Compare Merlin AI and Todoist: Which Extension is the Best?
Todoist is a well-known to-do app with a simple, easy-to-use design. Its browser extension lets you quickly access your to-do list in a nice popup. | ||
| Key Features A summary of the most important features offered by each extension. |
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| Our Rating Tooltivity's expert review score for each extension, based on hands-on testing and research. | 8.4 | 8.9 Winner in this category |
| Total users Total active users across all major browsers: Chrome, Edge, Firefox, and Safari. | 1,000,000 Winner in this category | 889,191 |
| Total ratings Total number of user ratings received across all supported browsers. | 8,802 | 52,311 Winner in this category |
| Average rating Average user rating across all browsers, calculated from available store ratings. | 4.8 ⭐ Winner in this category | 4.4 ⭐ |
| Entry Level Price The minimum price required to start using the extension. "Free" means a free tier is available. | Free | Free |
| Chrome User rating and stats for the extension on Chrome browser. |  4.8 3.24 Average Chrome Web Store rating from the last 100 reviews 1.0M+Users Winner in this category | 4.7 4.48 Average Chrome Web Store rating from the last 100 reviews 700.0K+Users |
| Edge User rating and stats for the extension on Edge browser. | - |  4.0 4.0 Average Microsoft Edge Store rating from the last 100 reviews 174.2K+Users Winner in this category |
| Firefox User rating and stats for the extension on Firefox browser. | - |  4.7 4.63 Average Mozilla Firefox Add-ons Store rating from the last 100 reviews 14.9K+Users Winner in this category |
| Safari User rating and stats for the extension on Safari browser. | - | - |
| Features Tooltivity's expert score for the 'Features' aspect of each extension. | 8.0 Merlin AI offers a variety of features including summarizing, writing, coding, diagramming and more. It supports multiple AI models such as GPT-4, Claude and Gemini and allows users to create custom AI chatbots and knowledge bases. The platform also integrates with the web and files in real time. However, some features, such as PDF summarization, are not as robust as those of specialized tools. It also lacks what we consider to be the important function of direct communication between AI and the current website. In addition, the function of direct communication between AI and the current website, which we consider important, is missing.  | 9.3 Todoist offers comprehensive functions for task management. Tasks can be prioritized, labeled and filtered.  Another good feature is that websites can be saved directly as tasks. This can be done via the taskbar button or by right-clicking. In this way, information on a website can be added directly as a task that you want to edit or read up on later.  The extension can also be used to mark tasks directly as completed. Other features like collaborating on projects and tracking progress with personalized productivity trends add further value. Some of these advanced features of the application, such as customized templates and advanced reports, are available in the paid plans. Winner in this category |
| Performance Tooltivity's expert score for the 'Performance' aspect of each extension. | 7.5 Merlin is generally fast and responsive, but it can slow down browsers, especially on older hardware. There are occasional bugs and crashes, though the team releases frequent updates and improvements. Winner in this category | 7.3 Most of Todoist's functions worked quickly and without problems in our tests.  |
| Design Tooltivity's expert score for the 'Design' aspect of each extension. | 9.1 The design has a modern look and feel, with handy keyboard shortcuts and sidebar integration that make navigation easier. That said, the user interface can feel cluttered and overwhelming, especially for new users, and there are inconsistencies between the extension, web, and mobile versions.  | 9.5 The design is clean and intuitive, making it easy to navigate immediately. The interface can also be visually customized to suit your needs, but these are not overdone. The option of color-coded priority levels and project labels also helps with organization. Winner in this category |
| Value for Money Tooltivity's expert score for the 'Value for Money' aspect of each extension. | 8.2 The free plan is generous for light users, offering a substantial daily quota and access to a wide range of basic features. The Pro plan is competitively priced, especially when compared to the cost of subscribing to multiple separate AI tools, and unlocks unlimited access to all models and advanced features. However, the absence of a free trial for premium features means users must commit before experiencing the full capabilities of Merlin AI. Additionally, some users report that the query system—where different models and features consume varying amounts of daily queries—can be confusing or feel restrictive, particularly for those trying to understand how far their usage will go on each plan. | 9.0 The functions of the Todoist extension are free of charge. The free functions of the Todoist application should also be sufficient for most users. For users who want to use functions such as reminders or additional view options, the price should also be reasonable. With an annual payment installment, $4 per month is reasonable in our view. Winner in this category |
| Ease of Use Tooltivity's expert score for the 'Ease of Use' aspect of each extension. | 8.5 Getting started with Merlin AI is straightforward—installation is quick, and the onboarding process is simple enough for most users to begin using core features right away. However, the platform’s extensive feature set can be overwhelming at first, leading to a noticeable learning curve as users explore everything it offers. Some users have expressed confusion about how the daily query limits work, how different models are selected or switched, and which features are available on each plan. Occasional bugs and log-in issues can also disrupt the workflow, requiring users to troubleshoot or reach out to support. Overall, while Merlin AI is accessible, mastering its full capabilities may take some time and patience, especially for those new to AI tools. | 9.0 In our test, we had no problems with the installation and the first steps. The creation of tasks and overall use is self-explanatory. There are also many instructions and tutorials already available for the tool. Winner in this category |
| Security & Privacy Tooltivity's expert score for the 'Security & Privacy' aspect of each extension. | 9.3 Merlin does not sell user data to third parties and only uses data for core functionality. The privacy policy is transparent, but some users remain concerned about the amount of data collected and the permissions required. Winner in this category | 9.0 Todoist describes its data security in detail in its Privacy Policy. This states that the data is encrypted according to the state of the art and that regular security updates are carried out. The data is stored in the cloud for synchronization; it cannot be stored locally. |
| Conclusion A summary of our findings and final thoughts for each extension. | Merlin AI is a powerful and versatile tool that can really boost the productivity of a wide range of users. The integration of multiple AI models and functions into a single extension is ideal for this p However, Merlin is not completely perfect. We encountered occasional bugs, inconsistencies in the user interface and some performance issues. Pricing can also be confusing, and some features are locked behind a paywall.. Overall, Merlin AI is a good choice for anyone looking for an all-in-one AI assistant for the browser - especially if you value having multiple AI models and tools in one place. | Todoist is a great option for task management. We really like its simplicity, which is likely why it has become so popular. While some modern tools may offer more features, Todoist is one of the best choices if you’re looking for a solid, beautifully designed to-do list. Still, we noticed some performance issues. The extension takes longer to load when working in environments with a bad internet connection. It’s not a dealbreaker, but something to be aware of, especially if you often work in places with poor internet. Overall, Todoist is a strong choice for anyone seeking an easy-to-use and powerful task manager, though its speed and offline capabilities could be improved. If you would like to test Todoist yourself, you can use our code to get the Pro version for 2 months free of charge. https://get.todoist.io/mgs7dk |
| Our Recommendation | In our comparison between Merlin AI and Todoist, Todoist came out on top, scoring 8.9. Merlin AI is the most widely used, with over 1 million users and 9k+ reviews, but Todoist outperformed it in our review. User reviews for Todoist reflect our findings, while we rate Merlin AI lower than users do. Notably, Merlin AI has the highest user rating in the Chrome Web Store at 4.80, which is even higher than our rating of 8.4. In the end, the differences between these extensions are minimal, so your choice may come down to personal preference or specific features.
If you want a quick recommendation, Todoist is our top pick. But as always, the best choice depends on what matters most to you. | |
