Vikunja: The Self-Hosted To-Do App That Actually Works

Started looking for a self-hosted to-do app after getting tired of Todoist's free tier limitations. Wanted something with mobile apps, calendar integration, and recurring tasks. Found Vikunja.

So what is it?

Vikunja is an open-source to-do app. Think of it as a self-hosted Todoist alternative. You can run it on your own server or use their hosted service. Either way, it's got the features you'd expect:

• ✓ Tasks with due dates, reminders, repeat schedules
• ✓ Lists, projects, and tags for organization
• ✓ Priority levels and labels
• ✓ Mobile apps (iOS and Android)
• ✓ Calendar integration (CalDAV)
• ✓ File attachments
• ✓ Team sharing and collaboration

Created by the same people behind Vikunja (a project management tool). But this is their personal task manager - simpler, focused on individual use.

Getting it running with Docker

Docker is the way to go. Here's what worked for me:

# Create directories for data persistence
mkdir -p ~/vikunja/data
mkdir -p ~/vikunja/files

# Run with Docker
docker run -d \
  --name vikunja \
  -p 3456:3456 \
  -v ~/vikunja/data:/app/vikunja/files \
  -v ~/vikunja/files:/app/vikunja/files \
  -e VIKUNJA_API_URL=https://api.vikunja.io \
  vikunja/vikunja:latest

# Access at http://your-server:3456

First run asks you to create an account. That's it - you're in.

For production, use docker-compose with proper backups:

version: '3'

services:
  db:
    image: postgres:15
    environment:
      POSTGRES_PASSWORD: changeme
      POSTGRES_DB: vikunja
    volumes:
      - ./db:/var/lib/postgresql/data
    restart: unless-stopped

  vikunja:
    image: vikunja/vikunja:latest
    ports:
      - 3456:3456
    environment:
      VIKUNJA_API_URL: https://api.vikunja.io
      VIKUNJA_DATABASE_HOST: db
      VIKUNJA_DATABASE_PASSWORD: changeme
      VIKUNJA_DATABASE_TYPE: postgres
    volumes:
      - ./files:/app/vikunja/files
    depends_on:
      - db
    restart: unless-stopped

First time setup

When you first open Vikunja, you'll see a blank screen. Here's what to do:

Features that matter (and ones that don't)

Mobile apps are actually good

This was my biggest concern - would the mobile apps be as good as Todoist's? Surprisingly, yes.

Download from App Store or Google Play. Enter your server URL. Login. That's it.

Calendar integration (actually works)

This was a make-or-break feature for me. I need to see tasks alongside my calendar events.

Vikunja supports CalDAV. Here's how to set it up:

# In Vikunja, go to Settings → CalDAV

# Copy your CalDAV URL (something like):
https://your-domain.com/dav/calendars/user_id/calendar/

# Add to calendar app:

# macOS Calendar:
→ Preferences → Accounts → Add CalDAV Account
→ Enter URL and credentials

# Google Calendar (via bridge):
→ Use a CalDAV bridge like Radicale
→ Or sync Vikunja to Google Calendar using tasks.org

# Thunderbird:
→ Events and Tasks → Calendar → Add → Calendar
→ Enter CalDAV URL

Once connected, your tasks show up in your calendar. Due dates appear as all-day events. You can even see recurring tasks as repeating events.

Recurring tasks that actually recur

This is the feature that made me leave Todoist. In Todoist, recurring tasks required premium. In Vikunja, it's free.

Examples of recurring tasks I use:

Daily:
├── Take vitamins
├── Check email first thing
└── Review daily priorities

Weekly:
├── Water plants
├── Backup server
└── Review weekly goals

Monthly:
├── Pay bills
├── Review subscriptions
└── Check server storage

Custom intervals:
├── Every 2 weeks - water plants (don't overwater)
├── Every 3 months - check smoke detectors
└── First Monday of month - team planning

Setup is straightforward. When creating a task, click "Repeat" and choose your schedule:

• • Choose from presets (Daily, Weekly, Monthly)
• • Or set custom intervals (every X days, every Y weeks)
• • Set end date or repeat forever
• • Adjust when the next occurrence is created

When you complete a recurring task, Vikunja automatically creates the next occurrence. Just like Todoist. Just free.

How I actually organize my tasks

Lists by category:

Personal
├── Health
│   ├── Exercise
│   ├── Meal prep
│   └── Doctor appointments
├── Finances
│   ├── Pay bills
│   ├── Review subscriptions
│   └── Budget tracking
└── Learning
    ├── Reading
    ├── Online courses
    └── Practice projects

Work
├── Inbox (capture everything here first)
├── Today (tasks for today)
├── This Week (committed tasks)
├── Backlog (stuff to do eventually)
└── Completed (auto-archive)

Shopping
├── Groceries
├── Household items
└── Wish list (stuff to buy someday)

Priority system that works

I keep it simple:

Labels for categorization:

Problems I hit (and how I fixed them)

Vikunja vs Todoist: honest comparison

So should you use it?

Vikunja is a good fit if:

• ✓ You're okay with Docker or basic server admin
• ✓ You want recurring tasks without paying for premium
• ✓ You care about data privacy (self-hosted)
• ✓ You need mobile apps that actually work
• ✓ You want calendar integration via CalDAV

Stick with Todoist if:

• ✗ You don't want to manage a server
• ✗ You need lots of integrations (Slack, Google Calendar directly)
• ✗ You love the natural language input ("Task tomorrow at 3pm")
• ✗ You want something that just works without any setup

After 8 months of use

Vikunja has been working well for me. The mobile apps are reliable. Calendar sync is solid. Recurring tasks save me time.

Is it as polished as Todoist? No. The UI is functional but not beautiful. Some features feel a bit rough around the edges. But for core functionality - add tasks, mark them done, get reminded - it works great.

The biggest win is not paying for premium features. Recurring tasks. Unlimited projects. Mobile apps. All free. Just need to provide the server.

If you're tired of Todoist's free tier limits and want something self-hosted that actually works, Vikunja is worth trying.