App Showcase: Any.do

What it does

Any.do is a productivity app designed to be an all-in-one solution for managing personal and professional life. It combines a detailed to-do list with a fully integrated calendar, allowing users to organize tasks, events, and reminders in a single place. The app focuses on speed and ease of use, most notably through its natural language input for creating tasks, and offers specialized tools like smart grocery lists to handle specific daily needs.

Where it shines

Any.do excels at making task entry feel effortless. The natural language processing shown at 00:56 is a standout feature, letting users type a task like "dinner date with Mike 6:00 PM" and having the app schedule it automatically. This removes significant friction. The app's calendar view is another strength, providing a clear visual overview of both tasks and synced calendar events (05:07). Finally, its specialized lists, like the auto-categorizing grocery list seen at 03:31, demonstrate a thoughtful approach to common use cases.

UX highlights

• Frictionless Input: The persistent "I want to..." bar allows for immediate task creation from the main screen without navigating menus.
• Satisfying Feedback: Completing a task triggers a clean, subtle animation (02:28), providing positive reinforcement and a sense of accomplishment.
• Contextual Permissions: The app waits to ask for calendar access until the user actively navigates to that feature (04:40), making the request feel justified and timely.
• Multiple Views: Users can seamlessly switch between a simple list, an agenda, and a full calendar (05:06), catering to different organizational preferences.
• Smart Suggestions: When creating lists, the app offers suggestion chips for common items (03:41), speeding up the process.
• Granular Control: The ability to toggle the visibility of various external calendars (iCloud, Gmail, etc.) at 05:13 gives users powerful control over what they see.

Monetization & growth

The app introduces its premium subscription model early in the onboarding flow. At 00:31, after signing up but before using the app, a soft paywall appears. This paywall highlights key premium features and uses a prominent "Save 50%" tag on the annual plan to create a sense of value and urgency. For users who skip the initial offer, a persistent banner offering "50% OFF" remains visible at the bottom of the main task list (00:48), keeping the upgrade path always accessible.

Who it’s for

Any.do is for individuals seeking a robust tool that combines task management and calendaring. It suits busy professionals who need to quickly capture thoughts and meetings, as well as anyone managing household tasks, like a shared grocery list. The inclusion of "Family" and "Teams" plans also indicates a target audience of small groups who need a lightweight collaboration tool without the complexity of full-scale project management software.

Notes & opportunities

While the persistent discount banner at the bottom of the screen is effective for visibility, it does take up valuable screen real estate and could feel slightly intrusive over time. The "News" section (02:39) appears to be a feed of tips and promotions, which might be perceived by some users as in-app advertising rather than a core feature. Streamlining this into a more subtle help section could improve the user experience.