This is the sixth review in our App Quest to find the best task-management app series.

OVERVIEW

Producteev is packed with features and elaborate collaboration and sharing functions that make this a powerhouse of a task-manager. All of these features though come at a steep cost if you’re collaborating with 3 or more people. The interface is clean and functional with a little bit of a learning curve. But do you need all of this power or will a simpler, cheaper option do?

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In our quest to find the best task-management app, we set the following six criteria:

• Must be ubiquitous: web app, iPad app, and Android app–with sync.
• Must be easy to use.
• Must have reminders: email and SMS.
• Must have the ability to create recurring tasks.
• Must be inexpensive or free.
• Must have an attractive and intuitive interface.

Along with Flow, this is one of the most feature-rich todo apps that we’ve reviewed. But features aren’t everything unless they are useful to you. Let’s see how they compare to our criteria.

Must be ubiquitous: web app, iPad app, and Android app–with sync.

Producteev is available as a web app, and iPhone and Android mobile app, and a Mac and Windows desktop app. As far as I can tell, there isn’t a specific iPad or universal app for iOS, though.

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Must be easy to use.

Although not as easy to use as the extreme, simple-interface apps we’ve reviewed, Producteev isn’t difficult to use. Though with as many features that Producteev offers, there’s bound to be a slight learning curve to maximize their use.

Adding a task is simply a matter of typing it into the input filed and hitting enter. Before you enter it, you can assign it, add labels (tags), schedule it, and/or star it. Or, you can click on the task after it’s been entered and add these details via the task dialogue.

To complete a task, just click on the grayed check mark and it will turn green denoting a completed task.

You can add new labels or tasks by clicking on the “+ New Label” button in the lower left labels section. These make it easier to categorize your tasks.

You can also filter your tasks by clicking on one of the filtering choices in the upper lefthand column: All, Inbox, Completed, Starred, Due Today, or Late. This will filter your tasks within your workspace according to the filter you chose.

Producteev works within their idea of workspaces. These can be specific lists like work or home or projects that you’re working on. Click on “My Workspaces” in the upper center of the screen to see your workspaces, switch between them, and create new ones.

In the top upper lefthand column is the Invite People button where you can invite people to collaborate in your workspace.

Those are just some of the basics, but as you can see, Producteev has a lot to offer.

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Must have reminders: email and SMS.

Producteev offers reminders as both email and gTalk messages, as well as notifications from within their app. There were no options for SMS messages.

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Must have the ability to create recurring tasks.

As with most full-featured todo apps, Producteev does allow you to create recurring tasks pretty much however you like. And like adding tasks, Producteev does understand some limited real-world text.

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Must be inexpensive or free.

There are two versions of Producteev. A free and a pro version. Different from other paid todo apps, Producteev charges by the workspace. All workspaces that have two or less members are free forever with no limitations in features. However, any workspace with 3 or more members is charged at $20/mo per workspace. Though the more of these paid workspaces, the less the price is per workspace. Though coming out at around $240/year to have a team work on a workspace, it’s a very expensive task-management app with others offering similar features for much less or even free.

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Must have an attractive and intuitive interface.

I wouldn’t go so far as to say Producteev’s interface is attractive, but it is clean and relatively easy to use. It has a familiar, 3-column layout and like most apps with more features, we lose some of the intuitiveness, but overall, Producteev is not a difficult app to use.

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FINAL THOUGHTS

Producteev is definitely for the power-users out there and might be overkill for those with simple needs. If you’re going to use Producteev for just yourself or yourself and one other person, than the cost of FREE can’t be beat, but it’s one of the most expensive todo apps we’ve reviewed if you’re going to be working within a team of 3 or more people. Though the feature set might be just thing thing you’re looking for if detailed collaboration is a requirement for you.

Do you use Producteev? Let us know what you think in the comments below.