The Best Planners for ADHD of 2024

I first came across the Imperfect Inspiration Planner on TikTok thanks to the enthusiasm of many of my favorite ADHD content creators. While these glimpses certainly made it seem promising, the real test was trying it out myself. This planner is clearly crafted by someone who understands the biggest sticking points of ADHD (which isn’t a huge surprise given that the creator has ADHD themselves).

The Imperfect Inspiration Planner is one of the best planners for ADHD thanks to its multiple formats and layouts, strong customization features, and excellent prompts related to work, self care, and more. I especially love its discbound binding—which was available on the left, right, or top—a design choice that allows pages to be easily added or removed as needed. Filling it out daily felt like doing a worksheet I knew all the answers to, which, for this giant nerd, was a big plus.

Every part of this journal is encouraging, especially the pep talk and low-pressure instructions it provides on its first two pages. For a person who has felt extremely judged by planners in the past, this one was a breath of fresh air.

While the $55 suggested price tag might be a little high for some shoppers, Imperfect Inspiration supports a philosophy that “everyone deserves to feel focused.” To accomplish this goal, they offer most of the page layouts as $5 digital downloads to let users print and build their own planner on the cheap if you don’t have money for the pre-assembled version.

If you’re looking for an ADHD planner that’s travel-sized and work-appropriate, the Panda Planner is a great option. It offers page layouts that are well designed for those with ADHD, including prompts to help you review the previous week, plan for the next, and focus on long-term goal setting. The pages are undated, meaning you avoid the guilt of wasted paper, and it has a strong mix of short and longer-term planning space available.

Though the binding of this planner doesn’t offer the flexibility of the discbound options, it does have significantly less bulk to it. It’s also sold in a fun array of colors, letting you have a subtler and more professional look without losing the thrill of a pleasing aesthetic. This is a great choice for adults with ADHD who need a small organizational aid.

Though the Happy Planner wasn’t designed specifically for ADHD, it was one of the best planners recommended by ADHD shoppers and experts. It’s easy to see why people love it so much, with its variety of bright, fun designs and colorful pages. We tested the pun-focused and food-themed design, but there is a great range of options available from affirming to motivational or just plain pretty.

On a personal level, this planner didn’t work as well for me. I found the number of places to record notes to be overwhelming and had trouble remembering my options. The weekly and daily dated pages quickly felt like reminders of failure when I inevitably skipped a day (or several). It also doesn’t include any sort of bookmark, meaning I had to slog through finding the right page each time I closed the planner.

All that being said, I can absolutely see why this planner is so popular with others who have ADHD, and it is very much still worth considering. The designs add a fun, colorful break to the day, and the inspirational quotes sprinkled throughout are a fun surprise. Overall, this planner does what its name promises. It provides a little dose of happy every time you see it, encouraging you to use it more consistently.

Technically speaking, the Bullet Journal isn’t exclusively a planner. However, it was created by someone with ADHD to help others with ADHD organize their lives. It’s also one of the most popular amongst ADHD consumers and neurotypical consumers alike, so much so that there are countless copycats available inspired by the Bullet Journal system.

At its heart, the Bullet Journal may be the very best planner for ADHD and the very worst for neurotypical users. It relies heavily on devoting time, thought, and creativity to how you want to organize your book. Though the included suggestions for layouts help eliminate some of the blank-page anxiety, these templates won’t suffice for everyone.

On the flip side, this method may be extremely appealing to those who like more creative control of their planning, those who need to be more engaged to stay inspired, and those who can’t seem to find a planning process that works for them.

There’s a lot to love about The Simple Elephant weekly planner, but we’re calling out the pen loop for a reason. Losing small objects like pens is a frequent occurrence for many of us with ADHD, so the ability to have a designated pen that is always with the planner is extremely appealing. After all, you’re more likely to use the planner if you always have the ability to update it.

This planner features an elegant design that can seamlessly flex between work meetings, appointments, and daily tasks. It includes stickers, (which are always a welcome addition) as well as three attached bookmarks to let you flip between your most-used pages easily. This planner also offers prompts to help you document your progress on goals without getting overwhelmed. It’s a great planner for everywhere and anywhere, and it may be the perfect way to keep your ADHD in check.