You no longer need to spend time sorting through your notebooks and ticking off tasks when there is a faster, more effective method.
Digital planner apps are productivity software designed to help you organize your work, keep track of daily tasks or even set reminders for future assignments.
Having a to-do list on the go is a great way to keep track of completed tasks, unlike the traditional paper method, where you have to go through your list at the end of the day.
By scheduling deadlines, you stay on top of your goals, which is helpful for better time management.
Beyond effective time management, planner apps help to boost productivity. With constant reminders, you stay motivated to work on unfinished tasks.
Planner apps are easily accessible. You can download, sign up, and start your task management with just a few steps. If you have an iPad and would like to explore some of the best planner apps, I’ve got you covered.
I have discussed 15 of the best planner apps in the article below. Take a look.
Best Planner Apps for iPad
1. Any.Do 
Any.Do is one of the best planner apps for iPad that can help you stay on top of your daily tasks. It has a friendly and easy-to-use interface with beautiful animations.
Any.Do has two versions, a personal one to help with everyday tasks, which is especially convenient for freelancers looking for something easy and fun to use.
The second version is team-based and is designed to include team members and perform larger management tasks.
The app also has a cloud sync feature and can be used on all platforms; it also syncs with about 500 apps making it easy for users to add tasks.
Additionally, Any.Do can send emails to other Any.Do email and add them to your list for easy retrieval, making it a great fit for work-related tasks.
Moreover, Any.Do has a free and premium package; however, the premium version does not have unique features, as some are available in other free digital planners.
2. Pencil Planner and Calendar Pro
Pencil Planner and Calendar Pro is great if you are looking for the best of both worlds.
It supports the traditional way of note-taking with your Apple pencil, where you can write down your plan on the calendar app and make notes to help you take more control of your tasks.
With the writing feature, you not only get to enjoy planning your daily tasks but can also include long-term goals.
Pencil Planner and Calendar Pro can also be used as a diary or journal. This app can also be integrated with many devices.
Besides the writing feature, this application also has an eraser option ensuring your planner is always neat. You can access different writing styles and tools and undo and redo options.
To try out this app, download Pencil Planner and Calendar Pro, and use the free version or pay for a subscription that unlocks more features.
3. Todoist
Todoist is a simple-to-use digital planner with a simple user interface allowing users to easily navigate and perform tasks.
What’s more, Todoist allows users to connect with features like Google Calendars and Dropbox and even display their tasks on the calendar.
Besides its ease of use, Todoist is also available on all platforms, from mobile devices to computers on both iOS and Android.
The clean and easy interface enables users to monitor their to-do lists. Unfortunately, Todoist’s free package has limited resources in task management, while the premium package is slightly more expensive than other digital planner apps.
It also needs some advanced features, such as Gantt charts, which may limit its functionality in managing complex tasks.
However, Todoist is perfect if you want something simple to help with short-term or daily planning.
4. Zinnia
Zinnia is a creative digital planner that brings color and creativity into your daily planning. Zinnia is a one-stop shop for all your planning needs, from journaling to habit tracking or note-taking.
It also synchronizes with iCloud and is available on iPads, iPhones, and Macbooks.
This app also supports Apple Pencil, making your writing experience feel real. But even better, Zinnia has different markup tools and a customizable view where users enjoy the feel of a notebook.
The Zinnia creative app has free and premium options, but users can try it with a seven-day free trial.
After the seven-day trial, your subscription is renewed automatically, so be on the lookout to cancel if you aren’t satisfied with the premium version. However, if you enjoy the premium version, consider the yearly rate as it is more affordable.
5. Structured
If you are looking for a clean and sleek task app, Structured is the app for you. Structured is a minimal app with less clutter, using a calendar and a to-do list feature.
This planner allows users to plan daily tasks and has easy follow-up where you can tick off tasks once they are complete. The app is customizable, with colors that make organizing work, school, or personal tasks easy.
But that’s not all! Users on Structured can also change the user interface to suit their preference, and it also supports about 30 languages making it perfect for a wider audience.
Besides being available on your iPad, you can also use Structured on your Macbook or iPhone. It also allows iCloud syncing, making it easy for you to track your progress.
For a paid package, the app has Structured Pro for monthly, yearly, or lifetime subscriptions. But one con is that Structured can only be used on one device at a time.
6. ZoomNotes
Although ZoomNotes can be used across iOS, Android, and Windows devices, you need to be patient and willing to learn how it works. This app has a complex user interface making the learning curve longer.
The best part is that ZoomNotes has other great task management features that make it stand out as one of the best planner apps for iPad.
Some of these features include:
- Allows users to open a new note or edit an existing one, making it easy to follow through with their goals
- Can add images, links, or audio to notes, and the information is automatically backed up to the cloud, making it accessible on other devices
- Synchronizes your calendar events to your notes
- Smooth ink that comes in eight pens
- Can also write or import PDF, PPT, and MS documents
To try out ZoomNotes, you can download the app from the App Store, try the free version, and later upgrade to the paid version that unlocks more features.
7. Notability
Although Notability can be used by businesses, it is popular among students due to its voice recording features, which allow students to save their lessons and take notes later.
Besides helping students, Notability is also ideal for business people, teachers, or creatives looking to record videos, take notes, or keep track of their daily tasks.
Users can also add web links, and store PDF files and images, making it easy for them to store, organize, and retrieve research materials.
Notability has two pricing options: the Starter and Plus plans. The Starter plan offers three managing tools and has limited note edits.
On the other hand, the Plus plan has unlimited note edits, about 12 tools, a handwriting recognition feature, and users easily access handwritten notes.
Additionally, the Plus plan has auto-update and math conversions. Notability is compatible with multiple iOS devices; you can use Notability on your iPad and make more notes on your Mac. This great feature ensures users are on track with their tasks and goals.
8. nTask
nTask was founded in 2015, but despite its few years in the market, it has managed to create a solid app, offering some of the lowest prices.
This planner app is great for students looking to stay organized and manage their time and tasks all on the go. With the quick navigation feature, clean interface, and customizable features, users can plan their day or week with a simple click on their iPad.
Students can keep all their assignments, notes, or to-do lists in one place. nTask allows users to plan months ahead and helps to keep track of any remaining tasks.
Although this app is popular among students, it has also managed to attract business people with its team features that can support up to five team members for the free package.
Users also enjoy time-tracking features, Gantt charts, meeting managers, and Kanban boards with the paid subscription.
9. Evernote – Notes Organizer
Evernote is a digital daily planner and notepad. This app is one of the best in the market and is one-of-a-kind with search functionality.
With Evernote, you get to organize your list, type your notes, or use the iPad camera to capture notes or tasks directly to your app. It’s ideal for students and teachers as it is easy to track notes, lessons, assignments, or exams.
Evernote’s competitive packages also give the app an edge over other software. The app has three packages, free, personal, and business. The business subscription fee is about $170 per year.
10. GoodNotes 5
GoodNotes 5 has gained popularity and has risen among the ranks as one of the best planner apps for iPad. It offers the best of both worlds; users can write on the app or type their notes.
GoodNotes has great organizational features; you can create folders and labels or search easily through your notes.
You can add web pages, hyperlinks, images, and audio files to your notes. The app also has a share feature that allows users to share personal messages.
But the best part is the sorting feature, where you can sort through your notes either for review or before sharing. GoodNotes 5 also has a built-in PDF viewer that can open PDF files with hyperlinks.
Other reasons that make GoodNotes 5 a favorite are their natural feel and ease of use and users can also extract and easily navigate through subfolders after creating folders. This app also has stickers and by just dragging and placing the sticker on your notes, you can sort your work for easy and fast access.
GoodNotes 5 has a one-time payment plan and is available on iPad, iPhone, and Facebook. Additionally, if a team wants to make other improvements to the app, they can pay for a launch making it ideal for businesses.
11. Noteshelf
Noteshelf is an ideal digital planner for both students and professionals. Useful in helping users stay organized and focused, Noteshelf helps users create notes and to-do lists and even track their progress. You can sync your notes on all your devices on iOS 14+.
Noteshelf is an annotation app that allows users to annotate PDF files and record audio. Users can also select or highlight texts, making it easier to organize their notes.
For professionals, Noteshelf is the app to avoid tedious paperwork. With their easy-to-fill-out forms, businesses can use this feature to collect data and sign contracts using the Apple Pencil.
Noteshelf also has special handwriting conversion, which can also be connected to texts. With Noteshelf, you can work on several files simultaneously or even record a lecture as you write it down and later edit the text.
This app has made note-taking much easier, ensuring that users save time and collect the right information, emerging as one of the best planner apps for iPad. To enjoy this digital planner, you will need to download the app on App Store and pay a fee to access all the features.
12. GitMind
Visual plans are great to keep you motivated, so if you want an app to present your visual ideas, GitMind is for you. It’s an easy-to-use application with a user-friendly interface that makes it easy for new users to learn and navigate the app without much learning.
A great mind-mapping tool with versatility and ease of sharing, GitMind is perfect for small businesses. It is free, and you can use the app from the web browser without downloading it.
If you are looking for a versatile, pocket-friendly planning tool for your business and personal use, then GitMind will get that done, enhancing your workflow and overall personal growth.
GitMind has a personal and business package. However, the app only has a few template options which can limit users looking to try different templates for their work.
13. Wrike
Wrike is a powerful task management tool made for organizations. It aims at increasing a team’s productivity by eliminating complexity in the workplace and ensuring every team member focuses on a more purposeful role.
Wrike is a fast-moving digital planner, giving it the edge to compete with other world leaders in task management. The app is versatile and intuitive, making it easy for teams to connect, collaborate, and align workers.
Additionally, Wrike supports over 15 languages making it ideal for non-English speaking companies and countries. Additionally, Wrike has competitive prices to cater to teams, businesses, and large enterprises.
Unfortunately, besides the app’s ability to perform complex tasks, it lacks in some areas. For instance, Wrike does not work offline, sync calendar events, or collaborate with external work projects. But Wrike’s overall performance has stood out despite those few shortcomings.
14. Trello
Trello was introduced in the market in 2011. The app supports over 20 languages and can operate on iOS 12 and higher, web, macOS, Android 5.1+, and Windows OS.
Trello is a simple collaboration tool that lets you plan your projects and create work boards, checklists, and activity logs that keep your teams up to date.
Trello uses lists, cards, and boards to keep tasks neat and easily accessible. It also has subtasks within the card that can be made into checklists, which help monitor your progress.
Trello also allows app integration making the workflow easier. Some apps that teams can integrate with Trello include Telegram, Twitter, Slack, GitHub, Google Drive, Salesforce, and IBM Connect.
Tasks set on the app can be allocated to different members, and they are notified when the team leader makes any changes. You can also include deadlines for the various tasks.
Trello is mobile-friendly, and you can use it soon after signup. You can also download the app or use it on web browsers.
Trello has four packages, Free, Standard, Premium, and Enterprise. The Free package is great for individuals, while the other packages differ depending on the complexity of the tasks.
Also Read: Best Free Trello Alternatives
15. TickTick
TickTick is a simple task manager compared to other software in the market. This does not, however, mean that it’s not worth your time.
TickTick is an easy-to-use tool and has competitive pricing. It has a solid free plan, is cheap to upgrade, and has a reliable but simple feature set where you can tick off tasks from your list once they are done.
Its ease of use makes it great for freelancers or small businesses looking to keep some order while saving money. Additionally, as a personal tool, TickTick is great for planning a daily to-do list where you can easily update your grocery list or notes all on a single screen.
Another great feature you enjoy is location-based reminders. With their Premium version, TickTick will alert you when you’re near a location for your errand.
Finally, while TickTick’s free version will get a lot done, the paid version is worth a look, with unique features and various functionalities, this package offers a great deal compared to TickTick’s competitors.
Important Things to Consider When Choosing a Planner App
There is a wide selection of apps to choose from, but to get the most out of them, it is key to have these things in mind:
- Function: Are you using the app for business or personal notes? Knowing this in advance will help you select the best-suited app for your needs. For instance, Wrike is great for businesses, while Todoist is ideal for personal use.
- Budget: What are you willing to spend on your planner app?
- Design complexity and features: Choose an easy-to-understand interface that is simple to use and edit.
There are free apps that offer great features, but the best part is the wide selection to pick from.
Final Remarks
All these digital planners have a target market and are designed to perform tasks to suit their users. Some are designed to help students, while others cater to enterprises.
The best planner app for iPad that will serve all your needs at a pocket-friendly price is Trello. From the features in this app, Trello has a wider audience in mind, and the best part is it not only supports iPad users but can also be used on Android or even from a web browser.
But remember, having your budget in mind and your expectations in place will be a great guide in ensuring you pick the best app for your needs.
