Most planning apps give you a free tier that exists to frustrate you into paying. Seven notes. One board. No reminders. A banner that reads 'Upgrade to unlock this feature' every time you try to do anything useful. That's not a free tier — it's a demo with a paywall timer running in the background.
A real visual planner should let you think on screen the way you think on paper: quickly, spatially, without a permission dialog interrupting your flow. That's the standard worth holding any app to. And it's exactly what separates the tools worth your time from the ones worth skipping.
What to Look for in a Free Visual Planner
Before recommending any specific tool, it helps to define what a visual planner actually needs to do — and what the free version of one should honestly include. There are three things that actually matter when you're choosing one.
1. Real visual organization, not just a list with icons. A visual planner should let you arrange information spatially. That means cards, boards, or sticky notes you can move around — not just color-coded rows in a table. The visual layer should reduce cognitive load, not just look prettier than a spreadsheet.
2. Enough free capacity to be genuinely useful. A free tier that caps you at five notes or one workspace is barely a product. A useful free tier lets you plan a full week, manage a real project, or capture a day's worth of thinking without hitting a wall. The question to ask: can someone with a real workload actually get value from this without paying?
3. A clear, honest path to more features — without punishing you for not upgrading. The best tools let the free tier stand on its own. Upgrading should unlock more capability, not restore features the free tier quietly removed to pressure you. Look for apps where the upgrade is appealing, not obligatory.
TaskLoco's Free Tiers: Two Ways to Start, Zero Pressure
TaskLoco doesn't have one free tier — it has two, and they're genuinely different products serving different needs. Neither requires a credit card. Neither is a ticking trial.
TaskLoco Lite is a native iPhone and Android app — the only version of TaskLoco available in the App Store and Google Play. It stores up to 20 notes as a JSON file directly on your device. There's no sign-in, no account, no server, and no sync — ever. It's completely anonymous. If privacy is a concern or you simply don't want another account floating around somewhere, Lite is the answer. You open it, you write, you close it. That's all it does, and it does it without friction.
TaskLoco Lite Plus+ is the web app and Chrome extension. Sign in with Google, get up to 30 notes that sync across all your devices, and use the Chrome extension to capture any webpage in one click. Lite Plus+ requires an internet connection to function, but in return your notes follow you everywhere — phone browser, laptop, work desktop. It's the right choice for anyone who moves between devices but isn't ready to commit to a subscription.
Neither free tier includes reminders, file attachments, or team sharing — those are Premium features. But within those boundaries, both tiers are honest, complete, and genuinely usable.
The Chrome Extension: One Click, Any Page
TaskLoco Lite Plus+ and Premium both include the Chrome extension, and it's worth calling out separately because it changes how you capture information. Instead of copying a URL, opening a new tab, navigating to your planner, pasting the link, and writing a note — you click once. The extension pops open, you type your note, you're done. The webpage is captured, the note is saved, and you're back to whatever you were doing in under ten seconds.
For researchers, writers, anyone who lives in a browser and needs to remember things from the web — this is the fastest capture tool TaskLoco has. And it's free with Lite Plus+, which requires no subscription at all.
The extension doesn't run in the background or read your browsing history. It opens when you click it, saves your note, and closes. That's the full scope of what it does — which is exactly as much as it should do.
TaskLoco Premium is regularly $9.99/month per person. Right now, charter members can lock in 50% off the regular price — forever. That means $4.99/month per person today. And if our price ever goes up, you still pay half. Always.
Code CHARTER50 auto-applies at checkout. First 500 spots only — once they're gone, this offer is gone permanently. Act fast while spots last.
Every Premium subscription includes unlimited notes, 10GB file storage, reminders, calendar, and team sharing. Each team member requires a separate subscription. 7-day free trial — no charge until day 8. Cancel anytime.
Free Options: TaskLoco
TaskLoco Lite
- Native iPhone & Android app
- Completely anonymous — no sign-in
- Data stays on your device
- Up to 20 notes
- Free forever
TaskLoco Lite Plus+
- Web app + Chrome extension
- Sign in with Google
- Wall syncs across all devices
- Up to 30 notes
- Free forever
Lock In 50% Off — Forever
7-day free trial. No charge until day 8. CHARTER50 auto-applies at checkout.
🔒 Lock In My Charter SpotSee TaskLoco in Action
Frequently Asked Questions
Is TaskLoco really free with no subscription?
Yes — TaskLoco has two genuinely free tiers with no trial countdown and no credit card required. TaskLoco Lite is a native iPhone and Android app storing up to 20 notes on your device with no account needed. TaskLoco Lite Plus+ is a web app that syncs up to 30 notes across all your devices for free when you sign in with Google. Neither is a hobbled demo. They're real, usable products.
What's the difference between TaskLoco Lite and Lite Plus+?
TaskLoco Lite is a native app (App Store and Google Play) that stores up to 20 notes directly on your device — no sign-in, no account, no sync, completely anonymous. Lite Plus+ is a web app and Chrome extension that stores up to 30 notes and syncs them across all your devices when you sign in with Google. Lite is for people who want zero footprint; Lite Plus+ is for people who move between devices.
Does the free version include reminders?
No — reminders are a Premium-only feature. In Premium, reminders are delivered as push notifications to your phone and computer, and each reminder deep-links directly back to the original note so you land exactly where you need to be. Optional email and SMS notifications are also available. The free tiers (Lite and Lite Plus+) do not include reminders.
Can I use TaskLoco on my phone without downloading an app?
Yes. TaskLoco Lite Plus+ and Premium both run as a web app, which means you use them through your phone's browser — no App Store download required. The only native app (App Store / Google Play) is TaskLoco Lite, which is free and anonymous but limited to 20 notes with no sync.
What does TaskLoco Premium add over the free tiers?
Premium unlocks unlimited notes, 10GB of file storage with attachments, a calendar view, team sharing, and push notification reminders with optional email and SMS. The free tiers are capped at 20 or 30 notes and include no reminders, no file attachments, and no team sharing. $9.99/month per person (currently $4.99/month per person for first 500 charter members with code CHARTER50)
Does TaskLoco work as a visual planner or is it just a list app?
TaskLoco is built around sticky notes arranged on a visual wall — not a flat list. You can move notes around, organize them spatially, and see your tasks and calendar events together in one view. It's designed for people who think visually, not just people who want to check boxes.
Do I need a subscription for the Chrome extension?
No. The Chrome extension is included free with TaskLoco Lite Plus+, which requires no subscription. You sign in with Google and get up to 30 synced notes plus one-click webpage capture with the extension — all at no cost. The extension is also included with Premium for users who want unlimited notes and the full feature set.
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TaskLoco is available on iPhone, Android, Chrome, and every web browser.