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For Small + Mid-Market teams looking to for an AI-powerd time management platform (Calendar + Scheduling + Tasks & Projects).
We believe that Motion is creating a new software category entirely. While you'll see us compare it with the best project management software on the market, you'll see that it isn't just a traditional project manager, nor is it just a daily planner app. By the end of reading this Motion App review, you'll know for certain if it's a tool worth trying out for your team. And with that, let's dive in ⤵:
Motion is for small to medium sized teams looking for an innovative way to manage their projects and time (think 1-50 employees).
If you've tried Asana, Jira, ClickUp, or Monday and found that you were spending way more time managing your work than, well, working, then Motion might be a breath of fresh air. Motion's mission is to help teams get more work done instead of just helping to manage work.
After 7 years of using Asana, we actually switched entirely to Motion App because of the drastic time-saving component. With Motion, you create tasks and group them into projects. From there, you simply set the deadline, priority, and any blockers. That's where Motion uses AI to automatically schedule the tasks required to complete the project on each team member's calendars, all while taking into account any meetings and calendar schedules. No other project management tool on the market does this!
Oh, and whenever things don’t go according to plan (which they never do), Motion automatically re-prioritizes everyone’s tasks and calendar so that everything gets done, on time. Helping de-stress teammates by offloading all of the cognitive processing surrounding what should be done next.
Just like other project management tools, you can use Motion to organize projects in different workspaces then view your to-dos as a list view or kanban board, set task dependencies, track tasks and collaborate with team members.
So if you are wanting an innovative tool to help you manage projects, get more done and help you plan your day, Motion is an excellent choice 🙌
Start your 7 day free trial of Motion here.
If you are a busy professional that is more so looking for a daily planner instead of a full project management tool, Motion is also an excellent choice.
Compared to other daily planner alternatives Motion is pulling this entire category forward by leveraging artificial intelligence, tasks mixed with calendar events, time blocking, and prioritization, to build an app that feels like more you have a personal assistant helping you manage your time. Motion is great for soloprenuers, freelancers, contractors and students.
If you're working for a large company that's already using a dedicated project management tool (e.g. Asana, ClickUp, or Jira), then you might be seeking Motion as a more simple tool to help you manage your workload (since those tools don't allow for tasks to be scheduled on your calendar). While you could technically integrate your project management tool with Motion for the AI scheduling component (we know many individuals who have done this), you'd need to know how to use Zapier to do so and can end up being a bit much to manage since you're now using two project management tools.
Instead, you might want to consider a tool like Akiflow or Sunsama that are both simply daily planning tools. Both Akiflow and Sunsama have native integrations with most of the main project management tools that will make it easy for your to pull your tasks in and schedule them onto your calendar for the day. That said, both Akiflow and Sunama lack AI capabilities to help you plan your day and reschedule tasks and would require more of a manual planning process.
One of the Motion cons is that the tool lacks "upper management reporting features".
Why? Motion project management is a new tool on the market and their current focus is developing their AI features for task prioritization and scheduling, therefore reporting and dashboards are on the back burner.
If you're a team who places a lot of importance on project management reporting, dashboards, timeline views, progress reports and more, then Motion won't be suitable as they aren't currently building these features (yet!). In this case, consider Asana who offers top of the line project management reporting and might be a better project ma
If you're an individual that is price sensitive and is wanting to use Motion for general low-value daily tasks like reminders to do the laundry, to take supplements, or practice your latest habit for the week, you'd might be hard-pressed to find Motion worth the price. While Motion does work for this (and quite well at that), it's primarily a tool to help you manage work and complex projects and that's where individuals and teams see the most value.
In this case, a more personal–focused tool like TickTick, Todoist, or even Reclaim might fit better for your non-professional use-cases.
Rating: A+
Motion isn't just a calendar, scheduler, or task manager. It's really an AI assistant that takes all of this unique information, and uses it to build your perfect day:
Start your 7 day free trial of Motion here
Other project planning software requires you to spend chunks of your day re-evaluating deadlines and shifting back work. Not to mention, they have no actual reference of your calendar, so actual focus time available doesn't even take into account when you're in meetings... 😅
That's where Motion is different, and in some ways, in a category of its own. What they are doing is unmatched in the project management software space, and when you compare Motion alternatives like Motion vs Asana amongst others in the category, you see how outdated traditional task management tools truly are.
They've also taken this whole time management category and leveled up your project management software with a baked in calendar scheduler that takes into account all of your tasks and hard deadlines, along with time blocking to only recommend the best times for you to meet with others, ensuring that you can still get your work done on time. Something that no other project management software can do.
Start your 7 day free trial of Motion here.
Rating: B-
Motion has a functional calendar/task interface that has your most important tasks on the side, and your calendar events along with your tasks in the main area. It might not be the prettiest tool on the market *yet* but that's because the team is focused out on building out the AI functionality of the tool to help with managing your work. While we love tools with a beautiful UI, in this case we find that with how much time we save with Motion, it's worth the trade-off.
We have faith that the team will make the much needed improvements here, and since it would require such minor modifications, we can't weigh this section too heavily against Motion. With some modifications to their UI, we feel Motion can pretty easily get to a B+ rating in this category.
Start your 7 day free trial of Motion here.
When comparing the calendar view of Motion and Cron, you start to see where the UI could be improved:
Rating: B
The main benefit of Motion, and how it differentiates from every other project management tool on the market is it's AI features: you add your tasks to it, then you forget about it. It will automatically schedule your tasks into your Motion calendar to ensure that you get them done by the time they need to be completed. You don't have to constantly manually plan your day, you just show up, look at your daily schedule and get to work 💪
Start your 7 day free trial of Motion here.
With Motion app, not only do you get project and task management, a calendar and AI scheduling features, but you also get a meeting scheduling feature. This meeting assistant easily allows you to share your availability with others and will indicate "Preferred" scheduling times around your other meetings so you can have larger times of focus-time instead of being in and out of meetings.
In terms of your project management features, you'll get unlimited projects, task management, task views, list views, kanban boards, task dependencies, the ability to track tasks and team collaboration features. You can set custom filtered views so if you want to see your tasks in a kanban board or list view, both are options.
With other tools like Asana, you need to manually reschedule your tasks manually on a daily basis, wasting anywhere from 20–60 minutes per day—something you rarely need to think about with Motion.
Motion is always a keyboard shortcut away (OPT + C to view the calendar, OPT + A to quickly access your meeting scheduler, and finally OPT + SPACE to quick-add a task from anywhere on your computer. These shortcuts are one of the reasons we love using Motion. Whether you're in the browser and need to check your availability quickly, are curious if you have any upcoming meetings and then want to get right back where you left off, or simply think of a task you need added (for yourself or your team member), it's all just one keyboard shortcut away.
Calendar: There are a few times where you'd actually want to open back up Google Calendar for certain things, like proposing a new time for example, or editing a team's calendar event (even if you're invited to it), so fixing these things will greatly improve the UX. It would be nice to be able to have all of the normal Google Calendar functionality within Motion. We're confident that they can actually get this up to an in the next 6–18 months.
Project Management Features: At the the time of writing this Motion review, Motion still has a bit more to go on some core functionality for the project management side of things like super robust searching functionality and custom fields, but this is something that is definitely coming in time.
Reporting: What you also won't get with Motion though is customizable reports, or any reporting dashboards for that matter. That's not to say this won't come in the future, but for now the Motion team is focused on improving productivity for small + medium sized businesses and often times reporting features are required more at the enterprise level.
Rating: B-
Motion has an iOS and Android app that is fully-featured, including the full calendar functionality, along with your complete project task lists, and quick access to booking links while on-the-go.
Things we'd love to see to bring Motion up to an A is a proper widget to replace the need for Google Calendar entirely. Some quality UX improvements could be made with having a way to more easily create tasks from other apps, by say sharing a screenshot to Motion, or highlighting text and sharing it with Motion.
A fun feature Motion recently added to the iOS app is being able to use Siri to create tasks while on-the-go. Simply ask Siri to "create a task in Motion to review that presentation ASAP" and it will pop it on our calendar, rearranging all your other tasks. Now they just need to bring the feature to Google Assistant users too!
The Motion project management tool on the mobile app is still in it's early phases. You can see your tasks in list view, but not on your kanban board for example. For this reason, we prefer to use the mobile app for tasks on the go but we prefer to use the desktop app and web app for project management and actually organizing projects/tasks and for getting work done.
One little knit-pick is the time it takes for the mobile app to load, although this is something that the team is aware of, and we feel pretty confident that the mobile app will hit B+ category in the months to come.
Start your 7 day free trial of Motion here.
Rating: B-
We have to hand it to the team at Motion on this one—they launched an API, and then almost immediately spun up a Zapier integration to make their API even more accessible to others, something that newer tools in the space haven't invested in which makes Motion stand out, and something we greatly appreciate.
The API is surely to improve with time, adding in more functionality, although it does allow for the major things you'd want to use it for already, like create/find/update of tasks, and most importantly, creating the magic auto-scheduled task.
When comparing Motion's API with some of the leaders in project management like Asana, Motion does about 85% of what it needs to do for most integrations. We also know it'll get closer to 90–95% once they allow for custom fields, as functionality around "search tasks by custom field value" is surely to come with it.
The one thing to note though is that the API does not currently work with the appointment scheduling side of things. For example, it does not allow for the same API functionality that a standalone scheduler tool like Calendly will give you on that front. That said, you can build some of this functionality by getting creative using a tool like Mailparser alongside Zapier (e.g. logging new appointments into your CRM upon booking), although I will say, it's not all that straightforward. 😅
All-in-all, Motion's API is getting there, and is likely to do what you'd need it to do on the project management front. We'd only say be aware if you're planning on building robust integrations based on their meeting scheduler, because if so, you might be better off using one of the best appointment scheduler apps in that case instead.
Start your 7 day free trial of Motion here.
If you're anything like us and are just starting the quest of your own (or in the middle of it), let us save you some time: you'll likely stumble upon calendar tools like Cron, Vimcal, Magical, Fantastical, Woven (acquired by Slack), and many more scheduler-focused tools like Calendly, ChiliPiper, and Cal.com (amongst many others), along with no shortage of all-in-one task management tools (e.g. Sunsama and Akiflow), heck, even "time management" tools like Clockwise and Reclaim. Not to mention extensive project management tools like ClickUp, Asana and Monday.
Well we're here to tell you that we've tried them all—extensively.
Each and every tool mentioned does some aspects to time management well, but fall apart when done together.
And that's where Motion is different. Motion is more than just a calendar, scheduler, or task/project manager—it is a platform for time management. Because at the end of the day, we're all just managing time—sometimes by way of projects and tasks, and at other times meetings and events. Motion understands this fact first-and-foremost, and with a small sprinkle of AI, you're given your perfect day planned out for you, no rescheduling or rearranging necessary.
Start your 7 day free trial of Motion here.
Motion pricing is totally reasonable for all that it can do. Priced at $19 per month for individuals (on the annual plan), or $12 per user (team plan). Keep in mind the fact that the tool also includes a project management tool, calendar and meeting scheduler which makes Motion worth it.
You can also pay monthly on either the individual plan ($34/m) or team plan ($20/m), but in general if you do, consider upgrading to the annual tier after 2-3 months of use as you'll save nearly 40% on the price by doing so.
Whether you're a busy professional or a team, we think Motion is worth the price.
Our overall Motion app review? Well hopefully this says it all: we've actually fully switched to Motion from Asana after using Asana for 7+ years 😄
Motion app has been a game changer for our team and has allowed us to remember tasks we would have otherwise forgotten, manage projects and better collaborate as a team. Motion is definitely worth giving a try, especially if you have under 50 or so employees and are looking for a tool that is simple to use for everyone.
If you're looking for a deeper dive comparison on the Motion project management tool, you can check out a deep dive project management comparison that covers all of that here.
Motion as a project management solution works well for teamwork projects, busy professionals, creative teams, remote teams, professional services and development teams. They don't have a free plan available but definitely give the free trial a shot before committing to a Motion alternative.
That said, we finally found what we've been looking for in terms of the perfect tool for our team (Oh and there's actually quite a bit more to the story if you're interested in hearing more).
There is currently no promo code for this app but we are close partners, so if you use the link above to visit the site and then let their team know that Efficient App sent you, you may just get a little something... extra 😉
There is currently no promo code for this app—we'll update it here if that changes in the future!
While there's currently no promo code available, if you use the link above and you let their team know that we sent you, they might even extend your free trial (if you write into support) 😉
A beautiful and simple calendar for individuals.
Cron has one of the most beautiful calendar interfaces, it genuinely sets the bar for the entire calendar category. Every shade of color and component was meticulously designed, and for that, we have huge appreciation for the team at Cron.
Although, it's relatively limited when looking beyond the beauty of what it is.
Since it is free, it's a no-brainer to use in-place of checking Google Calendar directly (assuming you value getting a bit more enjoyment out of your daily calendar experience).
(They were also somewhat recently acquired Notion—oddly enough—likely because they didn't really have a business model and Notion saw benefit to acquiring their customerbase).
Cron also has a well-built, native iOS app, which is something to consider.
If you're looking for calendar + scheduler (to replace something like Calendly), you'll definitely want to check out a more time-management tool tool like Motion.
It's not uncommon for someone to use Cron on mobile, and something like Motion or Vimcal on their computer.
There is currently no promo code for this app but we are close partners, so if you use the link above to visit the site and then let their team know that Efficient App sent you, you may just get a little something... extra 😉
There is currently no promo code for this app—we'll update it here if that changes in the future!
Google Calendar brings all of your calendars together in one place, so you can manage work, personal life, and everything in between.
There is currently no promo code for this app but we are close partners, so if you use the link above to visit the site and then let their team know that Efficient App sent you, you may just get a little something... extra 😉
There is currently no promo code for this app—we'll update it here if that changes in the future!
Email sucked for years. Gmail, Outlook, and Apple took their eye off the ball. Then along came HEY.
Finally someone trying to innovate within the email space, something that is completely dominated by Google and Microsoft (and I suppose Apple mail). For better or worse, you'll get your very own hey.com email address, which means it's likely to have very little spam. That said, you'll have to let all of your family and friends know of your new email address.
The biggest problem is that unlike that of Superhuman (a smart layer atop of Gmail/Outlook), with Hey, you're giving complete control of your email (and calendar) over to Hey. All of this in exchange for a snazzy new @hey.com email address.
After you've gone and given everyone your new hey.com email address, you'll quickly realize that you're now locked in to Hey... Forever. Using it for personal usage and don't want to pay for it anymore? You now need to somehow let everyone know that you're switching email addresses again.
As you keep going deeper, you'll realize that you're actually giving up a lot by having Hey essentially manage your personal data and email. So all I'd say is you'd better love their email service early on if you're going to go through all the work switching over.
If you're on the site right now, you're probably more B2B and productivity-focused, and if so, you've probably also heard of Zapier (maybe? If not, it's cool, go check it out).
Anyway, yeah, Hey has no API, you can't use Zapier with it, but not just that, all of the awesome email tools that upgrade functionality to your email like Mailman, or heck, even your CRM (with automatic email ingesting like with Copper and Gmail + Google Calendar). Gone gone gone. So if you're even slightly considering using Hey for your business email (which you can for $12/user/mo, bring your own domain, and lose all integration with that). Yeah, it just doesn't make sense.
Gosh was I excited for Hey when it was first coming out... Had I actually thought about all of the above though, I would have surely been a bit less excited by what I'd ultimately be giving up by using Hey 😅 okay, let's now get into the meat of the Hey.com review ⤵
Rating: C-
It's so clear who Hey was building for when finally seeing the big hyped up reveal, was it the software lover? The tech founder? The designer? Nope! But rather my mother, and maybe children? And yet here I am, someone that was happy and willing to pay the $99/yr (well for a 4+ character email address, but more on that in the pricing section)
The product uses huge icons, childish text, and bright color gradients everywhere. They even tried renaming the features that we all know and understand like Inbox and Snooze to "Imbox" and "Bubbleup" for no reason other than to try and be "cute". It just doesn't connect with me, the UI was not built for me, and it's an awful use of screen real estate everywhere you visit in the app. I continually got frustrated when using it, asking why, why, oh why? 😢
Rating: C+
If you love big buttons and big text, you'll love the UX of Hey email. We'll get more into the UX in bits and pieces more in the features section below.
Rating: B
Credit where credit is due, the thing that Hey did focus on was "how do we simplify the email app experience and re-think how we can make ideas like inbox zero core to the experience?
They have some cool features around blocking new emails before they come through (requiring you first approving access). Essentially baked in functionality that you'd have to use a tool like Mailman + Gmail or Superhuman to get working out of the box.
Rating: C
I have a friend that uses and loves Hey for his personal account, and uses Gmail (Google Workspace) for his work account. Believe it or not, he has all of his Hey emails forward to Gmail, and he checks/triages his emails in Gmail on mobile. He doesn't like the Hey mobile app, but the truth of the matter is that just sounds like a lot of extra work 😅
Ultra-short 2-character addresses like ab@hey.com are $999/year, and 3-character addresses like abc@hey.com are $349/year. All other @hey.com email addresses, 4-characters or more, are $99/year.
There is currently no promo code for this app but we are close partners, so if you use the link above to visit the site and then let their team know that Efficient App sent you, you may just get a little something... extra 😉
There is currently no promo code for this app—we'll update it here if that changes in the future!
Outlook is an email client and calendar for companies and individuals built by Microsoft
If you're a larger enterprise, you're likely using Outlook instead of Gmail (Google Workspace), to manage your email and calendar for work.
That said, most startups and quick growing companies use Google Workspace, so if you're looking into Gmail vs Outlook, we believe Gmail is the clear winner here. It just has a more user-friendly experience all-around, and has significantly more integrated tools (the most modern tools integrate with Gmail over Outlook).
In addition, you'll get deep Single-Sign-On with Google that you don't get with the Microsoft 365 suite, which just makes logging into many other tools significantly easier.
With that, Microsoft did acquire the beloved Sunrise calendar back in the day before killing it off and rolling it into Outlook. So the Outlook calendar should be quite decent in theory, although they seemed to strip some of the best things we miss about Sunrise from Outlook. We've looked elsewhere to fill our Sunrise void, now with Motion.
There is currently no promo code for this app but we are close partners, so if you use the link above to visit the site and then let their team know that Efficient App sent you, you may just get a little something... extra 😉
There is currently no promo code for this app—we'll update it here if that changes in the future!
Lightening fast (keyboard shortcut-focused) calendar for individuals.
We initially loved the idea of Vimcal, as they are trying to portray themselves as the "Superhuman of calendar"—and we love Superhuman.
The thing is, they missed the mark on what actually makes Superhuman special in our eyes.
Vimcal confuses "productivity" with having keyboard shortcuts for everything (talking every single UI component).
This is at the cost of simplicity, making Vimcal feel quite a bit more overwhelming and over-engineered than it needs to be.
And when you're dealing with the monthly cost, we've found that Motion has a far superior scheduler and calendar (all for a similar monthly price), which even includes a time-blocking task/project management for individuals and teams.
Vimcal does have a nice mobile iOS app, although Cron takes the cake in that area (iOS only for both). Motion on the other hand has both an iOS and Android app.
There is currently no promo code for this app but we are close partners, so if you use the link above to visit the site and then let their team know that Efficient App sent you, you may just get a little something... extra 😉
There is currently no promo code for this app—we'll update it here if that changes in the future!
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