ByDesign Reviews

I have every single project planner / organizer / task management tool on the ltd scene for the past couple years. And every single time, I end up re-opening ByDesign and thinking to myself - why don't I use this one?

In my use case, there are a few major parts:
+ a central brain to keep everything straight & know what's actually who / what /where / when / why / how
+ an easy way to prioritize and see what actually matters
+ Functional tasks (and repeating actions / groups of tasks) that can easily be replicated and delegated
++ sharing specific projects or parts of projects with people - without having to create a whole new system or explanation

What I like:
The calendar is easily accessible from everywhere and very customisable
You can add multiple calendars
Documents are super simple and you can link anything
You can see an easy list of workspaces instead of clicking through icons
"See all tasks" is a GODSEND because I have a lot of different projects and need a central brain
Seemingly easy heirarchy of information that can be linked around easily
The apps are GOOD - not just placeholders - and everything really does sync

What I don't know yet:
I haven't really set up tasks yet
Not sure how to use the chat - can I invite people to certain workspaces? How does that work?

I'd love to see:
+ Undo / Redo
+ Contact Sync (& address book)
+ month view / calendar view widgets for IOS
+ Integration with the Proton suite of products (mail / calendars / contacts / drive / etc)
+ swimlane or gantt chart (not sure what it's called) view of projects & tasks

This is the first LTD I've reviewed on AppSumo, and I have to say it’s one of the most useful purchases I’ve made so far. I previously bought Buildin, which is a fantastic app, but I wanted something with more depth, visuals, and intuitive features—a "you can see the big picture" type of tool. I was intrigued when ADHD was mentioned in the copy, so I decided to give it a try.

I'm a very visual learner and get frustrated easily. Instead of learning from a video or tutorial, I challenged myself to jump right in.

As a writer, the page structure suits me well. Navigating the app, I was immediately impressed by its UI and functionality. Starting with a blank slate, I began working on an affiliate marketing plan. Before I knew it, I had pages of information organized like a Medium article, complete with infographic images, making it engaging and fun to use, while the Goals, Habits, and Course sections alone are a very pleasant surprise and more than pay for the app itself if you think about it.
There’s so much more to explore, but I have to say it’s very well-structured, with plenty more features and uses for me to dig into. Great job!

Very nice UI/UX. love it. I've got Evernote and Journal it before. But I love Bydesign the most. The best part is it gives you points the tasks you complete. So in this way its kind of accountability. Which helps you or motivate you to do your task. Love this feature. One other thing which I like the most and quite often using it. To create your page of content or template and share with your client or student. And share it with just a link. They don't need to buy the App or to register it free. They can access it with just that shareable link. Which is really great feature. In short Bydesign cover everything in one App. I'm really very thankful.

Shahid

It's a calendar app (like Akiflow and Motion), it's a task app (like Todoist and Tick Tick), it's a full Notion-style PKM. This is what I've been looking for since forever.

There are very few apps that have even attempted -- much less succeeded -- in meshing this combo together in a workable system. Amplenote comes to mind (sophisticated app, but a clunky UI makes it hard to adopt), and maybe NotePlan, but other than component systems (Notion or Obsidian with a basketload of plugins) that's about it.

I discovered ByDesign last year and purchased the LTD right away and have loved it ever since.

Of course it's not perfect -- I've experienced a few hiccups and bugs along the way, pretty much to be expected with new applications. And it's individual components are made to work together, so don't expect the tasks feature to equal Todoist, or the calendar to rival Morgen, or the notes app to be as full-featured as Notion. But as a fully-functional, self-contained PKM ecosystem ByDesign is a marvel, warts and all, and for $79 it's an absolute steal.

Cons (that aren't so much cons as personal grumbles): the Dashboard is a nice feature, but it's not as interactive as I would like. I'm impressed that they even HAVE a dashboard (more of a CRM or Project Management convention) but I wish it spotlighted Quick Capture better. Most task or planner apps simply have an Inbox, and while ByDesign does too it's buried behind the Pages tab instead of on the Dashboard. And that's JUST for tasks -- what if you want to take a quick fleeting note? If you hit the plus (+) on the Dashboard you only get the option to add a task, and it goes directly to the Today section. Same on mobile.

So basically I just default to my own Daily template where I capture most of my on-the-fly notes and tasks and go to my own Daily Journal template to journal. An easy enough workaround, but why? I think ByDesign is missing a huge opportunity here by not including a Quick Capture feature (+ sign followed by Note / Task / or Event) and a Daily Journal option by default. It could not only be a selling point, it will make it a lot easier for people who want to migrate away from Todoist, or Akiflow, or DayOne, but don't want to DIY a productivity system all by themselves. Just my 2cents, your mileage may vary.

There are apps that naturally fit into our daily life. How that happens can feel almost mysterious.

I bought a licence in a previous campaign and later bought another one for a co‑worker.

Within my planning ecosystem, I find great value in something as simple as two‑way sync with Apple Calendar. I could mention other apps that are good for tasks or time management, but they often fall short because you need to jump in and out of different tools. Here, everything lives inside one coherent ecosystem.

The Pomodoro timer and the ability to note and track time when I work for someone else are especially useful. All of this comes with a beautifully designed, clutter‑free experience that truly supports focused and sustainable productivity.

Last, but not least: there is a real person on the other side when we connect through the internal chat — not a bot. That human presence makes a real difference.

ByDesign for me is not just about managing tasks, but about intentionally designing how you work and live.

The app brings together planning, time tracking, focus, and reflection in one place, helping me align daily actions with longer‑term intentions instead of just reacting to endless to‑do lists.

This feels less like “another productivity app” that you will discard in the future but a space well crafted to organise work, time, and attention.

As this elements are essential for deep and sustainable work.