Alternatives

The best Motion alternatives in 2026

Motion plans your day for you, but it costs a premium, needs a connection and never touches your email. These seven alternatives range from free AI schedulers to calm manual planners.

Updated September 22, 2026

Why people look for a Motion alternative

Motion’s core promise holds up: it auto-schedules every task into your calendar and reshuffles the plan when meetings move or deadlines slip, and it does that with dependencies, Kanban boards and team capacity planning alongside. The reasons people look elsewhere are mostly about what surrounds that engine.

  • Price and the trial. There is no free plan, Pro AI is $19 a month billed annually or $29 monthly, the 7-day trial needs a card, and AI features draw on a metered credit allowance.
  • Email is not in the picture. There is no email client and no AI email triage, so the inbox that generates half your tasks lives in another app, and email-to-task goes through a browser extension or Zapier without linking the thread.
  • No offline editing. Motion requires an internet connection.
  • Gantt is gated. Timeline and Gantt views are locked to the Business AI tier.
  • Full automation is not for everyone. Some people want auto-scheduling to suggest, not decide, and Motion’s constant reshuffling can feel like the plan belongs to the app.

If you want to see the two approaches side by side, the Fluidwave vs Motion comparison covers scheduling, email and price in detail.

  1. #1

    Fluidwave

    Our pick

    Tasks, email, calendar and contacts with AI, so you always know what to do next.

    Best for people who want Motion-style AI scheduling for free, with email included. Motion builds your day but leaves your inbox in another app, has no free plan and needs a connection. Fluidwave’s AI scheduling packs tasks into free time inside your working hours, respects breaks around events, and shows suggestions as dashed sessions until you confirm them, syncing only those to Google Calendar. Auto-prioritization ranks the list, AI triage handles Gmail, and a visual automation builder spans email and tasks. It is offline-first and free forever with no credit card. It is Gmail-only, macOS-only on desktop today, and not built for large project portfolios.

    Pros

    • Tasks, Gmail, Google Calendar and Google Contacts live in one app, and they link to each other.
    • Auto-prioritization and the Active filter hide what you cannot work on yet, so the top of the list is always what to do next.
    • AI email triage summarizes, scores and suggests an action for every thread; you confirm with one key.
    • AI time blocking packs tasks into real free time inside your working hours and syncs the sessions to Google Calendar.
    • A visual automation builder covers both email and tasks, including an AI reply step.
    • Works offline, with a Claude MCP connector, voice control and 16 languages.
    • Completely free.

    Cons

    • Email works with Gmail only; there is no Outlook or IMAP support yet.
    • Windows and Linux desktop apps are still coming; macOS, web and mobile are live.
    • Built for individuals and small teams rather than large-scale project portfolios.
    Pricing:
    Free Free forever. No subscription, no credit card.
    Best for:
    People who want tasks, email, calendar and contacts in one place and want the app to decide what comes next.
  2. An AI calendar that auto-schedules habits, tasks and focus time around your meetings.

    Best for calendar-first people who want habits and focus time defended automatically. Reclaim.ai auto-schedules tasks by priority and due date and reshuffles as the week changes, much like Motion, and adds habits with flexible windows that move around meetings. The Lite plan is genuinely free, something Motion does not offer, though it only schedules one week ahead with a single calendar. It syncs multiple Google and Outlook calendars, has an official MCP server and a Slack integration with slash-command task creation. It is web-only with no native desktop or mobile apps, nothing works offline, there is no email integration, and the task list is thin.

    Pros

    • Habits with flexible windows are defended on your calendar and move automatically around meetings.
    • Tasks are auto-scheduled by priority and due date and reshuffled as your week changes.
    • Genuinely free Lite plan with the core scheduling features.
    • Syncs multiple Google and Outlook calendars, with buffer time and smart meeting scheduling.
    • Official MCP server and a Slack integration with slash-command task creation.

    Cons

    • Web app only; there are no native desktop or mobile apps and nothing works offline.
    • No email integration at all, so emails cannot become tasks without Zapier.
    • The task list is thin: no dependencies, boards, timelines or waiting status.
    • The free Lite plan only schedules one week ahead with a single calendar.
    Pricing:
    From $10/seat/month (annual) Lite is free forever with a one-week scheduling range; Starter is $12 billed monthly. Reclaim is now part of Dropbox.
    Best for:
    Calendar-first people who want habits, focus time and tasks defended automatically on a Google or Outlook calendar.
  3. A keyboard-driven task consolidator and time blocker for busy professionals.

    Best for keyboard-first professionals who want to plan fast without handing the whole day to an AI. Akiflow’s command bar with natural-language dates captures and schedules tasks entirely from the keyboard, consolidates tasks from Gmail, Slack, Notion, Todoist, Asana, ClickUp and Jira into one inbox, and offers drag-and-drop time blocking with two-way Google and Outlook calendar sync. Aki AI can plan your day on request and there is an official MCP connector. Like Motion it has no free plan and is pricey monthly at $34, and it does not auto-prioritize or continuously reschedule. Email is one-way: messages become tasks, but you cannot reply.

    Pros

    • A fast command bar with natural-language dates for capturing and scheduling tasks entirely from the keyboard.
    • Consolidates tasks from Gmail, Slack, Notion, Todoist, Asana, ClickUp, Jira and more into one inbox.
    • Drag-and-drop time blocking with two-way Google and Outlook calendar sync.
    • Aki AI assistant and an official MCP connector for managing tasks from Claude.
    • Apps for macOS, Windows, Linux, iPhone and Android.

    Cons

    • Email is one-way: messages become tasks, but you cannot read or reply to email in Akiflow.
    • No free plan and one of the pricier planners when billed monthly.
    • No automatic prioritization; you still decide the order of your day.
    • Habit tracking, dependencies and project views like Kanban or Gantt are missing.
    Pricing:
    From $19/month (annual) Pro is $34 billed monthly; only a 7-day trial, no free plan.
    Best for:
    Keyboard-first professionals who want to consolidate tasks from many tools and time block them fast.
  4. A daily planner that gathers tasks from your other tools and walks you through planning each day.

    Best for people who found Motion too automatic and want a deliberate daily ritual. Sunsama walks you through planning each day and week with realistic time budgets, pulls tasks from Gmail, Outlook, Todoist, Asana, Notion, Jira and Trello into one day view, and shows planned versus actual time. Auto-schedule can place planned tasks into free calendar slots when you want help, and there is an official MCP server plus apps for every desktop and mobile platform. It is still a paid-only planner at $17 a month billed annually with a 14-day trial, email is read-only inside the app, nothing prioritizes your list, and desktop needs a connection.

    Pros

    • A calm, guided daily and weekly planning ritual with realistic time budgets.
    • Pulls tasks from Gmail, Outlook, Todoist, Asana, Notion, Jira, Trello and more into one day view.
    • Drag emails and tasks onto the calendar and see planned versus actual time.
    • Official MCP server plus apps for macOS, Windows, Linux, iPhone and Android.
    • Auto-schedule lets the AI place your planned tasks into free calendar slots.

    Cons

    • Email is read-only inside the app; you still reply in Gmail or Outlook.
    • No free plan; the price is on the high end for a personal planner.
    • Planning is deliberately manual, so nothing prioritizes your list for you.
    • Desktop and web need a connection; only the mobile app works offline, with basic features.
    Pricing:
    From $17/month (annual) $22 billed monthly; there is a 14-day trial with no card required but no free plan.
    Best for:
    People who like a guided daily planning ritual and pull work in from many tools rather than living in one.
  5. An all-in-one work platform that combines tasks, docs, chat, goals and dashboards.

    Best for teams that need Motion’s project management with a free tier. ClickUp’s Free Forever plan includes unlimited tasks and users, Gantt, dependencies and calendar view, and ClickUp Calendar syncs two-way with Google Calendar and lets you drag tasks in as time blocks. AI time-block suggestions from task estimates need the Brain add-on at $9 per user per month, so the auto-scheduling is not as hands-off as Motion’s. Docs, whiteboards, chat and time tracking come built in. Expect a large learning curve and an interface that can feel slow, and note that offline mode only lets you create tasks.

    Pros

    • Free Forever plan includes unlimited tasks and users, Gantt, dependencies and calendar view.
    • ClickUp Calendar syncs two-way with Google Calendar and lets you drag tasks in as time blocks.
    • Fifteen-plus views, custom fields and custom statuses on every list.
    • Docs, whiteboards, chat and time tracking are built in rather than bolted on.
    • Official MCP server and a deep Slack integration.

    Cons

    • The feature surface is enormous, so setup and learning take real time and the interface can feel slow.
    • AI is a separate add-on: Brain costs $9 per user per month on top of a paid plan, and Everything AI costs $28.
    • Email lives inside tasks rather than in an inbox, so you still need a separate mail client.
    • Offline mode only lets you create tasks; existing tasks cannot be edited without a connection.
    Pricing:
    From $7/user/month (annual) Brain AI is a separate $9 per user per month add-on on top of any paid plan; Everything AI is $28.
    Best for:
    Teams that want one configurable workspace for tasks, docs, chat, whiteboards and dashboards and are willing to set it up.
  6. A cross-platform to-do list known for natural-language capture and a large integration ecosystem.

    Best for people who realized they wanted a reliable list more than an AI planner. Todoist’s natural-language quick add parses dates, projects, labels and priorities as you type, apps for every platform work offline, and an official MCP server lets Claude read and write tasks. Two-way Google Calendar sync is included, and Pro at $5 a month adds a calendar layout with task durations for manual time blocking. Nothing prioritizes or schedules for you, so you trade Motion’s automation for control and a much lower price. Email still gets in by forwarding or an add-on, and the free plan caps you at five personal projects.

    Pros

    • Best-in-class natural-language quick add that parses dates, projects, labels and priorities as you type.
    • Apps for every platform, including Windows, Linux, Apple Watch and Wear OS, all working offline.
    • An official MCP server at ai.todoist.net lets Claude and other agents read and write your tasks.
    • Two-way Google Calendar sync and, on Pro, a calendar layout with task durations for time blocking.
    • A mature ecosystem of templates, filters and integrations built up over more than a decade.

    Cons

    • No email client: email gets in by forwarding or an add-on, so you still triage your inbox in Gmail.
    • Nothing prioritizes or schedules for you; ordering, time slots and planning are manual.
    • The calendar layout, task durations, custom reminders and unlimited Ramble all sit behind Pro.
    • The free plan caps you at five personal projects.
    Pricing:
    From $5/month (annual) Pro is $5/month billed annually ($60/year) or $7 month to month; the free plan is limited to five projects.
    Best for:
    People who want a fast, reliable to-do list on every device and are happy to keep email and calendar in separate apps.
  7. A cross-platform to-do list that bundles a calendar, habit tracker and Pomodoro timer.

    Best for individuals who want a calendar grid and habit tracker at a fraction of Motion’s price. TickTick bundles a built-in habit tracker with streaks, a Pomodoro timer, calendar, Kanban and Timeline views and tasks you can drag onto the calendar, with apps for macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android and the web that all work offline. Premium is $49.99 a year, roughly $4 a month, and there is a usable free plan. The day and week calendar grids are Premium-only, nothing prioritizes or schedules for you, dependencies are sub-tasks only, and email arrives by forwarding.

    Pros

    • Built-in habit tracker with streaks and statistics, plus a Pomodoro timer and focus stats.
    • Calendar, Kanban and Timeline views on top of the list, with tasks draggable onto the calendar.
    • An official MCP server at mcp.ticktick.com covers tasks and habits and is listed in Claude’s connector directory.
    • One of the cheapest paid tiers among major task managers, with a usable free plan.
    • Apps for macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android and the web, all working offline.

    Cons

    • No email client and no AI triage; email arrives by forwarding and you still work your inbox elsewhere.
    • Nothing prioritizes or schedules for you; ordering and time slots are manual.
    • Day and week calendar grids, calendar subscriptions and the Timeline view are Premium only.
    • The free plan is capped at 9 lists and 99 tasks per list.
    Pricing:
    From $49.99/year (about $4.17/month) Premium is US$49.99/year on TickTick’s site; a monthly option and promotional prices are available through the app stores and vary by region.
    Best for:
    People who want tasks, habits and a calendar grid in one affordable app and do not need email inside it.

Feature comparison

Tasks

FeatureFluidwaveReclaim.aiAkiflowSunsamaClickUpTodoistTickTickMotion
Natural-language task inputType a sentence like "Pay rent by noon on the last day of each month, remind me a week ahead" and the date, recurrence, priority and reminder are parsed for you.IncludedPartialTasks can be added in plain language from Slack; the web task form uses structured fields.IncludedPartialQuick add parses dates and times, not recurrence, priority or reminders.PartialQuick-create parses dates like "tomorrow at 3pm"; priority and recurrence are set from menus.IncludedIncludedPartialThe task form parses dates; richer parsing needs AI Chat.
Auto-prioritizationThe app orders your list for you using tunable criteria such as due dates, quick wins, importance and dependencies.IncludedPartialTasks are scheduled by priority and due date, but the list itself is not re-ranked for you.Not availablePriorities and labels are manual; Aki can suggest a plan but does not rank your list.Not availableSunsama is built around manual daily planning; the AI can suggest a schedule but does not rank your list.PartialBrain can suggest priorities and fill AI fields, but lists are sorted by hand.Not availableFour manual priority levels and filters; the list is never reordered for you.Not availableFour manual priority levels and sortable smart lists; the list is never reordered for you.Included
Recurring tasksDaily, weekly, monthly and custom repeat rules with per-instance skip and reschedule.IncludedPartialRepeating work is modelled as Habits rather than recurring tasks.IncludedIncludedIncludedIncludedIncludedIncluded
Task dependenciesBlock one task on another and see the chain in a Gantt view with circular-dependency detection.IncludedNot availableNot availableNot availableTasks can have subtasks but cannot block each other.IncludedNot availableSub-tasks only; one task cannot block another.Not availableSub-tasks only; one task cannot block another.Included
Waiting-on trackingA dedicated status for tasks waiting on a reply, call or message so they stop cluttering your active list.IncludedNot availableNo waiting status; tasks are either scheduled or done.Not availableUse a label or snooze the task; there is no dedicated waiting status.Not availableNo waiting status; most people park such tasks in a channel or the backlog.PartialCustom statuses let you add a Waiting column, but nothing is built in.Not availableUse a label and a filter; there is no waiting status.Not availableUse a tag or a custom filter; there is no waiting status.PartialUse the Blocked status or a custom status; there is no dedicated waiting list.
Habits and goalsTrack habits with streaks and connect them to goals and longer-term intentions.IncludedIncludedNot availableRituals guide daily planning and shutdown; there is no habit tracker with streaks.PartialWeekly objectives exist; habit tracking with streaks is on the roadmap.PartialGoals with targets exist; there is no habit tracking or streaks.Not availableRecurring tasks and the Karma score stand in for habits; there is no per-habit streak or goal tracking.IncludedNot available

Views

FeatureFluidwaveReclaim.aiAkiflowSunsamaClickUpTodoistTickTickMotion
Kanban boardDrag tasks between status columns.IncludedNot availableNot availableTasks are organized in lists and projects, not status columns.PartialThe week is laid out in day columns and the backlog in channels; there are no status columns.IncludedIncludedIncludedIncluded
Gantt chartTimeline view with day, week and month zoom and dependency arrows.IncludedNot availableNot availableNot availableIncludedNot availablePartialThe Premium Timeline view shows tasks on a time axis but has no dependency arrows.PartialTimeline and Gantt views are included only in Business AI.
Calendar viewSee tasks and events side by side in a day, week or month grid.IncludedIncludedIncludedIncludedIncludedPartialThe calendar layout is Pro only; the free plan shows Upcoming as a list grouped by day.PartialThe free plan has a month view; day, week and multi-day grids need Premium.Included

AI

FeatureFluidwaveReclaim.aiAkiflowSunsamaClickUpTodoistTickTickMotion
AI assistantA chat assistant that can create, update, complete and find tasks, switch views and undo its own changes.IncludedPartialScheduling agents run in the background; there is no chat assistant, though the MCP server lets Claude manage tasks.IncludedPartialAI estimates durations, breaks down tasks and plans your day; it is not a general chat assistant.PartialClickUp Brain can create and update tasks from chat, but it is a $9 per user per month add-on.PartialTodoist Assist suggests sub-tasks, breaks down work and turns Ramble dictation into tasks; it is not a chat assistant that manages your list, and most of it is Pro only.Not availableThere is no chat assistant inside the app; the official MCP server lets Claude manage tasks from outside it.IncludedAI Chat can create and update tasks and projects; usage draws on monthly AI credits.
AI email triageEvery incoming thread gets a summary, a priority score and a suggested action you confirm with one key.IncludedNot availableNot availableNot availableNot availableEmails attached to tasks can be summarized by Brain, but there is no inbox with priority or suggested actions.Not availableEmail Assist (Pro) turns a forwarded email into a task; nothing summarizes or scores your inbox.Not availableNot available
AI schedulingAI splits tasks into work sessions and packs them into free time inside your working hours.IncludedIncludedPartialAki AI can plan your day on request; it does not continuously reschedule tasks like Motion or Reclaim.IncludedPartialClickUp Calendar suggests time blocks from task estimates when paired with the Brain add-on.Not availableYou drag tasks into the calendar layout yourself; nothing packs them into free time for you.Not availableYou drag tasks onto the calendar yourself; nothing fills free time for you.Included
Voice controlTalk to the app to add and manage tasks hands-free.IncludedNot availableNot availableNot availablePartialTalk to Text in the Brain MAX desktop app, which needs the paid AI add-on.PartialRamble turns speech into tasks, with 10 sessions a month on the free plan; managing existing tasks still needs a tap.PartialVoice input adds tasks on mobile and through Siri; managing existing tasks is not hands-free.Not availableThe AI notetaker records meetings; there is no voice control for tasks.

Email

FeatureFluidwaveReclaim.aiAkiflowSunsamaClickUpTodoistTickTickMotion
Built-in email clientRead, reply, archive, label and search your inbox without leaving the app.IncludedNot availableNot availablePartialGmail and Outlook show in a side panel so you can read and drag emails into tasks, but you cannot reply from Sunsama.PartialThe Email ClickApp sends and receives email from inside a task; it is not an inbox you can browse.Not availableEmail reaches Todoist by forwarding or through the Gmail and Outlook add-ons; you cannot read or reply inside the app.Not availableEmail gets in by forwarding to a list address; you cannot read or reply inside the app.Not available
Email to taskTurn an email into a task with one action and keep the thread linked to it.IncludedNot availableNo Gmail or Outlook integration; tasks can be created via Zapier.IncludedIncludedIncludedIncludedPartialForward an email to a list’s address or use the Gmail add-on; the task keeps the text, not a live link to the thread.PartialVia the browser extension or Zapier; the thread is not linked to the task.
One-click unsubscribeBulk unsubscribe from newsletters using RFC 8058 one-click links.IncludedNot availableNot availableNot availableNot availableNot availableNot availableNot available

Calendar

FeatureFluidwaveReclaim.aiAkiflowSunsamaClickUpTodoistTickTickMotion
Time blockingDrag tasks onto the calendar as work sessions, resize them and split a task across several sessions.IncludedIncludedIncludedIncludedIncludedIncludedRequires the Pro calendar layout, where tasks with durations can be dragged into time slots.IncludedTasks with durations can be dragged onto the calendar, but the day and week grids need Premium.Included
Google Calendar syncRead events to find free time and write back only the sessions you choose to sync.IncludedReads events to find free time and writes only the sessions you choose to sync.IncludedIncludedIncludedIncludedIncludedPartialTwo-way Google Calendar sync exists, but calendar subscriptions are a Premium feature.Included

Automation

FeatureFluidwaveReclaim.aiAkiflowSunsamaClickUpTodoistTickTickMotion
Visual automation builderNode-based rules with triggers, conditions and actions across both email and tasks, with live match preview.IncludedNot availableScheduling rules are configured per habit or task; general automations run through Zapier.PartialScheduled AI workflows can send summaries and check-ins; there is no trigger/condition/action rule builder.Not availableAutomations run through Zapier, not inside the app.PartialTrigger-action automations for tasks, capped at 100 runs per month on Free; email is an action, not a trigger.Not availableAutomations run through Zapier, Make or IFTTT rather than inside the app.Not availableAutomations run through Zapier or IFTTT rather than inside the app.PartialProject workflow templates and automated task creation, not a general trigger/condition/action rule builder.
AI auto-replyAn automation step that drafts or sends an email reply from plain-English instructions.IncludedNot availableNot availableNot availablePartialBrain can draft an email inside a task; there is no AI reply step in automations.Not availableNot availableNot available

Integrations

FeatureFluidwaveReclaim.aiAkiflowSunsamaClickUpTodoistTickTickMotion
Google Contacts syncTwo-way sync with your address book so contacts can be linked to tasks and mentioned in notes.IncludedNot availableNot availableNot availableNot availableNot availableNot availableNot available
Slack integrationSync a task list to a Slack board and add tasks with slash commands.IncludedIncludedPartialTurns Slack messages into tasks and syncs your status; no list sync or slash commands.PartialCreates tasks from Slack messages and posts daily plans; no list sync or slash commands.IncludedPartialThe official Slack app adds tasks with /todoist and a message action; it does not sync a list to a Slack board.PartialThe official Slack app adds tasks with /ticktick and a message action; it does not sync a list to a Slack board.PartialCreates tasks from Slack messages; no list sync or slash commands.
Claude MCP connectorConnect the app to Claude through the Model Context Protocol and manage tasks from a chat.IncludedIncludedIncludedIncludedIncludedOfficial hosted server at mcp.clickup.com, currently in public beta.IncludedIncludedNot availableNo official MCP server; community-built servers exist on GitHub.

Platforms

FeatureFluidwaveReclaim.aiAkiflowSunsamaClickUpTodoistTickTickMotion
Offline-firstWorks without a connection and syncs changes when you are back online.IncludedNot availableReclaim is a web app and requires a connection.PartialThe desktop app tolerates short connection drops, but full offline editing is not supported.PartialThe mobile app works offline for basic edits; desktop and web require a connection.PartialYou can create tasks and reminders offline, but existing tasks and notes cannot be edited until you reconnect.IncludedIncludedNot availableMotion requires an internet connection.
Desktop appA native desktop app for macOS.IncludedmacOS today; Windows and Linux coming soon.Not availableNo native app; the web app can be installed as a PWA on macOS or Windows.IncludedIncludedIncludedIncludedIncludedIncluded
Mobile appApps for iPhone and Android.IncludedNot availableNo native iPhone or Android app; the web app can be added to your home screen.IncludedIncludedIncludedIncludedIncludedIncluded

Pricing

FeatureFluidwaveReclaim.aiAkiflowSunsamaClickUpTodoistTickTickMotion
Free planA usable free plan with no credit card required.IncludedIncludedNot availableNot availableIncludedIncludedIncludedNot available

What to look for in a Motion replacement

The alternatives split along one axis: how much control you keep. At one end, Reclaim.ai and Motion move things around continuously. In the middle, Fluidwave and Sunsama propose a plan and wait for you to confirm it. At the other end, Akiflow, Todoist and TickTick let you drag tasks onto the calendar yourself. Decide where you want to sit before comparing anything else.

Then check:

  • What the AI actually does. Ranking the list, packing tasks into free time and reshuffling after changes are three different jobs. Our AI calendar app roundup breaks them out.
  • Whether it respects working hours and breaks. Good time blocking leaves room around meetings instead of filling every gap.
  • Where email lives. If tasks start in your inbox, a scheduler that cannot see email schedules only half your day.
  • Offline support. A planner you cannot open on a flight is a planner you stop trusting.
  • What you actually pay. Free plans, annual versus monthly pricing, and whether AI is metered.

Team capacity planning is the one Motion feature few alternatives match; only ClickUp on this list comes close.

How we ranked these alternatives

Every entry is drawn from the same competitor profile we use across the site, so pricing, pros and cons match that tool’s own pages. We did not use ratings, user counts or awards.

We ranked by how much of Motion’s job each tool does, which is scheduling work into a real calendar, and then by what it adds or removes around that: a usable free plan, email handling, offline support, and how much control the person keeps. Tools that schedule automatically rank above tools that only offer a drag-and-drop grid, unless price or a free tier changes the picture.

Fluidwave is first because its AI scheduling packs tasks into free time inside your working hours, shows the result as suggestions you confirm, syncs only those sessions to Google Calendar, and does all of that free with Gmail triage in the same app. It is Gmail-only, macOS-only on desktop for now, and not built for team capacity planning or large project portfolios. Reclaim.ai follows for its free Lite plan and habit defense, then the keyboard-first and ritual-first planners, then the lists. For a wider view of time-first tools, see our time blocking app roundup.

Frequently asked questions

Switching from Motion?

Bring your tasks, Gmail and Google Calendar into one free app and let Fluidwave decide what comes next. No credit card.