Let's be honest about Trello: it earns its popularity. The drag-and-drop board interface is intuitive, the free tier is genuinely useful, and for teams that think natively in Kanban, it clicks immediately. If your workflow is literally "To Do → Doing → Done" and nothing more complex, Trello is hard to argue against.
The problem shows up the moment your work gets messier than three columns. A quick note about a phone call becomes a card that needs a list, a label, a due date, a checklist, and a comment thread. A reminder becomes a Power-Up. A file becomes an attachment buried inside a card you'll never find again. Trello scales the interface, not your clarity. TaskLoco starts from the opposite assumption: capture the thought fast, attach what you need, set a reminder that fires as a push notification straight to your phone, and move on. No board architecture required.
The Board Isn't the Problem — the Overhead Is
Trello's Kanban board is a genuine UX achievement. Moving a card from one column to the next feels satisfying in a way that checking a checkbox never quite does. For teams with a clear, repeatable pipeline — content production, bug tracking, hiring queues — that visual flow maps perfectly to the work.
But most people's days aren't clean pipelines. They're a mix of half-formed ideas, follow-up tasks, reference notes, and deadlines that don't fit neatly into any column. Trello's answer is to add more structure: more lists, more labels, more checklists inside cards. Before long, maintaining the board is the job.
TaskLoco works the other way. A sticky note is a sticky note — write it, tag it, attach a file, set a push notification reminder, and pin it to your wall. You can arrange notes visually on a wall view or browse them in a list. There's no correct architecture to maintain. The structure emerges from how you actually work, not from a board template someone else designed.
Reminders and Files: Features Trello Locks Behind Add-Ons
Trello's free tier is broad, but reminders and file handling reveal the ceiling quickly. Native due-date notifications in Trello are basic, and anything beyond simple alerts — integrations with calendar tools, richer notification channels — requires Power-Ups, many of which push you toward a paid plan. File attachments exist in Trello, but storage limits on the free tier are tight, and finding a specific attachment buried inside a card weeks later is its own scavenger hunt.
TaskLoco Premium includes 10GB of file storage per person from day one, and attachments live directly on the note they belong to — not nested inside a card inside a list inside a board. Finding a file is as fast as finding the note it's attached to.
Reminders in TaskLoco are push notifications — delivered straight to your phone and computer. When you tap the notification, it deep-links directly back to the original note so you land exactly where you need to be. No hunting. Optional email notifications are available at no extra charge. Optional SMS notifications are available as an add-on.
Team Sharing That Doesn't Require Permission Management
Trello's team collaboration model is built around board membership, permission levels, and workspace roles. For a structured project with defined contributors, that makes sense. For everyday sharing — sending a note to a colleague so they can run with it — it introduces friction. You're managing access before you've even shared the idea.
TaskLoco team sharing works the way email works: you share a note, the recipient gets it, and they can clone it to make it their own. No permission levels to configure, no workspace admin to ping, no access expiration to remember. The note arrives, it's theirs, they act on it.
Real-time sync means everyone on the team sees updates as they happen. And because every team member has their own Premium subscription, there's no shared account to juggle and no single login that becomes a bottleneck.
This isn't a simplified version of collaboration — it's a deliberately different model. TaskLoco assumes that most sharing is "here, take this and run" rather than "let's co-edit this document with tracked changes and revision history." If that assumption matches how your team actually communicates, the difference is enormous.
The Chrome Extension Changes How You Capture Anything
One of the quiet reasons Trello sticks around is that it integrates with everything. Slack, Google Drive, Jira — the Power-Up library is long. If your team's workflow is already wired through third-party tools, that ecosystem matters.
TaskLoco takes a different approach to capture: the Chrome extension lets you clip any webpage into a note in one click. Reading an article you want to follow up on? Clip it. Reviewing a competitor's pricing page? Clip it and attach a note. Researching something for a client? Clip it and set a push notification reminder to revisit it before the meeting. The note lands on your wall with the source URL intact, ready for a file attachment or a reminder.
For people who live in a browser — which is most of us — the Chrome extension eliminates the context-switch that kills capture habits. You don't have to open a new tab, navigate to your task manager, create a card, paste the URL, write a title, and assign a list. You click once. The thought is captured. You go back to what you were doing.
TaskLoco Lite Plus+ is free and includes the Chrome extension along with 30 synced notes across all your devices — no account beyond a Google sign-in required. Premium unlocks unlimited notes, 10GB file storage, reminders, calendar view, and team sharing.
The Honest Comparison
| Feature | TaskLoco | Trello |
|---|---|---|
| Core interface | Sticky notes on a visual wall — freeform or structured, your call | Kanban boards with lists, cards, and columns |
| Free tier | Two free tiers: Lite (20 notes, no sign-in, device only) and Lite Plus+ (30 notes, synced across devices) | Free tier with boards, cards, and basic Power-Ups — genuinely broad |
| Native mobile app | TaskLoco Lite is a native iPhone & Android app (20 notes, anonymous, no sync). Premium and Lite Plus+ run in the mobile browser. | Full-featured native iOS and Android apps |
| Reminders | Push notifications to phone and computer, deep-linking back to the original note. Optional email and SMS channels. | Due date notifications; richer reminders require Power-Ups or paid plans |
| File attachments | 10GB included with Premium; attachments live directly on the note | Attachments supported; storage limits apply on free and lower-paid tiers |
| Chrome extension | One-click webpage capture into a note — free with Lite Plus+ FREE | Browser Power-Ups available; one-click capture not a native feature |
| Calendar view | Built into Premium — see all notes and tasks on a calendar | Calendar Power-Up available; native calendar view limited |
| Team sharing | Yes — included with Premium. Each team member requires a separate subscription — currently $9.99/month per person, but TaskLoco is offering a Charter Member special: 50% off for life, currently $4.99/month per person for the first 500 subscribers with code CHARTER50. | Board-based sharing with workspace roles and permission levels |
| Cross-device sync | Lite Plus+ and Premium sync across all devices in real time FREE | Syncs across devices on free and paid plans |
| Setup time | Sign in with Google, write a note — no board architecture to configure | Board templates help, but list structure and labels require upfront decisions |
| Unlimited notes | Unlimited with Premium; 30 on Lite Plus+, 20 on Lite | Unlimited cards across boards on paid plans |
| Third-party integrations | Limited integrations — focused on doing more natively | Extensive Power-Up library — Slack, Google Drive, Jira, and hundreds more |
| Gantt charts / timelines | Not available | Timeline view available on paid plans |
| Anonymous use | TaskLoco Lite requires zero sign-in, zero account — completely anonymous FREE | Account required to use any version |
| Subscription model | One flat price per person — no per-seat tiers or minimum seat counts | Per-user pricing with multiple plan tiers |
| Extra storage add-ons | 10GB included; stackable add-ons up to 1TB and beyond | Storage tied to plan tier; limited add-on flexibility |
| Natural language task input | Not available | Not a native Trello feature either |
Who Should Use Each
Use the TaskLoco if…
- You want to capture thoughts fast without designing a board architecture first
- You need reminders that fire as push notifications and deep-link back to the exact note
- You attach files to tasks and want them easy to find later
- You share work the way you'd share an email — not manage workspace permissions
- You use Chrome constantly and want one-click capture from any webpage
- You want a calendar view of everything you're tracking without a Power-Up
- You prefer one flat price per person with no tiered seat minimums
Use Trello if…
- Your team's entire workflow lives in a Kanban pipeline and Trello's board structure maps perfectly to it
- You rely on a specific Power-Up or third-party integration that has no equivalent in TaskLoco
- You need a full-featured native mobile app with parity to the desktop experience
- Your project management requires Gantt charts, timelines, or project dependency tracking
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 vs Trello
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 actually simpler than Trello, or just different?
Genuinely simpler for most everyday work. Trello's board metaphor adds structure that helps when your workflow is a pipeline — but creates overhead when it isn't. TaskLoco starts with a blank wall and a sticky note. Write the thought, set a reminder, attach a file if you need one, share it if someone else needs it. No list taxonomy, no label system, no column architecture required before you can capture anything.
Does TaskLoco have a free version?
Two of them. TaskLoco Lite is a native iPhone and Android app — completely anonymous, no sign-in, no account, stores up to 20 notes on your device. TaskLoco Lite Plus+ is a web app and Chrome extension — sign in with Google, up to 30 notes synced across all your devices, with one-click webpage capture built in. Neither free tier includes reminders, file attachments, or team sharing — those are Premium features.
How does TaskLoco handle reminders compared to Trello?
TaskLoco reminders are push notifications delivered to your phone and your computer. Tap the notification and it deep-links straight back to the original note — no searching required. Optional email notifications are available free. Optional SMS notifications are available as an add-on. Reminders are a Premium feature.
Can I use TaskLoco for team projects, or is it just personal?
Full team use is exactly what Premium is built for. Share a note the way you'd send an email — the recipient gets it, clones it, and owns their own copy. Real-time sync keeps everyone current. No permission levels, no workspace admin, no access management. Each team member needs their own separate Premium subscription.
Does TaskLoco have a Chrome extension like some Trello Power-Ups?
Yes, and it's built in — not a third-party add-on. The TaskLoco Chrome extension captures any webpage into a note in one click. It's free with TaskLoco Lite Plus+. Premium users get the extension plus unlimited notes, 10GB file storage, reminders, calendar view, and team sharing.
What does TaskLoco not do that Trello does?
Trello has a significantly larger third-party integration library — if your workflow depends on specific Power-Ups connecting to tools like Jira, Salesforce, or custom webhooks, Trello's ecosystem is broader. Trello also offers timeline and Gantt-style views on paid plans, which TaskLoco doesn't have. And Trello's native mobile apps are more full-featured than TaskLoco's native offering — TaskLoco Lite is the only native app, and it's limited to 20 anonymous notes with no sync. Premium features run through the mobile browser.
How much does TaskLoco Premium cost?
$9.99/month per person (currently $4.99/month per person for first 500 charter members with code CHARTER50)
Born in Brooklyn. Powered by AWS. Your data stays yours.
TaskLoco is available on iPhone, Android, Chrome, and every web browser.