Short answer: The best Motion alternative depends on why Motion stopped working for you: FOCO if tasks get scheduled but still don’t get started, Reclaim.ai for cheaper auto-scheduling, and Sunsama for a plan you approve yourself. If AI scheduling was never the point, TickTick or Todoist give you a simpler list without an algorithm in charge.
- If Motion’s problem is that you still can’t start the task when its slot arrives: FOCO
- If Motion’s problem is the price, but you like auto-scheduling: Reclaim.ai
- If Motion’s problem is that the AI decides too much: Sunsama
- If Motion’s problem is too many features: TickTick (tasks, habits, timer) or Todoist (just the list)
Which Motion alternatives are best at a glance?
Ordered by use case, not by score. Prices, free plans and US App Store ratings were checked on each app’s own pricing page and store listing on October 9, 2026.
| App | Best for | Free version | Paid | Platforms | App Store |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 FOCOWe make this app | Starting a task you keep avoiding | No 7-day trial on yearly | $9/mo or $59/yr | iPhone, Android | ★ 5.0 15 ratings |
| Reclaim.aiFree Lite plan | Auto-scheduling around Google or Outlook Calendar | Yes Lite, 1-week scheduling range | Starter $10/mo yearly or $12 monthly | Web, inside your calendar | No iPhone app listed |
 Sunsama14-day trial | A guided daily plan you approve yourself | No 14-day trial, no card | $17/mo yearly or $22 monthly | Web, Mac, Windows, Linux, iPhone, Android | ★ 4.5 510 ratings |
 TickTickFree + Premium | Tasks, habits and a focus timer in one app | Yes 9 lists, 99 tasks each | Premium $49.99/yr | Web, iPhone, Android, Mac, Windows | ★ 4.9 46,288 ratings |
 TodoistFree + Pro | A plain, fast task list | Yes 5 projects | Pro $60/yr or $7/mo | Web, iPhone, Android, Mac, Windows | ★ 4.8 129,617 ratings |
 MotionThe app you are leaving | AI auto-scheduling for work and teams | No Free trial | Individual Pro AI $29/mo yearly or $49 monthly | Web, iPhone, Android, desktop | ★ 4.1 1,856 ratings |
Why do people look for a Motion alternative?
Motion takes your tasks, deadlines and meetings and places the tasks on your calendar for you, then reshuffles when plans change. For anyone who freezes at “what do I do first,” handing that decision to software is a real relief.
The first reason people leave is cost: on October 9, 2026, Motion’s pricing page lists Pro AI for individuals at $29 a month billed yearly or $49 billed monthly, and Business AI at $39 or $69. The $19 figure you may see quoted is the team price per seat, billed yearly.
The second reason is scope. Motion now describes Pro AI as AI Chat, AI Projects and Tasks, AI Calendar, AI Docs, Wiki and Notes, an AI writer and a monthly credit allowance, which is a lot more than the auto-scheduler many people signed up for.
The third reason is specific to ADHD: auto-scheduling works best when each task has a realistic duration, and time blindness can make those estimates hard to get right. Russell Barkley describes ADHD as a problem with self-regulation across time, not a lack of knowing what to do (Barkley, executive function fact sheet).
What are the best Motion alternatives for ADHD?
1. FOCO, best for starting a task once it’s on the calendar
Motion decides when a task happens. It does not help much when that block arrives and you still can’t begin, which is a task initiation problem rather than a scheduling one.
FOCO’s AI breaks a stuck task into small steps, each with a time estimate, then opens the task in a focus timer with calm music and an on-screen body-doubling companion. You can add tasks by voice, and the built-in calendar sorts them into morning, afternoon or anytime, so missed tasks move on without a red overdue wall.
The honest trade-off: FOCO will not auto-arrange a full work week around your meetings the way Motion does. It is a phone app (iPhone and Android), with no web version.
Price: $59/year with a 7-day free trial, or $9/month. No free plan (checked Oct 9, 2026).
2. Reclaim.ai, best for auto-scheduling at a lower price
Reclaim.ai works on the same core idea as Motion: it books tasks, habits, focus time and breaks around your meetings and moves them when the day shifts. It lives inside Google Calendar or Outlook rather than in a separate app, which means one less place to check.
The trade-off is the same as Motion’s: it still needs realistic task durations. We found no Reclaim app on the US App Store, so on a phone you see its blocks through your normal calendar app.
Price: free Lite plan (1-week scheduling range, 1 calendar sync); Starter $10/month billed yearly or $12 monthly; Business $15 or $18 (checked Oct 9, 2026, Reclaim pricing).
3. Sunsama, best for a plan you approve yourself
Sunsama does not hand your day to an algorithm. It walks you through a short daily planning ritual, pulls tasks in from tools like email and project apps, and lets you drag them onto the calendar.
For people who found Motion’s automatic reshuffling hard to trust, that human-in-the-loop step can feel steadier. The trade-off is that the ritual takes a few minutes every day, and there is no free plan.
Price: 14-day trial with no card, then $17/month billed yearly or $22 monthly on its pricing cards. The FAQ on the same page still lists $20 and $25, so confirm at checkout (checked Oct 9, 2026, Sunsama pricing).
4. TickTick, best if you wanted tasks, habits and a timer in one place
If what you liked about Motion was having tasks and a calendar together, TickTick gives you that plus a habit tracker and a Pomodoro timer, without AI deciding your day.
The trade-off: tags, lists and filters can turn setup into a way of avoiding the task, which we cover in our TickTick alternative guide.
Price: free plan with 9 lists and 99 tasks per list; Premium $49.99/year (checked Oct 9, 2026, TickTick upgrade page).
5. Todoist, best for the simplest possible list
If any scheduling logic feels like too much machinery, Todoist strips things back to fast capture and a Today view. There are no durations to feed an algorithm.
The trade-off is that a list does not tell you when to do anything or help you begin. It works best when your real problem is forgetting tasks, not arranging them.
Price: free Beginner plan (5 personal projects); Pro $7/month or $60/year, with a 7-day trial (checked Oct 9, 2026, Todoist billing FAQ).
Who should stay with Motion?
- You run projects with a team and want shared capacity planning and auto-scheduling in one workspace.
- You can give tasks realistic durations, and the automatic plan matches your real day most of the time.
- You use the docs, notes and AI chat features, so the price covers tools you would otherwise pay for separately.
Comparing more options? See the Sunsama alternatives, Todoist alternatives, best apps for ADHD task paralysis, or the full ADHD app directory.
FAQ
How much does Motion cost in 2026?
For individuals, Pro AI is $29 a month billed yearly or $49 billed monthly, and Business AI is $39 or $69. Team plans start at $19 per seat a month billed yearly (Motion pricing page, October 9, 2026).
Is there a free alternative to Motion?
Yes. Reclaim.ai has a free Lite plan with auto-scheduling, TickTick and Todoist have usable free plans, and Motion itself has a free trial but no free plan.
What is the best Motion alternative for ADHD?
It depends on what went wrong. For starting tasks, FOCO; for cheaper auto-scheduling, Reclaim.ai; for a plan you approve, Sunsama; for no AI layer, TickTick or Todoist.
Does Motion help with task initiation?
Not directly. It decides when a task goes on your calendar, but it is not built to help you begin a task you are avoiding once that time arrives.
Is Reclaim.ai cheaper than Motion?
Yes. Reclaim’s paid Starter plan is $10 a month billed yearly, and its Lite plan is free, compared with $29 a month billed yearly for Motion’s individual Pro AI plan.
Can I use FOCO together with Motion or Reclaim?
Yes. Many people let a scheduler place the task and open FOCO when the block arrives, to break it into timed steps and start with a focus companion.
How did we compare them?
We checked each app’s official pricing page on October 9, 2026: Motion, Reclaim.ai, Sunsama, TickTick and Todoist (linked above). Ratings come from the US App Store, October 9, 2026, and prices are in US dollars and can vary by country.
We make FOCO, and it is the only app here we use ourselves. We did not test the other apps hands-on; their features come from their own sites, help pages and store listings, and the screenshots are from their official sites.
For background on ADHD, see the National Institute of Mental Health and CHADD. This article is not medical advice.
Key Takeaways
- Motion’s individual Pro AI plan is $29 a month billed yearly or $49 monthly; the often-quoted $19 is the team per-seat price.
- Reclaim.ai is the closest match if you want auto-scheduling for less, with a free Lite plan.
- Sunsama suits people who want a guided plan they approve; TickTick and Todoist suit people who never needed AI scheduling.
- If tasks get scheduled but still don’t get started, FOCO breaks them into timed steps and stays with you through the first one.
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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