As a solo founder, juggling countless tasks, deadlines, and ideas can quickly become overwhelming. In the digital age, many of us fall into the trap of opening dozens of browser tabs and multiple to-do apps, hoping to keep organised. But this scattered approach often leads to lost focus, missed deadlines, and mental clutter. After a month-long deep dive testing three popular project management tools—Linear, Todoist, and Things—we found one that cut our open-tab count by 60% and genuinely improved productivity. This guide walks you through the strengths and limitations of each tool, with practical UK-specific advice to help you pick the right system for your solo founder journey.
Why project management matters for solo founders
Solo founders wear many hats: product developer, marketer, customer support, and often accountant too. Without a clear system to manage tasks and projects, it's easy to lose sight of priorities or double up on work. Project management tools aren't just for big teams; they are vital for solo founders to create structure and maintain momentum. The right tool helps you capture ideas on the go, prioritise tasks aligned with your business goals, and track progress without overwhelming complexity.
In the UK, with tax deadlines, regulatory compliance, and business grant windows, missing a task can have serious consequences. Using a project management app tailored to your style can keep you one step ahead. Beyond productivity, it helps reduce stress by providing a clear roadmap and minimising mental load—something every founder needs.
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We chose these three tools as they represent different approaches to task and project management, each popular with UK startups and freelancers. Linear is a modern issue-tracking platform designed with software teams in mind but also usable by solo founders. Todoist is a versatile, cross-platform task manager beloved by millions worldwide, including many UK freelancers. Things is a premium, Apple-only app known for its elegant design and straightforward task organisation.
Each was tested for a full month, using typical solo founder workflows such as managing product development milestones, marketing campaigns, customer queries, and personal admin. Here’s what we found.
Linear: Best for tech-focused solo founders
Linear’s strength lies in its issue tracking and sprint planning features, originally built for engineering teams. For solo founders who code their own MVP or manage tech projects, Linear offers structured workflows, bug tracking, and integration with GitHub and Slack. The interface is clean and fast, with keyboard shortcuts that speed up task creation and triage.
One major plus is the ability to visualise your project roadmap with milestones and track progress against deadlines. This is particularly valuable for UK founders juggling customer feedback, product iterations, and deadlines for investor updates or grant applications.
- Issue tracking with status updates (backlog, in progress, done)
- Customisable workflows and labels
- Integration with developer tools like GitHub
- Automated cycle planning for sprints
- Real-time collaboration if you decide to scale
However, Linear is not as flexible for non-technical tasks like marketing campaigns or personal admin. The learning curve is steeper than Todoist or Things, and some features feel overkill for solo founders not coding the product themselves.
Set up custom labels for UK-specific deadlines such as VAT returns or Companies House filings. Use milestones to visualise important tax or compliance due dates alongside product development.
Todoist: The flexible all-rounder
Todoist is a powerhouse of task management, perfect for solo founders who need a flexible, cross-device tool that adapts to a wide range of workflows. Its natural language input allows you to quickly add tasks like “Submit VAT return on 31 July” or “Email investor Monday 10am,” automatically setting reminders and due dates.
What sets Todoist apart for UK founders is the ability to create projects and sub-projects, labels (tags), and filters. This lets you separate work from personal tasks, track progress on different business areas, and focus on critical next steps with ease. The Karma points system adds a gamified element to staying on top of your to-dos, which some founders find motivational.
- Cross-platform: Works on iOS, Android, Mac, Windows, and web
- Powerful reminders and recurring tasks
- Natural language processing for quick entry
- Project templates for common UK founder workflows
- Collaboration features if you expand your team
Despite its many features, Todoist keeps the interface uncluttered and intuitive. It also integrates with UK-centric services like Google Calendar (for HMRC deadlines) and Zapier (to automate workflows with UK banks or accounting software like Xero).
Use pre-made project templates tailored for UK startups, like 'Quarterly VAT preparation' or 'Seed funding pitch deck'. These templates save hours of setup and ensure you don’t miss key steps.
Things: The premium Apple experience
If you’re an Apple ecosystem user, Things offers a beautifully designed, minimalist task manager that encourages focus and simplicity. Its strength lies in its ease of use combined with powerful organisational features like Areas, Projects, and Tags, letting you neatly separate business, personal, and side hustle tasks.
Things shines when you want to reduce mental clutter and only see what matters today or this week. The Today and Upcoming views provide a clear, distraction-free overview, helping solo founders prioritise without feeling overwhelmed.
- Seamless sync across Mac, iPhone, and iPad
- Clean interface focused on task clarity
- Powerful project and tag organisation
- Quick entry feature for capturing ideas on the go
- No subscription—one-time purchase with free updates
However, Things lacks some advanced features like built-in collaboration or integrations with developer tools. It’s best suited for founders who want a straightforward, aesthetically pleasing way to stay organised without bells and whistles.
Set up Areas for different aspects of your business—like ‘Product’, ‘Marketing’, and ‘Finance’. Use tags to mark tasks related to UK tax deadlines or grant applications for quick filtering.
Real-world example: How switching reduced open tabs by 60%
Before switching, our typical solo founder routine involved juggling multiple tabs: Google Calendar, email, spreadsheets, Slack, various to-do apps, and note-taking tools. This scattered workflow led to frequent context switching and missed priorities.
After adopting Todoist as our primary task manager, combined with calendar integrations and carefully structured projects, our open tabs dropped from around 25 to just 10 on average. We consolidated reminders, notes, and task tracking into one place accessible everywhere. The natural language input means no more fiddling with complex menus—just jot down tasks as they come.
For a tech founder colleague, Linear streamlined issue tracking and sprint planning, reducing the need for separate spreadsheets or post-it notes. Meanwhile, a UK-based Apple-only founder appreciated Things’ calm interface to prioritise daily tasks without distraction.
"“Switching to Todoist cut through my chaotic tabs and gave me a clear, actionable overview of my solo startup’s priorities. It’s like having a personal assistant who never sleeps.” – Sarah, London-based solo founder"
How to pick the right tool for your solo founder needs
Choosing a project management tool isn’t just about features; it’s about fit and habit. Ask yourself: What kind of work do I do most? Do I need deep integration with developer tools? Or do I want a simple, elegant way to manage daily tasks? How much time am I willing to invest learning a new system? And importantly, what devices do I use?
- If you’re a tech-focused founder managing software projects, prioritise Linear for its issue tracking and sprint cycles.
- If you want flexibility, cross-platform support, and powerful natural language task entry, Todoist is your best bet.
- If you live in the Apple ecosystem and want a simple, beautiful task organiser with no subscription fees, Things fits perfectly.
Remember to consider your UK-specific needs: tracking HMRC deadlines, Companies House filings, and managing tax-related tasks. Whichever tool you choose, set up projects and reminders tailored to your business calendar to avoid costly mistakes.
Using a project management app is only helpful if you commit to it. Avoid switching tools too often or overcomplicating your workflow. Start simple, build consistent habits, and review your system quarterly to ensure it still works for you.
Getting started: Practical steps to implement your chosen tool
- List all your current tasks and projects on paper or a simple document to get a clear picture.
- Choose the tool that best fits your workflow and device preferences from Linear, Todoist, or Things.
- Set up your main projects, labels, or areas—include UK-specific categories like 'Tax deadlines' or 'Grant applications'.
- Input key recurring tasks with reminders, such as VAT filing dates and Companies House submissions.
- Integrate with your calendar and email where possible to centralise notifications.
- Commit to a daily review session (5-10 minutes) to update and prioritise your task list.
- Periodically evaluate your tool’s effectiveness and adjust projects or labels as your business evolves.
By following these steps, you create a reliable system that reduces mental load, keeps you legally compliant, and frees up time to focus on growing your business.