A daily planner app should answer one question without drama: what is worth doing next. If it takes ten minutes to set up every morning, you will stop using it by Thursday.
Sunsama is the strongest pick when you want tasks and calendar time in one daily view. Things 3 is ideal for Apple users who plan from a Today list. Todoist stays the fastest bridge between capture and a realistic daily shortlist.
The short answer
Use Sunsama for calendar-plus-task daily planning, Things 3 for Apple-first Today planning, and Todoist for speed.
Top picks
Best daily planner apps
Sunsama connects tasks to time blocks so the day reflects meetings and focus hours, not a fantasy list. You see the real tradeoffs before the day starts.
Things makes daily review feel light. Drag tasks into Today, set when items matter, and keep areas from turning into clutter. The design keeps you coming back.
Filters and priorities help you build a daily view without a heavy planning ritual. It is the lowest-friction way to turn a big list into something you can actually finish today.
What a good daily planner changes
Good daily planning reduces thrash. You stop re-deciding the same priorities every hour because the plan already made the trade visible.
Weak planners show every task at once. Strong planners help you commit to a short list and protect time for the work that moves outcomes.
Calendar-led planning versus list-led planning
Sunsama shines when your calendar is honest. If meetings dominate, you need a tool that shows where tasks can still fit and what will slip.
Things 3 and Todoist shine when your day is more task-driven and calendar events are the exception. Pick the model that matches your reality, not the one you wish you had.
Who these tools are not for
Sunsama is not for people who only need a todo list or who cannot justify the subscription. Things 3 is not for anyone who shares work with Windows or Android users. Todoist is not for people who want the planning surface to force time blocking without them doing the work.
If your real problem is too many meetings and no protected focus time, none of these replace the hard conversation about calendar hygiene. The planner just makes the consequences visible.