Delegate your day.
A to-do app for your email
Otto turns an email into a task from the thread itself. Tasks sync both ways with Google Tasks or Microsoft To Do, so they don't get stuck in a new list.
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The short version
- Capture a task from an email by hand, or ask Otto to pull the action items out of a thread.
- Tasks sync both ways with Google Tasks or Microsoft To Do for the selected account.
- A task can become a calendar event, and a follow-up reminder brings a thread back if nobody's replied.
- Last reviewed 2 November 2026. Plans change, so check each page before paying.
The short answer
The simplest to-do app for email is the one that's already part of your mail. In Otto you turn a message into a task from the thread, or ask the assistant to pull out the action items. The task syncs with Google Tasks or Microsoft To Do, so it shows up in the app you already use. If you live in a dedicated task manager like Todoist, it lists Gmail and Outlook Mail integrations. Either way, your mail stays with Google or Microsoft.
At a glance
| App | Email link | Where tasks live | Suits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Otto | Is your mail app, for Gmail and Outlook | Google Tasks or Microsoft To Do, synced both ways | Tasks created in the thread |
| Todoist | Lists Gmail and Outlook Mail integrations | Todoist | A full task manager across devices |
| Google Tasks / Microsoft To Do | The provider's own lists | The provider | Staying with your provider's list |
What Otto's tasks do
Here's what's in it.
- Add a task by hand, or ask Otto to extract tasks from an email.
- Tasks sync both ways with Google Tasks or Microsoft To Do, depending on the selected account, so they appear on your phone in the app you already use.
- Promote a task to a calendar event when it needs a time.
- Select tasks to complete them together, or reopen them or reschedule them or delete them, and Ask Otto opens a review in chat for the same selection. Each AI confirmation covers up to 200 tasks from one list.
- Snooze a thread until Monday, or ask to be reminded if nobody replies by Friday. The reminder cancels itself if a reply arrives.
Tasks, bulk actions and follow-ups are on Free and on the paid tiers. AI requests use your plan's normal AI allowance.
What to check before you choose
A task in a new silo is a task you forget, so check where it lives. Otto writes to Google Tasks or Microsoft To Do.
Don't skip the link back to the email. You'll want to reach the original thread from the task.
Decide whether you'll want mail in the same app too. Todoist and other managers sit beside your mail app, whereas Otto is the mail app.
And ask what the assistant does alone. Otto shows a card for ordinary sends and deletes, and for bulk changes.
What it costs
Free covers one connected account with core mail, calendar and tasks, plus an AI allowance. Paid tiers add more accounts and capacity, plus extra features. Todoist's price comes from its own pricing page, which we read in November 2026.
| Product | Lowest paid plan | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Otto | Plus | from $6.99/month | Pro $19.99/month; $55.99/year for Plus |
| Todoist | Pro | from $7/month | a task manager, not a mail app, $5/month billed yearly |
Where Otto fits, and where it doesn't
Otto fits if your tasks start in email and you want them created in the thread, kept in your provider's task list and tied to the calendar.
It doesn't fit if you want projects or boards, or team task tracking across many tools. That's where a dedicated task manager does more. We'd try Otto on the next email that asks you for something.
Read more
- Turn emails into tasks and the tasks guide
- The roundup of to-do apps for email
- Otto vs Todoist, Otto vs Sunsama and Otto vs Akiflow
- How the day fits together: email with calendar and tasks
- Plans are on the pricing page
How we checked this
Last reviewed 2 November 2026. Sources: Todoist's home page and pricing page. Otto is ours, so weigh what we say about it with that in mind. Nobody paid for a place here.
Questions, answered
How do I turn an email into a task?
In Otto, open the thread and add a task, or ask the assistant to extract tasks from the email. The task syncs with Google Tasks or Microsoft To Do for the selected account.
Does Otto work with Google Tasks and Microsoft To Do?
Yes. Tasks sync both ways with Google Tasks for a Gmail account and Microsoft To Do for an Outlook account.
Is there a free to-do app that works with email?
Otto Free covers one connected account with core mail and a calendar and tasks. Todoist's page describes personal use as free on every device. Check each plan's limits, since they aren't the same.
Try your next step in Otto
Core mail, calendar and tasks are free. AI has an allowance.
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