Your To-Do List Knows Too Much: Local-First Productivity

If someone read your to-do list right now, what would they learn about you? It becomes clear that Your To-Do List Knows Too Much.

They’d likely see your work deadlines, the names of your clients, your doctor’s appointments, your shopping list, and maybe even your financial reminders. For many of us, our task manager is our “second brain”–a repository of our most intimate professional and personal details.

Yet, the vast majority of us willingly hand this data over to third-party servers without a second thought. We use cloud-based apps that store data on servers outside our control – sometimes in ways that users cannot independently audit.

It’s time to ask: Does your to-do list really need to live in the cloud?

The “Cloud Default” and Its Risks

For the last decade, “cloud sync” has been the default feature for productivity software. It offers convenience: add a task on your phone, see it on your laptop. But this convenience comes at a hidden cost.

1. The Data Breach Roulette

When you store your data on a central server (like Todoist, Trello, or TickTick), you are relying on their security team to protect you. History shows that even the biggest tech giants are susceptible to breaches, often via credential stuffing or unpatched vulnerabilities. If their database leaks, your “second brain” becomes public property.

2. The AI Training Ground

As companies race to integrate AI, user data is the fuel. Several major platforms have recently updated their Terms of Service to allow the use of user-generated content for model training unless users opt out. Policies vary by provider and may change without notice. Your proprietary workflow strategies and project structures could be feeding the very algorithms sold back to you as “smart features.”

3. You Don’t Own Your Data

If a cloud-based service shuts down, changes its pricing model, or decides to ban your account, you can suddenly find yourself locked out. You are effectively renting access to your own thoughts.

Cloud Storage vs. Local Storage: Key Differences

Local-first software flips this model. In a local-first app, the primary copy of your data lives on your device (your hard drive). The cloud is treated merely as a “dumb drive” for syncing, not as the brain of the operation.

Cloud services have real benefits for collaborative work, but most personal task data does not require a central database to function.

Here is how the models compare:

Why Local-First is Superior for Productivity

Privacy isn’t the only benefit. Local-first apps are also faster, more reliable, and more resilient in real-world use.

• Instant Speed: There is no “loading” spinner. Interactions are instant because they don’t wait for a server response.
• True Offline Reliability: You can work on a plane, in a tunnel, or during an internet outage with zero loss of functionality.
• Data Ownership: Your data is usually stored in open formats in many local-first tools, including Super Productivity (JSON, Markdown, SQLite). You can back it up, export it, or write your own scripts to analyze it.

How Super Productivity Handles Your Data

Super Productivity was built on a strict No-Data-Collection philosophy. We don’t want your data.

• No Accounts Required: You don’t need to sign up or give us your email to use the app.
• Transparent File Format: Your tasks, time tracking logs, and settings are saved to a human-readable JSON file on your computer. You can open it, read it, and back it up anywhere.
• Server as “Dumb Storage”: If you need to sync between computers, you choose the provider (Google Drive, Dropbox, WebDAV, or a local file share). We treat these providers as simple, secure storage containers for encrypted data.
• Client-Side Encryption: You can enable encryption before syncing. This means your cloud provider only sees a scrambled blob of data, never your actual tasks.
• No Telemetry: We do not track your usage, clicks, or habits (in the app).

How to Switch (Safely)

Your productivity system should be a private sanctuary, not a data harvesting point. By switching to a local-first tool, you reclaim ownership of your work.

1. Export your data: Most tools (Todoist, Trello) allow you to export to CSV or JSON. Do this now, even if you don’t switch today.
2. Evaluate local options: Try tools like Super Productivity (for comprehensive tracking) or Obsidian (for notes).
3. Establish a backup routine: Since you are now the owner of your data, ensure you have a simple backup strategy (e.g., Time Machine, or a private git repository).

If you want to regain control of your data, here are the next steps:

• Download Super Productivity (Free & Open Source)
• Read our Privacy Guide
• Compare vs. Todoist