The core difference
Goblin Tools is a free web tool that uses AI to break one overwhelming task into micro-steps (its Magic To-Do feature). You paste in "write my essay" and it spits out ten small, actionable steps. That's its whole job — and it does that job brilliantly.
Lunar also has AI task breakdown as a Pro feature, but it's one piece inside a full ADHD planner. Goblin Tools solves "I can't start this task." Lunar solves "I don't know which task to start, and I don't have the energy I thought I did." Those are two different problems, and women with ADHD usually have both.
Feature comparison
| Feature | Goblin Tools | Lunar |
|---|---|---|
| AI task breakdown | Yes — Magic To-Do | Yes (Pro) |
| Free to use | Yes, fully free | Free tier available |
| iOS app | No — web only | Yes |
| Task persistence | No — session only | Yes — synced |
| Body doubling | No | Yes |
| Cycle-phase filtering | No | Yes — 4 phases |
| Energy-level filter | No | Yes — 4 levels |
| Daily check-in | No | Yes |
| Works offline | No | Yes |
| Streak / guilt pressure | None | None by design |
Who should use Goblin Tools
- You have one specific task that's paralysing you right now
- You don't want to download another app
- You already have a planner — you just need help breaking things down
- You want something free with zero setup
Who should use Lunar
- You need a full daily ADHD system, not just one-off task help
- Your focus and energy shift week to week with your cycle
- You want your tasks saved and filtered — not lost when you close a tab
- You want body doubling sessions built into the same app
- You need task breakdown integrated with the tasks you'll actually act on
The gap Goblin Tools leaves
Goblin Tools is excellent at the "I can't start" moment. But it doesn't know which task you should be starting. It doesn't know you've been awake since 5am, that you're in your luteal phase, or that you have three tasks you haven't touched since Tuesday. It breaks down whatever you give it — and then that list disappears when you close the tab.
Lunar is the context layer. It knows your energy, your cycle phase, your task history. When you need a task broken down inside Lunar, the Pro feature does that — and the steps live inside your filtered task list, attached to the task they belong to.
Verdict
Goblin Tools is a single-purpose tool that does one thing brilliantly — free, no app, no friction. Lunar is a daily companion that handles the whole system. Many ADHD women end up using both: Goblin Tools to break down a paralysing task, Lunar to decide when to do it and track it through completion.