Ellie Planner

Ellie Planner is a daily planning app for turning loose tasks into scheduled work. It suits people who want a focused planner with a native iOS experience, time blocking, and lightweight time tracking. Its strongest case is a visual day-planning workflow; readers who need broad device coverage or deeper collaboration should look elsewhere.

Overview

Ellie combines a Brain Dump with a daily Kanban board, letting you capture thoughts first and shape them into a practical plan. Dragging tasks from the Kanban into the calendar gives timeboxing a concrete, visual form instead of leaving priorities as an unscheduled list. That approach fits users who plan around specific blocks of time and want to see how the day is allocated.

Built-in analytics and a time tracker add an accountability layer: you can compare planned work with how you actually spend time. Recurring tasks, focus sessions, due dates, reminders, labels, and subtasks support more structured routines, although several of those controls require Pro.

Key features

Brain Dump and daily Kanban

Brain Dump is useful when tasks arrive faster than you can organize them. Moving those items into a daily Kanban plan keeps capture separate from scheduling, making Ellie a better fit for people who need a repeatable planning ritual than for users seeking a minimal checkbox list.

Calendar timeboxing

Timebox mode turns tasks into calendar commitments by dragging them into available slots. Google and Apple calendar connections are included with Pro, while the maker also lists Outlook integration. This is valuable for calendar-led work; users who do not plan by time may find the workflow more structure than they need.

Tracking, integrations, and privacy

Analytics and the built-in tracker show where time goes, supporting review of planned versus spent time. Optional integrations include Google, Apple, and Outlook calendars, Notion, Zapier, and Siri shortcuts. Ellie says it does not sell user data or run ads, and it supports data export and account deletion from web and mobile apps. Google connection is optional; enabled calendar features process calendar data under Google’s Limited Use requirements. Stored data is protected by commercially acceptable safeguards against loss, theft, unauthorized access, disclosure, copying, use, or modification.

Pricing

The Free plan is a credible starting point for capture and basic planning, but it omits the calendar and task-structure features that make Ellie most distinctive. Pro is for users who depend on recurring schedules, reminders, and calendar timeboxing. Lifetime removes recurring billing for long-term users, though its one-payment price demands sustained use to make sense.

Platforms

Ellie runs on iOS, macOS, web, and Windows. The free plan specifically includes iPhone, iPad, and web access. The native iOS option is a central reason to consider it; Android users are not covered by the listed platforms.

Who it's for

Choose Ellie if you want a simple daily planner, a Brain Dump-to-Kanban process, or a native iOS app centered on time blocking. It is less suitable if Android support is essential or if your planning does not involve assigning work to calendar slots.

Pros and cons

Pros

• Unlimited tasks and Brain Dump on the free plan make low-risk adoption practical.
• Kanban-to-calendar dragging gives time blocking a clear daily workflow.
• Recurring tasks, reminders, labels, subtasks, analytics, and tracking support structured routines on Pro.
• Calendar, Notion, Zapier, and Siri connections broaden the planning workflow.
• No ads or sale of user data, plus export and deletion controls, strengthen privacy ownership.

Cons

• Core calendar planning and recurring-task features are paywalled behind Pro.
• The listed mobile platform is iOS, leaving Android users without a native option.
• The Lifetime plan requires a substantial one-time payment.

Alternatives

For a wider time-blocking comparison, see Time Blocking Apps; for broader daily-planning choices, browse Daily Planner Apps. Readers focused on task lists can compare To-do list apps, while calendar-first workflows are covered in Calendar apps.

• Pomodoist is the better pick if you need Android, Linux, browser-extension coverage, or open-source AGPL-3.0-only software.
• Routine suits users wanting broad desktop and mobile coverage with a free tier that includes three integrations, three custom databases, and 250 AI credits.
• Dainvo is an option for users who want Android and desktop apps plus a seven-day Pro trial.
• Open Sunsama is worth considering when free personal use, self-hosting, or an API matters.
• TimeFinder offers a free core tier and a premium lifetime option.
• FlowSavvy is aimed at auto-scheduling, with Android, iOS, and web support.
• Sorted³ fits Apple users seeking iOS and macOS planning with a free tier and Pro option.
• SuperPlanner is an Apple-only alternative with monthly and yearly Pro plans and free trials.

Verdict

Ellie Planner is a strong choice for iOS-oriented users who want to turn an inbox of thoughts into a timeboxed day and review where their hours go. The free tier makes that workflow easy to sample, while Pro supplies the calendar and recurring-planning controls serious users will want. Look elsewhere if Android support, self-hosting, or a primarily list-based workflow is more important than visual time blocking.