Android app, and the iCloud.com version of Reminders is a cut-down fallback. Done Bear runs as a full app in any browser and installs natively on Windows and Linux, so a work PC stops being a dead end.
Apple Reminders is free, so what does Done Bear cost?
Reminders costs nothing because it ships with hardware you already bought, so Done Bear has to be worth a switch on its free tier alone: 250 active tasks and unlimited workspace members, no card. That covers a full personal GTD system. Paid plans start at $7/month per member billed yearly when you outgrow it.
Is Done Bear as fast and offline-capable as Reminders?
Yes. Reminders is instant because it keeps tasks on the device, and Done Bear works the same way: Today opens with no spinner and no connection. The difference is where that local copy goes next. Reminders syncs through iCloud to Apple hardware; Done Bear syncs to Windows, the browser, and shared team workspaces.
Can I share tasks with people who don't use Apple devices?
Reminders sharing is per-list and Apple-to-Apple: whoever you invite needs an Apple account on an Apple device. Done Bear shares a whole workspace rather than one list, and it reaches the browser alongside the native Windows, Linux, macOS, and iOS apps. The free tier does not cap members, so a colleague on a work PC sees changes as they happen.