In the Motion vs Reclaim decision, choose Reclaim if you want AI to protect focus time, habits and meetings on the Google or Outlook calendar you already use, starting with a free plan. Choose Motion if you want one app to run your tasks, projects and calendar together, and you're willing to move your to-do list into it. Reclaim adds a layer to your calendar. Motion replaces your planning system.
Below is a side-by-side comparison with prices checked on both vendors' pricing pages on October 5, 2026, plus a one-week test to settle it for your own schedule.
Motion vs Reclaim at a glance
| Item | Reclaim | Motion |
|---|---|---|
| Core idea | AI agents that defend time on your existing calendar | AI work platform that plans tasks and projects onto your calendar |
| Free plan | Yes, Lite (free forever) | No, free trial only |
| Paid from | Starter: $10 per seat per month billed yearly, $12 monthly | Pro AI: $19 per seat per month |
| Next tier | Business: $15 per seat per month billed yearly, $18 monthly | Business AI: $29 per seat per month |
| Calendars | Google Calendar and Outlook | Connects your calendars inside Motion's own app |
| Tasks | Syncs from Google Tasks, Todoist, Asana, ClickUp, Jira, Linear | Built-in tasks, projects, docs and notes |
| AI usage model | Number of AI agents per plan | Monthly AI credits per seat |
| Student discount | 50% for 12 months | Not listed |
| Best for | Focus time, habits, meeting-heavy weeks | Task-heavy work with deadlines |
How each one plans your week
Reclaim: a defender for your current calendar
Reclaim works inside Google Calendar or Outlook. You set goals, and its agents hold space for them: Focus Time (a weekly target of deep-work hours), Habits (like lunch or a daily review), Buffer Time around meetings, and Smart Meetings that move recurring meetings to the least disruptive slot. As your week fills up, those blocks shift automatically and change between "free" and "busy" depending on how at risk your goals are.
Reclaim also syncs tasks from tools you may already use, including Google Tasks, Todoist, Asana, ClickUp, Jira and Linear. It then books time for them before they're due. Scheduling Links handle external bookings, and Calendar Sync copies events between work and personal calendars so nobody double-books you.
Motion: an AI planner that wants to be your whole system
Motion asks you to put tasks, deadlines, priorities and projects into Motion itself. Its AI Calendar then builds your schedule, flags deadlines that are at risk, and rebuilds the plan whenever something slips. Motion's pricing page lists AI chat, AI projects and tasks, an AI calendar with meetings, AI docs and notes, and an AI writer, with apps for iOS, Android and desktop. Business AI adds team capacity planning, timeline and Gantt views, and time tracking.
The trade-off is commitment. Motion works best when nearly everything you need to do lives inside it. Half-adopting it, with tasks split between Motion and another app, removes most of its benefit.
Pricing and free plans
Reclaim's Lite plan is free forever for a single user. It includes 5 AI agents, Focus Time, Habits, Buffer Time, Smart Meetings, a one-week scheduling range, one Calendar Sync and one Scheduling Link. Starter costs $10 per seat per month billed yearly ($12 monthly), extends scheduling to 8 weeks and adds more syncs and links. Business costs $15 per seat per month billed yearly ($18 monthly) and adds unlimited syncs and links, a team out-of-office calendar and delegated access for assistants. Reclaim also lists a 50% discount for 12 months for students, educators and faculty.
Motion lists Pro AI at $19 per seat per month with 7,500 AI credits per seat, and Business AI at $29 per seat per month with 15,000 credits. There's a free trial but no permanent free plan. Billing terms differ between monthly and annual, so check Motion's pricing page and Reclaim's pricing page before you commit.
Integrations worth knowing about
Reclaim's pricing page lists a Slack integration that syncs your status with your calendar, Zoom and Google Meet links added to meetings automatically, and Microsoft Teams support. It also lists a Raycast extension for Mac (see Reclaim's Raycast integration page, and our Raycast vs Alfred comparison), a ChatGPT integration, and MCP connectors for Claude and Microsoft Copilot. Those let you ask an AI assistant to find time or move things around in plain language.
Motion's approach is different: most of the work happens inside Motion's own app, with integrations listed as a feature on every plan. If your company runs on a specific project tool, check that it connects before you start a trial.
Pros and cons
Reclaim
- Pros: a real free plan, works with the calendar and task apps you already have, excellent focus-time protection, generous student discount.
- Cons: it isn't a task manager, so you still need one, and the free plan only plans one week ahead.
Motion
- Pros: tasks, projects, docs and calendar in one place, aggressive automatic re-planning, team capacity views on Business AI.
- Cons: no free plan, you have to migrate your work into it, and AI usage is metered by credits.
Who each one is for
- Meeting-heavy managers and makers who keep losing deep-work time: Reclaim.
- Freelancers and founders juggling many deadlines in one place: Motion.
- Students: Reclaim, thanks to the free plan and the 50% education discount. Our list of the best AI tools for students shows how it fits with study apps.
- Teams already using Asana, Jira or Linear: Reclaim, which syncs those tasks instead of replacing them.
- People who like planning their day by hand: neither, at first. Try a daily planner like Sunsama or Akiflow, which keep you in control of the plan.
A one-week test to decide
- Day 1: Write down your three biggest weekly time drains, such as "meetings land on my mornings" or "deadlines sneak up on me".
- Days 1 to 3: Install Reclaim Lite. Set a Focus Time goal, a lunch Habit and 10-minute buffers after meetings. Don't change anything else.
- Days 4 to 7: Start Motion's trial. Move this week's tasks into it with deadlines and durations, and let it schedule them.
- Day 7: Ask yourself which week you finished more of the work that mattered, and which app you opened without being reminded.
If the drains you listed were about meetings eating your time, Reclaim usually wins. If they were about too many tasks and no plan, Motion usually wins.
What happened to Clockwise?
Clockwise, the other well-known AI calendar, shut down on March 27, 2026, according to Reclaim's announcement, and its founder recommended Reclaim to users. If you're migrating, read our guide to the best Clockwise alternatives.
FAQ
Is Reclaim better than Motion?
Reclaim is better if you want to protect time on your existing calendar and keep your current task app. Motion is better if you want a single AI system to plan all your tasks and projects. Most people with meeting-heavy weeks prefer Reclaim.
Does Motion have a free plan?
No. Motion offers a free trial, but its pricing page lists only paid plans, starting with Pro AI at $19 per seat per month.
Is Reclaim free?
Yes. Reclaim Lite is free forever for one user and includes Focus Time, Habits, Buffer Time, Smart Meetings, one Calendar Sync and one Scheduling Link. Paid plans extend the scheduling range and remove limits.
Does Reclaim work with Outlook?
Yes. Reclaim supports both Google Calendar and Outlook calendars, and can sync events between multiple calendars and accounts.
Can I use Motion or Reclaim with Todoist?
Reclaim integrates with Todoist and books time for your Todoist tasks on your calendar. Motion is designed to replace a separate task manager, so it works best when your tasks live inside Motion.
