project management tool · head to head
Basecamp vs Todoist
Comparison Summary
Basecamp scored 5.6 and Todoist scored 5.5 on our project management tool test script.
Basecamp: Basecamp is calm and quick: the Windows app opened in about 3 seconds, used the least memory of any app we tested here, and kept due dates, weekend days and weekly repeats exactly as entered. But it is not a task manager in the usual sense. There are no priorities, custom fields, dependencies, automation rules, Gantt chart or built-in AI, it imports only Markdown or plain text, and the free plan is a single project.
Todoist: Todoist is the quickest way we found to type a project in: one paste turned 40 lines into dated, prioritised tasks, repeating tasks are effortless, and the Windows app is light and starts in under two seconds. But it is a task list, not a project tool. The free plan stops at 5 projects and 300 tasks per project, our ordinary CSV was rejected, there is no automation, Gantt or dependencies, the calendar layout and AI are paid, and every free-team invitee becomes an admin.
Editor's Verdict
Choose Basecamp if…
Best for: Small teams and client work that need one calm place for to-dos, messages, files and a calendar, without fields and charts.
- The fastest and lightest desktop app in our tests: about 3 seconds from a cold start and under 1.3 GB of memory
- Due dates stay as entered, weekends included, and recurring to-dos have clear repeat options
- Markdown import of 500 to-dos in under 40 seconds, with done to-dos ticked
Choose Todoist if…
Best for: Individuals and very small teams who want a fast, tidy task list with dates and repeats.
- One paste turned 40 lines into tasks with the right dates and priorities
- Natural-language dates and repeats, such as “every monday”
- Light, fast desktop app: window in 1.6 s, under 1 GB of memory
Head to Head
Task by task
The same prompts, pasted word for word into each app on a clean Windows 11 PC. On the 8 tasks both apps were graded on, Basecamp completed 1 and Todoist completed 1.
| Task | Basecamp | Todoist |
|---|---|---|
| P1 · Build a project | Partial≈ 15–20 min | Pass≈ 8 min |
| P2 · Views | Partial≈ 5 min | Partial≈ 3 min |
| P3 · Rules | Partial≈ 5 min | Partial≈ 5 min |
| P4 · 200-row import | Fail≈ 5 min | Fail≈ 5 min |
| P5 · Scale | Pass≈ 2 min | Fail≈ 3 min |
| P6 · Permissions | Partial≈ 3 min | Partial≈ 6 min |
| P7 · AI | Fail– | Fail– |
| P8 · Leave | Partial≈ 5 min | Partial≈ 5 min |
Measured on the same PC
| Measurement | Basecamp | Todoist |
|---|---|---|
| Installer | 109 MB | 224 MB |
| Admin rights | No | No |
| On disk | 527 MB | 636 MB |
| Starts with Windows | No | No |
| 40-task project | ≈ 15–20 min | ≈ 8 min |
| Views on the free plan | 2 / 4 | 2 / 4 |
| 200-row import | 200 / 200 | Rejected |
| 500-row import | 500 / 500 | 0 / 500 |
| Cold start | ≈ 3 s | 1.6 s |
| Memory | 0.9 – 1.2 GB | 0.8 – 0.9 GB |
| Automation rule | None | None |
| AI | None | Paid |
| Left after uninstall | ≈ 120 MB | ≈ 214 MB |
Pros and cons
Basecamp
+ What works
- The fastest and lightest desktop app in our tests: about 3 seconds from a cold start and under 1.3 GB of memory
- Due dates stay as entered, weekends included, and recurring to-dos have clear repeat options
- Markdown import of 500 to-dos in under 40 seconds, with done to-dos ticked
- A free plan forever, and flat paid prices instead of per-user fees
- Complete export of every to-do and date as a browsable website
− What falls short
- No priority, status or custom fields, so our brief's priorities had nowhere to go
- No dependencies, no automation rules and no built-in AI assistant
- No Gantt chart or timeline; the Kanban Card Table is separate from to-dos
- No CSV import: only Markdown or text files, with titles and done state only
- Pasting a list makes one to-do, and dates can only be clicked in a calendar
- Free plan: one project, three people, 1 GB
Todoist
+ What works
- One paste turned 40 lines into tasks with the right dates and priorities
- Natural-language dates and repeats, such as “every monday”
- Light, fast desktop app: window in 1.6 s, under 1 GB of memory
- Did not add itself to startup or the firewall
- Pro is cheap at $5 a month billed yearly
− What falls short
- The CSV import only accepts Todoist's own template; our spreadsheet was rejected
- Free plan: 5 projects and 300 tasks per project; a 500-row import brought in nothing
- No automation rules, no dependencies and no Gantt or timeline view
- Calendar layout, AI (Task Assist) and backups are paid
- On a free team every invitee becomes an admin; the Member role is paid
- CSV exports use relative dates by default
Privacy and security
What we saw on our own test PC. Each review also lists what the vendor states about data handling, training and certifications.
Basecamp
Signed installer
The installer is signed by 37signals LLC with a valid certificate.
No background services
The app added no startup entry, services or listening ports.
Invite-only projects
New projects are visible only to people you add; outside collaborators and clients get limited access.
No AI by default
The app has no built-in AI assistant reading your projects.
Todoist
Signed installer
Signed by Doist Inc. with a DigiCert certificate.
No startup entry or firewall rules
“Launch at startup” is off by default, and no firewall prompt appeared.
Admins by default
On a free team every invitee is an admin, and a team join link is on by default.
Extension permissions
Task Assist asked for access to read and update all tasks, projects, labels and filters.
Features & Pricing
| Basecamp | Todoist | |
|---|---|---|
| Web | ✓ | ✓ |
| Windows | ✓ | ✓ |
| macOS | ✓ | ✓ |
| Linux | — | ✓ |
| iOS | ✓ | ✓ |
| Android | ✓ | ✓ |
| Free plan | ✓ | ✓ |
| Paid from | $29/mo | $5/mo |
Basecamp plans
- Free$0
- Freelancer$29/mo
- Pro$79/mo
- Pro Plus$99/mo
- Pro Unlimited$199/mo
From Basecamp's pricing page, checked Oct 30, 2026.
Todoist plans
- Beginner$0
- Pro$5/mo
- Business$8/user/mo
From Todoist's pricing page, checked Oct 31, 2026.
Who makes them
- Company
- Basecamp:37signals LLC
- Todoist:Doist Inc. (Todoist)
- Headquarters
- Basecamp:Chicago, Illinois, USA
- Todoist:Remote-first company, incorporated in Delaware, USA
- Founded
- Basecamp:1999
- Todoist:2007
- Funding
- Basecamp:Privately held; run by Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson.
- Todoist:Developed without formal venture funding.
Timelines, official links and sources are in each review: Basecamp · Todoist.
Read the full reviews
This page compares the two side by side. Each full review has the complete test log, every screenshot, the scoring notes, pricing, security and company details.
Basecamp reviewSituational 5.6 Basecamp is calm and quick: the Windows app opened in about 3 seconds, used the least memory of any app we tested here, and kept due dates, weekend days and weekly repeats exactly as entered. But it is not a task manager in the usual sense. There are no priorities, custom fields, dependencies, automation rules, Gantt chart or built-in AI, it imports only Markdown or plain text, and the free plan is a single project. Read the full review → Todoist reviewSituational 5.5 Todoist is the quickest way we found to type a project in: one paste turned 40 lines into dated, prioritised tasks, repeating tasks are effortless, and the Windows app is light and starts in under two seconds. But it is a task list, not a project tool. The free plan stops at 5 projects and 300 tasks per project, our ordinary CSV was rejected, there is no automation, Gantt or dependencies, the calendar layout and AI are paid, and every free-team invitee becomes an admin. Read the full review → Project Management Alternatives
ClickUp Recommended Small teams that want lists, boards, Gantt charts, automations and AI in one free workspace and do not mind a busy, heavy app 7.4 Read reviewReview 
Notion Situational Individuals and small teams who want tasks living next to their docs and wiki, and who are happy to build their own setup 6.9 Read reviewReview 
Airtable Situational Teams who want a flexible database behind their projects, with automations and reliable CSV in and out 6.8 Read reviewReview 
