To-dos as cards · iPhone and Apple Watch
The next card
is the thing to do now.
Write it in one line and Firsthand ranks the order. Look only at the top card, and play it when it's done.
Screens show sample data and may differ in the released version.
One line
Write it as you think it.Times, tags and priority sort themselves out.
Put the date, the time, a #tag and !! for important in one sentence, and they become details on the card. Repeats like “every Monday” or “weekdays” work too.
It understands English and Simplified Chinese.
Only the top card
The order is set,and every card can tell you why it's there.
Firsthand ranks cards by due time, importance and estimated time, with the rules out in the open. The top card is the one most worth doing now. For the whole picture, switch to the Importance & urgency matrix.
Play, delay, drop
Done with a card?Play it.
Swipe right to play it. Delaying costs nothing, and the card comes back on its own. Don't want to do it? Drop it. Overdue cards are only counted, never painted red. Played cards stay in your history and never return to the deck.
Focus
Start a focus session,and the Dynamic Island keeps time.
Start the timer from any card. The countdown stays in the Dynamic Island and on the Lock Screen, even when you switch apps. Play the card right from the Island, or look at it again tomorrow.
Work widget
What you've earned today,and how long until you're done.
Enter a monthly or daily pay and your hours, and the widgets, the Dynamic Island and your watch count today's earnings and the time left. It can follow public holidays in 245 countries and regions. The amount is hidden on the Lock Screen by default, and the watch shows only the countdown.
Apple Watch
Raise your wristto see what's next.
Your watch shows the top card of your deck. Tap to play it or delay it. Firsthand fits in the Smart Stack too.
And the details
Repeats
Daily, weekdays, a day of the month, yearly by the lunar calendar. Legal workdays skip public holidays and include make-up workdays.
Widgets and Control Center
Home Screen and Lock Screen widgets show the top card, and a tap plays it. Firsthand fits in Control Center too.
Siri and Shortcuts
Say “Add a card in Firsthand” or “What's next in Firsthand”.
Share from other apps
Select some text or a link and share it to Firsthand. It becomes a card.
Move from Reminders
Bring them over in one go, or paste text one card per line. Read only, your originals stay untouched.
Daily backups
Backups go to the Files app. Restoring only brings back what's missing, and you can export everything as JSON.
Break it down PRO
On-device AI splits a card into steps, never online. Needs a device that supports Apple Intelligence.
Alarms and nagging reminders PRO
Cards that really matter can ring an alarm, even in silent mode. Alarms need iOS 26.
Deal around your calendar PRO
Looks at the free time left in today's calendar and deals cards you can finish.
Your to-dosstay on your device.
No sign-up
There's no account. Open it and start.
No server of ours
Nothing collected, uploaded or tracked. No ads, no third-party analytics.
Permissions stay local
Calendar and Reminders are read on your iPhone only, and the AI breakdown runs on the device too.
What you need every dayis free for good.
Free forever
- Unlimited cards, steps and tags
- One-line capture, auto-ranking, overview matrix
- Reminders, repeats and focus
- Widgets, Control Center, Siri
- Import, export and daily backups
Pro · pay once
- Break down: on-device AI, never online
- Nagging reminders and alarms
- Deal around your calendar
- Future Pro features at no extra cost
Pro is a one-time purchase, with no subscription and no auto-renewal. The price will be shown on the App Store at launch.
Questions
When can I download it?
Firsthand isn't on the App Store yet. A download link will appear here once it is.
What do I need?
An iPhone with iOS 17 or later, and an Apple Watch with watchOS 10 or later. Alarms need iOS 26, and the on-device breakdown needs a device that supports Apple Intelligence.
Does it sync to my other devices?
Not for now. Your data lives on your iPhone, and the watch gets what it shows through the system's iPhone–watch connection. A backup is saved to the Files app every day, and you can export at any time.
Which languages does the app support?
The app is in English and Simplified Chinese. This website comes in nine languages, which doesn't mean the app supports them.
Is Pro a subscription?
No. Pro is paid once, with no subscription or auto-renewal. Features added to Pro later cost nothing extra, and free features will never move behind Pro.
Play the top card first.
Firsthand is coming soon to the App Store. Questions or ideas? Write to manekineko.slc@gmail.com.