Let's be honest about Trello first. Its drag-and-drop Kanban interface is one of the most immediately satisfying things in productivity software. You create a card, drag it across a board, and something in your brain fires a small reward signal. For sales pipelines, editorial calendars, and sprint tracking, that visual flow genuinely works. Trello also has a free tier that is hard to argue with for solo users who live and die by columns.
The problem shows up around month three. You have a board for client projects, a board for your team's weekly todos, a board for onboarding, a board for the board you haven't gotten to yet. Cards accumulate checklists that don't talk to your calendar. Files live in card attachments with no central storage view. Reminders require Power-Ups. Suddenly the thing that was supposed to simplify your work has become its own administrative layer. TaskLoco was built for exactly the moment when boards stop being an answer and start being the question.
What Trello Does Well (And Where It Runs Out of Road)
Trello's strength is the Kanban board as a mental model. If your work is genuinely pipeline-shaped — things that move through defined stages from left to right — Trello gives you that clarity faster than almost anything else. Its free tier is real and usable, not crippled. The mobile apps are polished. And if your whole team already lives in Atlassian's ecosystem, the integrations make sense.
But Kanban was designed for manufacturing floors, not for the reality of modern knowledge work, where a single person might be managing a client deliverable, a personal errand, a team check-in reminder, and a file they need to send — all before lunch. Trello handles the first thing well. The rest requires Power-Ups, third-party calendar tools, and a separate place for actual notes. The board metaphor doesn't stretch to cover everything, and when you force it to, you end up with columns called 'Miscellaneous' and cards that nobody moves.
There's also the notification problem. Trello's reminders depend on due dates set on cards, and the delivery path runs through email and in-app notifications. If you want a push notification that fires on your phone or desktop and takes you directly back to the relevant task, that's not the default Trello experience.
Notes, Tasks, and Reminders That Actually Connect
The core insight behind TaskLoco is simple: a sticky note is not a card on a board. A card on a board implies a stage. A sticky note implies a thought — and thoughts don't always have stages. Sometimes you need to write something down, attach a file to it, set a reminder, and move on. TaskLoco lets you do all four without creating a board, naming a column, or deciding where in a workflow this thought belongs.
Premium reminders in TaskLoco are delivered as push notifications directly to your phone and computer — not buried in an email digest hours later. When the notification fires, it deep-links straight back to the original note. You don't have to remember which board, which list, or which card the task lived in. You tap the notification and you're there.
Email notifications are available as an optional additional channel. SMS is an optional add-on. But the push notification is the default, and it works the way your phone's native apps work — instant, direct, actionable.
This matters more than it sounds. In Trello, a due-date notification tells you a card is due. Then you have to navigate to the board, find the card, open it, and read what the task actually was. That's four steps to get to the information. In TaskLoco, the reminder is the navigation.
File Attachments and the Chrome Extension Trello Doesn't Have
Every TaskLoco Premium account includes 10GB of file storage built in — not as a Power-Up, not as an integration with a third-party cloud service, just included. You attach a file to a note the same way you'd attach a photo to a text message. The file lives with the note. If the note has a reminder, the reminder takes you to the note and the file is right there.
For teams, sharing in TaskLoco works the way email works — when you share a note with a teammate, they can clone it and make it their own. There are no permission levels to configure, no access controls to manage, no 'viewer vs. commenter vs. editor' dropdown to argue about. You share it, they get it, they own their copy. Real-time sync keeps everyone current.
The Chrome extension is where TaskLoco does something Trello genuinely can't match for research and web-capture workflows. One click captures any webpage — the URL, the title, and any text you highlight — directly into a new note. If you're doing competitive research, building a reading list, or saving a resource for a project, you don't interrupt your browser flow to switch to a different tool and create a card. You click the extension icon and it's done.
Trello has a browser bookmarklet and some Power-Up integrations that approximate this, but they're clunkier and require more setup. The TaskLoco Chrome extension is free, requires no configuration, and works immediately after install.
The Free Tiers and What You Actually Get
TaskLoco has two free tiers, and they work differently by design. TaskLoco Lite is a native iPhone and Android app — completely anonymous, no sign-in, no account, no syncing ever. It stores up to 20 notes in a file on your device. If you want a scratchpad that requires zero trust in any server or service, Lite is that. It's introductory and intentionally standalone.
TaskLoco Lite Plus+ is the web app and Chrome extension. Sign in with Google, get up to 30 notes synced across all your devices, and use the Chrome extension to capture pages. No reminders, no file attachments, no unlimited notes — those are Premium features — but for someone who wants cross-device sync and the Chrome extension without paying anything, Lite Plus+ is a real free product, not a trial.
TaskLoco Premium adds everything: unlimited notes, 10GB file storage, reminders with push notifications, a calendar view, and team sharing. Each person on your team needs their own subscription — there's no single seat that covers a group, and that's worth knowing upfront.
The Honest Comparison
| Feature | TaskLoco | Trello |
|---|---|---|
| Core metaphor | Sticky notes — capture anything, no stage required | Kanban boards — works best for pipeline-shaped work |
| Free tier | Two free tiers: Lite (20 notes, no sign-in, native app) and Lite Plus+ (30 notes, synced, web + Chrome ext) FREE | Free tier available with limited Power-Ups and features |
| Kanban / board view | Wall canvas view — notes arranged freely, not column-locked | Best-in-class Kanban boards with drag-and-drop columns |
| Reminders | Premium: push notifications to phone and computer, deep-links back to the note; optional email and SMS | Due-date notifications via email and in-app; advanced automations may require Power-Ups |
| Reminder navigation | Notification deep-links directly to the original note — one tap to context | Notification links to the card, but you still navigate to the board first |
| File attachments | 10GB included with Premium — files live with the note | Attachments supported; storage limits vary by plan, often tied to cloud integrations |
| Calendar view | Built into Premium — see all notes and tasks with due dates in one calendar | Calendar Power-Up available; requires setup and may be plan-gated |
| Chrome extension | Free — one-click captures any webpage (URL, title, highlighted text) into a note FREE | Browser bookmarklet available; less streamlined for web capture |
| 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. | Full team board sharing with member roles and permissions |
| Permissions / access control | No complex permission levels — share and the recipient owns their copy | Granular member roles: viewer, commenter, editor, admin per board |
| Cross-device sync | Lite Plus+ and Premium sync across all devices via web app | Full cross-device sync on all plans including free |
| Native mobile app | TaskLoco Lite is the native app (iPhone + Android): anonymous, 20 notes, no sync. Premium runs in the mobile browser. | Full-featured native iOS and Android apps on all plans |
| Full-text search | Full-text search across all notes and attachments in Premium | Card search across boards; full search available |
| Unlimited notes / tasks | Unlimited with Premium; 20 on Lite, 30 on Lite Plus+ | Unlimited cards on paid plans; free tier has some limits |
| Project timelines / Gantt | Not available | Timeline view available on paid plans |
| Third-party integrations | Limited integrations — focused on doing core things natively | Extensive Power-Ups and integrations ecosystem |
| Setup complexity | Write a note. Done. No board naming, no column setup, no Power-Up configuration. | Create a board, name your lists, configure Power-Ups — more setup before you can start |
| Per-person pricing | One straightforward Premium price per person — charter offer available | Per-user pricing with multiple tiers |
Who Should Use Each
Use TaskLoco if…
- You want to capture tasks, notes, files, and reminders in one place without building a board for each
- You rely on push notifications that fire on your phone and computer and take you directly back to the relevant note
- You use Chrome heavily and want one-click webpage capture into your notes
- You attach files to tasks and want that storage built in, not bolted on through a third-party service
- You share work with teammates and want them to own their copy without managing permission levels
- You want a calendar view of everything with due dates without setting up a Power-Up
- You need a free anonymous scratchpad on your phone with zero sign-in required
Use Trello if…
- Your workflow is genuinely pipeline-shaped and drag-and-drop column movement is how your team tracks progress
- You need granular permission levels — viewers, commenters, editors — per board or per card
- You need Gantt-style timeline views and project dependency tracking
- You depend on Trello's extensive Power-Ups and third-party integration ecosystem
- You need full-featured native mobile apps with feature parity to the desktop experience
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
What makes TaskLoco a real Trello alternative and not just another notes app?
TaskLoco covers the full loop that Trello requires multiple tools to close: capture a thought, attach a file, set a reminder that fires as a push notification directly to your phone or computer, view everything in a calendar, and share with teammates who get their own copy of the note. Trello does Kanban boards exceptionally well. TaskLoco does everything else without asking you to build a board first. $9.99/month per person (currently $4.99/month per person for first 500 charter members with code CHARTER50)
Does TaskLoco have a Kanban or board view?
TaskLoco has a wall canvas where you arrange sticky notes freely — it's not column-locked like a Kanban board. If your work is genuinely stage-based and you think in 'To Do / In Progress / Done' columns, Trello is the stronger choice for that specific pattern. If your work is messier and more mixed — tasks alongside notes alongside files alongside calendar events — TaskLoco fits better.
How do TaskLoco reminders work compared to Trello?
TaskLoco reminders are delivered as push notifications to your phone and your computer. When the notification fires, it deep-links directly back to the original note — one tap and you're looking at the task, the attachments, everything. Email notification is available as an optional additional channel, and SMS is an optional add-on. Trello's reminder system is tied to card due dates and runs primarily through email and in-app alerts.
Does TaskLoco have a free version?
Two of them. TaskLoco Lite is a native iPhone and Android app — completely anonymous, no sign-in, stores up to 20 notes on your device, no sync ever. It's a pure scratchpad. TaskLoco Lite Plus+ is the web app and Chrome extension — sign in with Google, sync up to 30 notes across all devices, use the Chrome extension for one-click webpage capture. Neither free tier includes reminders, file attachments, or unlimited notes — those are Premium features.
What does the TaskLoco Chrome extension do?
One click captures any webpage into a new TaskLoco note — the URL, the page title, and any text you've highlighted. It's free, works on Lite Plus+ and Premium, and requires no configuration after install. If you do research, save references, or collect links for projects, it's the fastest way to get web content into your note system without interrupting what you're doing in the browser.
Does every team member need their own TaskLoco subscription?
Yes. Each person requires their own individual Premium subscription. There is no single seat that covers a whole team. Team sharing is fully included in Premium — when you share a note with a teammate, they can clone it and make it their own, the same way receiving an email works. But each person on the team has their own account and their own subscription. $9.99/month per person (currently $4.99/month per person for first 500 charter members with code CHARTER50)
When should I stick with Trello instead of switching to TaskLoco?
If your core workflow is a visual pipeline — sales stages, editorial flow, sprint columns — and you need to see cards moving left to right, Trello is genuinely excellent at that. If you need Gantt-style timelines, project dependencies, or granular viewer/editor permission levels per board, Trello's paid tiers serve those needs. TaskLoco doesn't have Gantt charts or pipeline Kanban columns. If those are dealbreakers, be honest about it and stay with Trello.
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TaskLoco is available on iPhone, Android, Chrome, and every web browser.