features · Apr 29, 2020

Wunderlist Alternative: Effortlessly Switch to Quire

Q: Why did Wunderlist shut down?

Microsoft acquired Wunderlist in 2015 and announced its retirement in 2020 in favor of Microsoft To-Do, which absorbed many but not all of Wunderlist's features. Long-time Wunderlist users had to migrate their data to a new tool, and many found that Microsoft To-Do's feature set was narrower than what they had relied on in Wunderlist for years.

Q: How do you migrate from Wunderlist to Quire?

Export your Wunderlist data from Account Settings (Wunderlist sends a zip file with a JSON file inside) and uncompress it. Then in Quire, create a new project, open the project's dropdown menu, and import the JSON file. Lists become root tasks, items become subtasks, and sub-items become sub-subtasks. Quire's nested model preserves the hierarchy Wunderlist had.

Q: What did Wunderlist users miss most after the shutdown?

The most common complaints were that Microsoft To-Do flattened nested subtasks, didn't have Kanban-style boards, and lost the collaboration patterns Wunderlist had built. Many users moved to tools like Quire specifically because Quire kept nested task hierarchy as a first-class feature, which is what Wunderlist had done well and Microsoft To-Do did not.

Q: Is Quire a good Wunderlist alternative for personal task management?

Yes. Quire's free plan covers personal use comfortably, supports nested task lists (the Wunderlist pattern), and adds Kanban Board and Calendar views that Wunderlist never had. For solo to-do management, Quire is heavier than Microsoft To-Do but lighter than tools like Asana or ClickUp, which is usually the right level for ex-Wunderlist users.

Q: How much does Quire cost compared to Wunderlist?

Quire has a free plan that covers most personal and small-team use cases (up to 35 members and 80 projects). Wunderlist was free with a paid Pro tier. The break-even comparison usually goes Quire's way for personal users because Quire's free tier is more generous than Wunderlist Pro was on most dimensions that matter, like project count, members, and collaboration features.

Q: Does Quire work offline as a Wunderlist replacement?

Yes. Quire can work 100% offline, so you can keep managing tasks and projects on a plane or a weak connection just as Wunderlist let you, and your changes sync once you are back online.

Comparison chart of Wunderlist alternative task management tools

Last updated: July 20, 2026

TL;DR

Quire is a Wunderlist alternative that preserves the nested task hierarchy Wunderlist users relied on, with three-step JSON-based migration. Microsoft acquired Wunderlist in 2015 and shut it down in 2020 in favor of Microsoft To-Do, which dropped some of the features that mattered most to power users. Quire's free plan covers most personal and small-team use cases.

Table of content

How do you migrate your projects from Wunderlist to Quire?
What helpful resources help you continue where you left off?
Ready to import your Wunderlist data into Quire?
Frequently Asked Questions

Wunderlist has been a go-to task management software and a to-do list app for hundreds of thousands of people. We understand how sad you must be when Microsoft decided to shut down Wunderlist and force you to switch to Microsoft To-Do. It's not fair, we know. It's frustrating, we understand. Life just cannot go your way, can it?

The Wunderlist shutdown is well-documented in tech press. Microsoft's acquisition announcement came in 2015, and the shutdown announcement confirmed in 2017 that Microsoft To-Do would absorb the user base. By May 2020, according to Microsoft's own shutdown notice, Wunderlist's servers were dark and existing users had to export their data. Quire's import was built specifically for that migration, with the nested-task structure preserved (the piece Microsoft To-Do flattens).

With Wunderlist going away in May, you have to find a better task management software. And somehow, you ended up here with Quire. We know you are sad that your favorite to-do app is now gone, but we’re secretly happy for you to explore your soon-to-be best friend - Quire! We’re here to help you replace Wunderlist with a simple yet powerful software that can walk your dreams home.

“I'm truly amazed by how it works! I'm one of the Wunderlist orphans to be, so I started a search for a new app to use both for private and professional small projects. Quire is by far the best one among some ten or more I tested! I'm really satisfied, you and your team should be proud to make one of the best products about project management and productivity!”

-- Lucas Marquetti

Quire can also work 100% offline, so you keep managing tasks and projects without a connection, and changes sync once you are back online.

How do you migrate your projects from Wunderlist to Quire?

Change can be uncomfortable, but we’ve made it easy for you! Here’s how we help you upgrade your task management software to Quire!

Export your data from Wunderlist into a zip file then uncompress the folder to find a JSON file.

Tip: You can go to Account Settings on Wunderlist, choose Account, click Create Backup and wait for the zip file to be sent to your mailbox.
Create a new project at Quire.
Click on the dropdown next to your new project’s name and import the uncompressed JSON file.

All of the lists from the left sidebar in Wunderlist will be treated as root tasks in Quire, and the tasks inside the lists will be treated as subtasks. If there’s a subtask in Wunderlist, it will become the sub-subtask in Quire. If you wish to treat each list from Wunderlist as a project in Quire, you can move these tasks to other projects.

What helpful resources help you continue where you left off?

Of course we never want you to feel left out here, so we have prepared a few helpful resources to lend you a hand with setting up your account with Quire!

Tutorial for Quire’s unique hierarchical to-do list
Tutorial for Quire’s Kanban Board (something that Wunderlist doesn’t offer!)
How to add your tasks and subtasks
Top-notch hacks that make your productivity great again
Switching from Todoist instead? Here's how to do it smoothly
What team management software is and why your team needs one

Ready to import your Wunderlist data into Quire?

If you've been holding on to a Wunderlist export and putting off the migration, the JSON import path is the lowest-friction way to land in Quire. Export Wunderlist, create a project in Quire, and import the JSON. Most people are working in the new tool within an afternoon, with the nested structure intact. Free plan covers most personal use. The Quire pricing page has the team-tier details if you outgrow the free tier later.

Let us know your first experience with Quire in the comments section or tweet us at @quire_io.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why did Wunderlist shut down?

Microsoft acquired Wunderlist in 2015 and retired it in 2020 in favor of Microsoft To-Do, which absorbed only some of its features.

How do you migrate from Wunderlist to Quire?

Export your Wunderlist data as a JSON file from Account Settings, create a new project in Quire, and import it. Lists become root tasks, items become subtasks, and sub-items become sub-subtasks.

What did Wunderlist users miss most after the shutdown?

Mainly that Microsoft To-Do flattened nested subtasks and dropped Kanban boards. That's why many ex-Wunderlist users moved to tools like Quire that kept nesting intact.

Is Quire a good Wunderlist alternative for personal task management?

Yes. Quire's free plan covers personal use, keeps nested task lists like Wunderlist had, and adds Kanban and Calendar views Wunderlist never offered.

How much does Quire cost compared to Wunderlist?

Quire's free plan (up to 35 members and 80 projects) is more generous than Wunderlist Pro was, which makes Quire the better deal for most personal users.

Does Quire work offline as a Wunderlist replacement?

Yes. Quire works 100% offline, so you can manage tasks with no connection, just like Wunderlist allowed, and changes sync once you're back online.