Looking for a Goblin Tools alternative on iPhone?
First, the honest part: Goblin Tools is great, and for a lot of people it's the right answer. It's a collection of small, free web tools built by one developer for neurodivergent people, and its Magic ToDo task breakdown has helped a huge number of people get unstuck.
BrainSort is a different shape of tool. This page explains the difference fairly, so you can pick the one that fits how your brain works, or use both.
What Goblin Tools does really well
- It's free on the web, with no ads and no paywall, and its creator has said it will stay that way. That alone makes it easy to recommend.
- Magic ToDo breaks any task into steps, and you can turn the “spiciness” up when a task feels harder, which gives more and smaller steps.
- It does more than tasks. Formalizer rewrites a message in a different tone, Judge helps you read the tone of a message you got, Estimator guesses how long something will take, and Chef suggests meals from what you have.
- It works everywhere: any browser, plus apps on iPhone, iPad, Mac and Android.
- It's loved. The iPhone app has thousands of ratings with a very high average.
What BrainSort does differently
BrainSort is built around one moment: a thought shows up, and you need to get it out of your head right now, before it's gone. Then, later, it helps you start.
- One place to dump everything. Type or say whatever is on your mind, all mixed together. BrainSort sorts it into tasks, events and notes, and picks up dates like “Thursday at 10”. (Here's how sorting a brain dump works.)
- Capture without opening anything. Say “Brain dump in BrainSort” to Siri, or tap a widget on your home screen or lock screen.
- Offline and private. No account: sorting and step suggestions run on your iPhone, so it works on a plane and your notes stay with you. Tangled voice dumps can use optional cloud help, only with your OK.
- Breakdowns that start small. When you open a task you're avoiding, BrainSort suggests steps where the first one takes under two minutes, the same method as in our task breakdown guide.
Side by side
Facts as of 2026-10-05 (US App Store prices). Check the official sites for the latest.
Price
Goblin Tools: Website free, no ads. iOS app $1.99, optional Pro ($3.99/mo or $39.99/yr) for sync, templates and sharing.
BrainSort: Free download; continuing past your first brain dump needs Pro ($4.99/mo, $29.99/yr or $49.99 once), with a 7-day free trial on the annual plan where eligible.
Platforms
Goblin Tools: Any browser, plus apps for iPhone, iPad, Mac and Android.
BrainSort: iPhone only (iOS 15 or later).
Breaking down a task
Goblin Tools: Magic ToDo: the tool that made it famous, with a “spiciness” setting for how detailed the steps get.
BrainSort: Suggests concrete steps with a first one under two minutes. Unlimited with Pro.
Brain dump
Goblin Tools: Compiler turns a wall of text into a list of tasks.
BrainSort: One capture that gets sorted into tasks, events and notes, with natural dates (“call mom Wednesday”).
Other tools
Goblin Tools: Many: Formalizer (rewrite tone), Judge (read tone), Estimator, Professor, Consultant, Chef and more.
BrainSort: Focused on capture and starting: no writing or tone tools.
Capture from anywhere
Goblin Tools: Open the site or the app.
BrainSort: Siri (“Brain dump in BrainSort”), home screen and lock screen widgets, voice or text.
Internet and account
Goblin Tools: Uses AI models on servers, so it needs a connection. Optional account for history and sync.
BrainSort: No account. Sorting and breakdowns run on the iPhone and work offline; tangled voice dumps can use optional cloud help.
Where your text goes
Goblin Tools: Sent to the service to be processed.
BrainSort: Stays on your iPhone, unless you turn on optional cloud help for a tangled voice dump: then only its text goes to Claude (Anthropic) to be sorted, and we don't keep it.
| Goblin Tools | BrainSort | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Website free, no ads. iOS app $1.99, optional Pro ($3.99/mo or $39.99/yr) for sync, templates and sharing. | Free download; continuing past your first brain dump needs Pro ($4.99/mo, $29.99/yr or $49.99 once), with a 7-day free trial on the annual plan where eligible. |
| Platforms | Any browser, plus apps for iPhone, iPad, Mac and Android. | iPhone only (iOS 15 or later). |
| Breaking down a task | Magic ToDo: the tool that made it famous, with a “spiciness” setting for how detailed the steps get. | Suggests concrete steps with a first one under two minutes. Unlimited with Pro. |
| Brain dump | Compiler turns a wall of text into a list of tasks. | One capture that gets sorted into tasks, events and notes, with natural dates (“call mom Wednesday”). |
| Other tools | Many: Formalizer (rewrite tone), Judge (read tone), Estimator, Professor, Consultant, Chef and more. | Focused on capture and starting: no writing or tone tools. |
| Capture from anywhere | Open the site or the app. | Siri (“Brain dump in BrainSort”), home screen and lock screen widgets, voice or text. |
| Internet and account | Uses AI models on servers, so it needs a connection. Optional account for history and sync. | No account. Sorting and breakdowns run on the iPhone and work offline; tangled voice dumps can use optional cloud help. |
| Where your text goes | Sent to the service to be processed. | Stays on your iPhone, unless you turn on optional cloud help for a tangled voice dump: then only its text goes to Claude (Anthropic) to be sorted, and we don't keep it. |
Where Goblin Tools is the better pick
- You want something completely free, or you mostly work on a computer.
- You use Android, or you switch between devices and want your lists synced.
- You want help with the tone of messages, or time estimates, not just tasks.
- You like tuning how detailed a breakdown is with the spiciness setting.
Where BrainSort is the better pick
- Your problem is catching thoughts before they disappear, on your iPhone, many times a day.
- Your head mixes tasks, appointments and ideas, and you want them sorted without doing it yourself.
- You want it to work offline, with no account, and keep your notes on your phone.
- You like capturing by voice through Siri, or from a widget.
Can you use both?
Yes, and it's a good combination. Use BrainSort as the inbox that catches everything during the day, and Goblin Tools when you're at a computer and need to rewrite an awkward email or get a very detailed breakdown of a big task.
BrainSort isn't affiliated with Goblin Tools. Goblin Tools is a product of its own developer; the names and features above are described from its public website and App Store page.