TaskPaper

TaskPaper is a plain-text task manager for macOS that lets you write to-do lists using a simple, human-readable format — no proprietary database, no sync lock-in, just a .taskpaper file you own completely.

What is TaskPaper?

TaskPaper is a macOS writing environment for task lists built entirely on plain text. Jesse Grosjean at Hog Bay Software designed it around a deceptively simple format: projects end with a colon, tasks start with a dash, and tags are written inline with the @ symbol. That's the entire spec. Everything else — filtering, focusing, archiving — flows naturally from that constraint.

I've used TaskPaper daily for weeks alongside heavier tools like OmniFocus and Things 3, and the contrast is striking. There's no loading spinner, no onboarding modal, no subscription nag. You open the app, type, and think. The friction that usually separates intention from action simply isn't there.

What does TaskPaper do best?

TaskPaper excels at capturing and reorganising work with keyboard-first speed that no GUI-heavy task manager can match. Because the file is plain text, you can restructure entire projects by cutting and pasting lines — the same muscle memory you use in any text editor. Tags like @due, @today, and @done are just words; you add them mid-sentence without lifting your hands from the keyboard.

The built-in query bar is where TaskPaper earns its power-user credibility. Type @today and not @done and the document filters itself instantly, hiding everything irrelevant. More complex queries — combining tags, projects, and text searches with boolean logic — are entirely possible, and once you learn the grammar, it feels more expressive than any visual filter panel.

• Infinite nesting of projects and sub-tasks via indentation
• Scriptable via the macOS Scripting Bridge and URL schemes
• Files open in any text editor (Vim, BBEdit, Obsidian — your data is never trapped)
• Extremely lightweight; launches in under a second even on older Macs

How much does TaskPaper cost?

TaskPaper is a one-time paid purchase — there is no subscription. It is sold directly through the Hog Bay Software website as a macOS app. The price is modest by productivity-software standards, especially compared to OmniFocus's annual plan or the growing list of subscription task managers. You pay once and own it. Updates within the major version are typically included; check the developer's site for current pricing before buying.

Who should use TaskPaper?

TaskPaper is the right tool for writers, developers, and anyone who already lives in a text editor and finds GUI task managers cognitively noisy. If you reach for Markdown or a plain notepad to organise your thoughts, TaskPaper will feel immediately at home. It's also genuinely excellent for developers who want to script their workflow — the plain-text format pairs naturally with shell scripts, git version control, and custom automation via Keyboard Maestro or Alfred.

It is not the right tool if you need calendar integration, recurring tasks with reminders, team sharing, or mobile parity on the level that Things 3 or Todoist offer. TaskPaper's iOS companion exists but is separate; the mobile experience is more spartan than the Mac app. If those features are non-negotiable, OmniFocus or Things 3 will serve you better — but you'll pay in complexity and subscription cost.

How does TaskPaper compare to Things 3 and OmniFocus?

The honest comparison: Things 3 is more polished and delightful; OmniFocus is more powerful for project hierarchies and perspectives; TaskPaper is faster and more portable than either. Things 3 doesn't expose its file format — your tasks live in an opaque database. OmniFocus does offer plain-text capture, but its native format is XML, not something you'd edit by hand. TaskPaper's entire data model is its format, which means zero risk of database corruption and zero vendor lock-in.

For the kind of person who keeps a rolling plain-text scratch file on their Desktop to track their day, TaskPaper is essentially that file, upgraded with filtering superpowers and an editor built specifically around the habit.

What are the best TaskPaper alternatives?

The closest spiritual cousin is Obsidian with a tasks plugin — plain text, locally owned, highly scriptable — but Obsidian is a knowledge base first and the task experience requires configuration. Bike (also by Hog Bay Software) is worth noting for outlining. Tot handles micro-capture. Among dedicated task managers, Things 3 wins on design and OmniFocus wins on power, but both lock your data in proprietary stores. If you're coming from a Markdown-based system, iA Writer is the writing-environment sibling — different purpose, same philosophy.