I’ve never been shy about foregoing the use of one tool if another tool works better for a particular purpose. I use OmniFocus as my primary productivity tool, and Evernote as my main information repository for non-sensitive data. Recently though, I decided there had to be a better solution for creating simple lists. Both OmniFocus and Evernote are great, but are overkill for simple lists.
When I need to make a simple list in iOS, I turn to AnyList. I settled on AnyList after trying out four or five other listmaking apps. AnyList won me over with its clean, elegant interface that makes it easy to both enter information, and check off items when you’re finished. If you use the app as a checklist (for a packing list, for example), you can easily reset the entire list when you’re done, so that you can use it again without having to manually uncheck every item. You can create multiple lists, categorize items, and add notes to items.
One benefit of using AnyList is it helps me keep OmniFocus manageable. I found that one my biggest problems with OmniFocus was that it got too busy when I dumped every mundane item into it. Right now, I keep a handful of lists in AnyList, including a packing list, a list of movies I want to watch, an app wish list, and a list of tutorials that I want to watch on Screencasts Online. Keeping those items out of OmniFocus has made OmniFocus much more manageable for me.
The developers have gone with a freemium route, so the basic functionality is free. For $7.99 a year, AnyList Complete gives you web access, folder organization, item photos, theme support, and some other options.