Short answer: Goblin Tools is the faster fix when one task feels too big to start: type it, get small steps, free on the web. Tiimo is the better pick when your whole day needs a visual plan, with a timeline, focus timer and routines, and most of it needs a Pro subscription.
- Pick Goblin Tools if you are stuck on one thing right now and want zero setup.
- Pick Tiimo if you need to see the shape of your day.
- Pick FOCO if you get the steps but still can’t begin, and want a timer and a companion that stay with you through step one.
How do Goblin Tools and Tiimo compare at a glance?
Both are built with neurodivergent users in mind, but they solve different problems. Here is the side-by-side, with prices and ratings checked on October 9, 2026.
| Checked Oct 9, 2026 |  Goblin ToolsFree on the web |  TiimoFree + Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Breaking one stuck task into small steps | Planning the whole day on a visual timeline |
| Free version | Full website, no account needed | “A selection of planning tools” on iOS and Android |
| Paid | Mobile apps: one-time purchase ($1.99 on the US App Store). Optional Pro for advanced features | Pro, monthly or yearly. Price shown at checkout, varies by country |
| Free trial | Not needed, the web version is free | 7 days, yearly plan only |
| Visual day planner | No | Yes Color-coded timeline |
| Focus timer | No Taskmaster keeps one task on screen | Yes |
| Setup before first use | None Open and type | Some, you build your day first |
| Platforms | Web, iPhone, iPad, Android | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Android, Mac, web (web is Pro) |
| App Store rating | ★ 4.8 3,029 ratings | ★ 4.6 20,673 ratings |
| Google Play rating | ★ 4.5 | ★ 4.6 app rebuilt in 2026 |
What happened when we gave Goblin Tools a real task?
We typed “Clean the kitchen” into Magic ToDo on goblin.tools and pressed the breakdown button. No account, no setup, and the steps appeared in a few seconds.
The steps were sensible and concrete. You can break any step down again, and the chili-pepper control sets how small the steps get.
What the list does not do is tell you how long each step takes, or stay with you once you start. It is a list, and the rest is up to you.
We did not test Tiimo Pro hands-on, so we are not reporting a Tiimo result here. Its strength is a different job anyway: placing tasks on a visual day plan, covered below.
For comparison, this is how FOCO shows a broken-down task: every step gets a time estimate, and the task opens into a timed focus session.
Which is better when you can’t start a task?
Goblin Tools, for most people. When the problem is task initiation, the gap between knowing what to do and doing it, every extra tap before step one is another chance to stall.
Goblin Tools has almost nothing in the way: one box, one button, a short list. Psychologist Russell Barkley describes ADHD as a problem of self-regulation rather than knowledge (Barkley, executive function fact sheet), which is why lowering the effort to begin can matter more than adding features.
Tiimo can break tasks down too, but it asks you to plan first. If setting up a planner is itself the thing you avoid, that order works against you.
If you already have the steps and still freeze, a list alone may not be enough. That is the moment our guide to task initiation deficit explains, and the gap FOCO is built for.
Which is better for planning your whole day?
Tiimo, clearly. Goblin Tools has no calendar or timeline at all.
Tiimo puts tasks on a color-coded timeline with icons, so you can see the shape of the day. For people who lose track of time or forget what comes next, seeing the plan can help more than another list.
Tiimo also adds routines, a focus timer and reminders, and it syncs across iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Mac and the web. Note that its Android app was rebuilt from scratch in 2026 and Tiimo says it is still adding features to match iOS (Tiimo’s Android relaunch post).
What does each one cost?
Goblin Tools: the website is free, and its makers say existing features will never move behind a paywall (goblin.tools About). The phone apps are a small one-time purchase, and a new optional Pro subscription covers only advanced features that are costly to run.
Tiimo: there is a free version with a selection of tools, and Pro is billed monthly or yearly. Tiimo does not publish one fixed price because it varies by country, and the 7-day free trial applies to the yearly plan only (Tiimo pricing).
Prices change, so check the store or the official site before you pay. We date-stamp every price we quote and recheck them when we update this page.
Who should pick which?
Choose Goblin Tools if:
- You are stuck on one specific task and want to start in the next few minutes.
- You have quit other apps during setup.
- You don’t want another subscription.
Choose Tiimo if:
- Text to-do lists never stick, but seeing your day laid out does.
- You want routines and reminders across iPhone, Apple Watch and Mac.
- You will open it every day, so the subscription pays for itself.
Choose FOCO if:
- Breaking the task down is not the problem; starting step one is.
- You want each step timed and a focus companion on screen while you work.
- You are fine with a paid app ($59 a year with a 7-day free trial, or $9 a month), on iPhone or Android.
Comparing more options? See FOCO vs Goblin Tools, FOCO vs Tiimo, Tiimo vs Structured, or the full ADHD app directory.
FAQ
Is Goblin Tools still free?
Yes, the website is free and needs no account. The phone apps cost a small one-time fee, and an optional Pro subscription adds advanced features only.
Is Tiimo free?
Tiimo has a free version with some planning tools on iOS and Android. The full app, including the web version, needs Pro, with a 7-day trial on the yearly plan.
Can I use Goblin Tools and Tiimo together?
Yes. Many people use Goblin Tools to break down a stuck task and Tiimo to place it on the day, since the two do not overlap much.
Does Goblin Tools have a focus timer?
No countdown timer. Its Taskmaster tool keeps one task on screen, which helps some people focus.
Is Tiimo on Android?
Yes. Tiimo relaunched a rebuilt Android app in 2026 and says it is still adding features to match the iPhone version.
Which is better for ADHD students?
Tiimo, if the challenge is fitting classes, study blocks and deadlines into a week. Goblin Tools helps when one assignment feels too big to begin.
How did we compare them?
We tested Goblin Tools on goblin.tools on October 9, 2026, with the task shown above. Tiimo details come from its App Store and Google Play listings, its pricing page and its own announcements, checked the same day.
Ratings are from the US App Store and Google Play on that date. We make FOCO, so we kept FOCO out of the head-to-head table and say so wherever it appears.
For background on ADHD itself, see the National Institute of Mental Health and CHADD.
Key Takeaways
- Goblin Tools breaks one stuck task into small steps in seconds, free on the web, with no setup.
- Tiimo plans your whole day on a visual timeline, with routines and a focus timer, mostly on Pro.
- For starting a single task, less setup usually wins; for structuring a week, Tiimo’s depth wins.
- If you get the steps but still can’t start step one, FOCO times each step and stays with you while you work.
Adi Ben Elyahu is the founder of FOCO and RemindHer – apps focused on reducing mental overload and helping overwhelmed minds start more easily.
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