Buzz
How great would it be if your phone automatically switched to airplane mode when entering a theater, or sent a text to your spouse when leaving work? Both IFTTT and Tasker are capable of automating tasks like these, transforming your phone into a smart assistant. Today, we’ll compare both apps to see which one is best at streamlining your daily routine.
The Competitors
Android offers immense customization options, allowing you to make the phone truly yours. Beyond changing fonts or switching app launchers, Android gives you access to automation apps that can handle everything—from turning off Wi-Fi or Bluetooth when your battery is low to making your phone a voice-activated remote for your TV. Today, we’ll focus on two of Android’s most powerful automation tools:
IFTTT: IFTTT (If This Then That) is a web service that links your favorite apps and services—such as Evernote, Gmail, or Dropbox—via simple commands known as 'recipes.' A recipe involves a trigger (like receiving an email attachment in Gmail) and an action (such as saving the attachment to Dropbox). Each service has its own unique set of triggers and actions. The IF app for Android introduces specific channels for your phone, allowing actions to be triggered based on your location, incoming calls, or battery level. You can then automate tasks like adjusting system settings, sending messages, or even changing your wallpaper. For instance, you can configure IFTTT to automatically update your wallpaper with NASA's daily image. IFTTT is not limited to Android, making it a versatile way to connect your phone to other parts of your digital ecosystem.
Tasker: Tasker is a powerful rules-based automation tool for Android. It enables you to create 'profiles' based on variables like running apps, the day of the week, or your location. Tasker monitors your phone to detect when these conditions are met and triggers 'tasks' to perform actions like sending texts, adjusting phone settings, or playing music. For example, you could set Tasker to enable airplane mode when you're at the GPS coordinates of your favorite movie theater. Additionally, third-party plugins like AutoVoice further enhance Tasker's capabilities.
The examples we’ve shared only offer a glimpse into what both of these services are capable of. If you’re uncertain about where to begin, feel free to check out our readers’ most popular Tasker actions here. Additionally, IFTTT provides a massive collection of recipes for you to explore if you’re unsure how to create your own. You can also take advantage of the work already done by many dedicated users to make your phone do some truly impressive things.
IFTTT is User-Friendly but Restrictive, While Tasker is Feature-Rich with a Challenging Learning Curve
When comparing Tasker and IFTTT purely on ease of use, IFTTT wins without question. Its recipes follow a straightforward, easy-to-understand programming structure: if this happens, then that
Moreover, IFTTT boasts an expansive library of pre-made recipes created by other users. You can explore the library here, pick a recipe you like, and hit Add. That's all there is to it. The only additional step may be installing the IF app for Android and linking your services to IFTTT. It’s that easy, even for beginners.
Tasker, on the other hand, is positioned at the complete opposite end. Its interface is far more intricate, and the app comes with just basic tutorials to get started. We have our own guide here to help you along the way. You’ll also need to consult Tasker’s official wiki to fully grasp many of the app’s features. There are Tasker-focused user communities that can offer templates for automating specific actions, and you can even share your favorite actions too. However, if you can’t find an action that matches your needs, you’ll have to figure it out yourself. Unfortunately, this often involves a lot of trial, error, research, and problem-solving. While you don’t necessarily need to be a coder to use Tasker, it helps to have a basic understanding of how automating tasks works, which is more than IFTTT requires from its users.
Once you overcome the learning curve of Tasker, the effort you put into mastering it truly pays off. With Tasker, the possibilities are virtually endless. For instance, one user set up voice commands through Tasker to control his lights, TV, and home theater PC. Another created a makeshift one-handed mode for large phones. Using Tasker alongside a few plugins, you can design custom voice commands for anything Tasker is capable of. While these tasks may take more time to set up, Tasker is only limited by the amount of effort you’re willing to invest.
In contrast, IFTTT doesn’t offer the same level of customization. It provides a limited selection of Android actions and triggers. For example, you can change your phone's wallpaper, play music from apps, adjust system settings like volume and Wi-Fi, and more. Unfortunately, it lacks the ability to perform more complex tasks, such as creating custom voice commands. You also can’t combine multiple triggers or actions in a single IFTTT recipe. For instance, if you wanted to find a lost phone by texting it, even if it’s muted, you could create one recipe to unmute the phone and another to play a notification sound, but you can't trigger both actions in one recipe. This limitation can be frustrating if you need multiple actions to run from the same trigger, as you can't control the order in which they execute.
Thankfully, you don’t have to choose one over the other (and we’ll revisit this point later). For those who enjoy fine-tuning their devices, Tasker offers much more direct control. IFTTT is ideal for beginners or those who only want to automate simple tasks.
Tasker Plugins Enhance Its Capabilities, While IFTTT Integrates with All Your Favorite Services
Both Tasker and IFTTT offer substantial extensibility, but they achieve it in different ways. Tasker allows the use of third-party plugins to introduce additional features, whereas IFTTT extends its functionality by connecting with third-party online services. Let’s begin with Tasker. Here are some of our favorite and most useful Tasker plugins:
AutoVoice: This plugin lets you create custom voice commands to trigger Tasker actions. For example, in the home automation setup mentioned earlier, one Tasker user set up a voice command 'I’m home' that switches on all the lights in his house. It also integrates with Google Now, allowing you to use your personalized commands just like 'Ok, Google.'
AutoRemote: When used alongside AutoVoice, this plugin allows you to execute your custom voice commands through Cortana in Windows 10. For instance, you could run the “I’m home” command from the previous example while sitting at your desk, instead of having to reach for your phone. AutoRemote sends the command to your phone, and Tasker takes over from there.
AutoNotification: With this plugin, you can create persistent notifications on your phone, complete with buttons to manually trigger Tasker actions. For example, you could set up an action that disables GPS and Bluetooth and enables Wi-Fi. Then, when you return home, you simply tap the button to save battery by turning off services you don’t need.
Since its launch, third-party plugins have helped Tasker learn many new tricks. While the basic Tasker app already lets you do some cool things, adding voice commands or Cortana support truly takes it to the next level. You can explore even more plugins on the developer’s website here.
Unlike Tasker, IFTTT doesn’t support plugins, but it connects to a variety of other supported online services. This means you can change your phone's wallpaper via Instagram or trigger your home’s smart lights when you arrive. Check out IFTTT’s comprehensive list of channels here. While there are too many to cover, here are a few particularly useful ones:
Amazon Alexa Channel: If you own an Amazon Echo, this channel allows you to trigger actions on your Android device using Alexa. For example, you could use it to unmute and locate your phone if it’s lost (though, as mentioned earlier, you may need separate recipes for this). You can also set a command to turn on your phone’s GPS, so you can ask Alexa to do it before leaving for work instead of adjusting the settings manually.
Connected Home: IFTTT boasts an impressive collection of connected home channels. If you use devices from WeMo, D-Link, Harmony, or Nest, you can easily link them to IFTTT. Using the Android channels, you can automate actions like turning on lights when you get home or adjusting your thermostat when you leave.
Pushbullet: Pushbullet is a fantastic service that allows you to send messages and files between devices. You can already use it to bridge the gap between your phone, laptop, and tablet. With the IFTTT Pushbullet channel, you can take it a step further by receiving notifications on your computer if you miss a call or if your phone's battery is low.
These are just a few examples, but you can see how even channels unrelated to Android can still provide useful functionality.
Tasker and IFTTT: Like Chocolate and Peanut Butter—Great on Their Own, but Even Better Together
So, which one reigns supreme after all that? The answer is neither! Tasker is ideal for creating intricate, creative actions, while IFTTT acts as a simple bridge between your phone and other services. When you use each one for its strengths, you can accomplish some truly remarkable things.
For example, Tasker can be used to create a custom voice command that sends a text to IFTTT, which then activates your WeMo light switch. While you could do this with Tasker alone, it’s more complicated. Using both services together allows you to achieve even greater things with your phone, with less effort.
