ETasks
Google Tasks vs. Apple Reminders vs. ETasks
Three ways to manage tasks on iPhone, compared honestly.
The short version
- Google Tasks is the official, intentionally simple iOS app for tasks that live in Gmail and Google Calendar. It sends normal due-time notifications, but does not offer persistent AlarmKit-style alarms, Apple Watch support, or list sharing.
- Apple Reminders is an excellent native app with an All Smart List, location reminders, sharing, Apple Intelligence suggestions, and Urgent alarms on supported devices running iOS 26.2 or later. It cannot sync with Google Tasks.
- ETasks keeps your data in Google Tasks and gives it the native iOS treatment: real alarms, location reminders, eight widget types, an Apple Watch app, shared lists, and offline mode. No Google account, no problem, still works.
Feature by feature
| Feature | Google Tasks (iOS app) | Apple Reminders | ETasks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Syncs with Google Tasks (Gmail, Google Calendar) | Yes | No | Yes, two-way |
| Native on iPhone | Official iOS app (simple design) | Yes | Yes, built for iOS |
| All your lists, one view | No (one list at a time) | Yes (All Smart List) | Yes |
| Share & collaborate | No | Yes (iCloud users) | Yes (invite link, over iCloud) |
| Set alarms (ring like an alarm clock) | Due-time notifications; no persistent alarm | Yes, Urgent alarms (iOS 26.2+) | Yes (AlarmKit) |
| Location reminders (arrive / leave) | No | Yes | Yes (Labs) |
| Prioritize favorites | No | Flags only | Yes, ordered favorites |
| Link files | No | Yes | Yes (personal on shared lists) |
| Link emails | Gmail messages only | Yes (Apple Mail) | Yes (Apple Mail, with cross-device search) |
| Wide range of widgets | Basic | Yes | Yes, eight types |
| Month, week, day views | No | Limited | Yes (plus agenda and map) |
| Plan by drag & drop | No | Limited | Yes, reschedule & assign dates |
| AI when it makes sense | No | Yes (Apple Intelligence suggestions) | Yes (links, photos, PDFs, search) |
| Search your tasks | Basic | Yes | Yes, across every list |
| Recycle bin | No | Yes (Recently Deleted) | Yes |
| Cool dark mode | System only | System only | Yes, designed for dark |
| Highly customizable | No | Limited | Yes (layouts, colors, prefs) |
| Apple Watch app | No | Yes | Yes |
| Works without any account | No (Google account required) | Apple ID for sync | Yes, fully local mode |
| Offline editing with sync queue | Limited | Yes | Yes |
| Price | Free | Free | Free, ad-free |
Which one should you use?
Stay with Apple Reminders if your whole life is in iCloud and you never touch Gmail or Google Calendar. It is deeply integrated, free, and now supports Urgent alarms on compatible devices running iOS 26.2 or later. Apple documents the Urgent alarm requirements, the All Smart List, and Apple Intelligence suggestions.
Stay with the Google Tasks app if a focused checklist and normal due-time notifications are enough, and you do not need all lists in one view, sharing, persistent alarms, prioritized favorites, linked files and Apple Mail messages, or a wider range of widgets. See Google's notification documentation.
Choose ETasks if your tasks live in Google (or you want the option) but your devices are Apple. You keep the Google Tasks ecosystem (tasks appearing in Gmail and Google Calendar) and gain real alarms, location reminders, widgets, an Apple Watch app, shared lists, linked Apple Mail messages, and AI capture. And if you leave Google someday, ETasks keeps working locally.
One honest limitation: ETasks list sharing runs over iCloud, so sharing a Google-connected list moves it off Google. Details in the FAQ.
Keep exploring
More about ETasks
Download ETasks
Free, ad-free, and available on the App Store for iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch.