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Google Tasks vs Google Keep
Google has two places to put a to-do, and they are good at different things. Here is how they differ in 2026, what changed when Keep's reminders moved to Tasks, and what actually works for a team.
Use Google Tasks for things you have to do by a date. Tasks have due dates, times, repeats, and subtasks, and they show up in Google Calendar and the Gmail sidebar.
Use Google Keep for notes and loose checklists, such as ideas, a packing list, or meeting jottings. Keep notes can be shared with other people. Google Tasks lists cannot.
For a team, neither is enough on its own. Keep can be shared but has no dates or owners per item. Tasks has dates but cannot be shared. Most teams add a shared layer on top of Google Tasks, such as Google Chat spaces or Team Tasks, or switch tools.
Side by side
| Feature | Google Tasks | Google Keep |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | A to-do list | A notes app with checklists |
| Due dates and times | Per task, with repeats | Through Google Tasks since the 2025 reminder change |
| Subtasks | Yes | Indented checklist items |
| Shows in Google Calendar | Dated tasks | Only reminders, which are now Google Tasks |
| Images, drawings, voice notes | No | Yes |
| Labels and colors | Lists and stars only | Yes |
| Share with other people | No | Add collaborators to a note |
| Assign to a person | Not in Tasks itself | No |
| Price | Free | Free |
When to use Google Tasks
Google Tasks is built around one question: what do I need to do, and by when? Every task can have a due date and time, repeat on a schedule, and hold subtasks. Dated tasks appear on your Google Calendar, and the Tasks panel sits beside Gmail, Calendar, Docs, and Drive, so you can turn an email into a task with a link back to the message.
Use it for deadlines, follow-ups, recurring chores, and anything you would be upset to forget. It is less good for long notes, images, or anything you want someone else to see.
When to use Google Keep
Google Keep is a notes app first. A note can be text, a checklist, an image, a drawing, or a voice memo, and you organize notes with labels, colors, and pins. It is the faster place to capture something you have not thought through yet, such as an idea, a recipe, or a list of things to pack.
Its big advantage over Google Tasks is sharing. Add collaborators to a note by email, and everyone sees the same checklist and can tick items off. That is why shared grocery lists and household to-dos often end up in Keep.
What changed: Keep reminders now live in Google Tasks
Keep used to have its own reminders. Starting in October 2025, Google began replacing them with Google Tasks. According to Google's help center:
- Keep reminders with a date or time become tasks, and they show up in Google Tasks and Google Calendar.
- Notifications come from the Google Tasks or Calendar app, not from Keep, so you need one of them installed to get alerts.
- Location-based reminders were discontinued and cannot be created in Google Tasks.
- To change a reminder's title, edit it in Tasks or Calendar. Renaming the Keep note does not rename the task.
The practical result: if something has a date, it belongs in Google Tasks now, even if you start it in Keep.
Which one for a team?
This is where both fall short. A shared Keep checklist works for a one-off list, but there are no due dates per item, no owner per item, and no way to see who did what across many notes. Google Tasks has dates but cannot be shared at all, and it has no assignees. Neither gives a team a board, comments, or a view of who is working on what.
Depending on how far you need to go, the realistic options are:
- A shared Keep checklist for a household or a short-lived list. It is free and instant.
- Google Chat space tasks if everyone is on Google Workspace. Members can assign shared tasks, and those tasks land in each person's Google Tasks.
- An app on top of Google Tasks if the team lives in Gmail. Team Tasks (our product) adds shared kanban boards, assignees, comments, and departments while the tasks stay in Google Tasks. It is free for up to 3 people, then $2 per user per month with a $10 monthly minimum. TasksBoard is another option, centered on sharing individual lists.
- A dedicated tool such as Trello, Asana, ClickUp, or Todoist if you need automations, timelines, or integrations. See Google Tasks alternatives for teams.
Our guide to sharing Google Tasks with your team walks through each of these in more detail.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Google Tasks and Google Keep?
Google Tasks is a to-do list: tasks with due dates, times, repeats, and subtasks that show up in Google Calendar and the Gmail sidebar. Google Keep is a notes app: free-form notes, checklists, images, and voice memos, organized with labels and colors. Keep notes can be shared with other people; Google Tasks lists cannot.
Did Google Keep reminders move to Google Tasks?
Yes. Starting in October 2025, Google began replacing Keep's reminders with Google Tasks. Reminders with a date or time become tasks that appear in Google Tasks and Google Calendar, and notifications come from the Tasks or Calendar app rather than Keep. Location-based reminders were discontinued.
Can you share Google Tasks like Google Keep notes?
No. Keep lets you add collaborators to a note, but Google Tasks has no share button and no assignee field. On Google Workspace, Google Chat spaces have shared tasks; on any Google account, apps built on the Google Tasks API, such as Team Tasks and TasksBoard, add shared boards and assignees.
Should a team use Google Keep or Google Tasks?
For a one-off shared checklist, Keep is fine because it can be shared. For ongoing team work, neither is enough on its own: Keep has sharing but no due dates or owners per item, and Google Tasks has due dates but no sharing. Teams usually add a shared layer on top of Google Tasks or move to a dedicated team task tool.
Related guides
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