Goblin Tools Review: Is It Actually Useful for ADHD?

I stared at “clean the house” on my to-do list for three hours last Tuesday. Then I found Goblin Tools and it broke that task into 12 steps before I could talk myself out of starting.

That’s basically the whole pitch. A collection of tiny, free, AI-powered tools built specifically for neurodivergent brains. No account required. No subscription wall. Just open the site and use it.

But does it actually help with ADHD? I spent two weeks testing every single tool. Here’s what happened.

What Is Goblin Tools?

Goblin Tools is a free web app created by Bram De Buyser, a software and AI engineer. It’s a collection of small, single-purpose tools designed to help with executive functioning challenges. Think of it as a Swiss Army knife for the ADHD brain.

The website is completely free. No ads. No paywalls. There are paid mobile apps on iOS and Android (a few bucks), and those purchases help keep the web version free for everyone. You can also support the project through Ko-Fi or Patreon.

The whole thing runs on AI models in the background. Which means output accuracy varies. The site even warns you not to take anything it returns as gospel truth. Refreshing honesty from a tech tool.

The Tools: Tested One by One

Magic To-Do (Task Breakdown)

This is the star of the show. You type in a task. It breaks it into smaller subtasks. You can even break those subtasks down further.

I typed “File my taxes.” It gave me:

1. Gather all income documents
2. Collect receipts for deductions
3. Choose a tax preparation method
4. Fill in personal information
5. Enter income details
6. Enter deductions and credits
7. Review the return
8. Submit the return
9. Save a copy for records

For ADHD brains, this is massive. Task paralysis happens because a big task feels like one enormous blob. Your brain can’t find a starting point. Magic To-Do gives you that starting point. And a second one. And a third.

I used it for everything that week. “Plan birthday party for my 7-year-old.” “Organize the doom pile on the kitchen counter.” “Write a business proposal.” Every time, it produced a reasonable, actionable breakdown within seconds.

The spiciness slider is a nice touch. You can adjust how detailed the breakdown gets. Low spiciness gives you broad steps. Crank it up and you get micro-steps that even the worst task paralysis day can handle.

Verdict: This alone makes Goblin Tools worth bookmarking. 9/10.

Formalizer

You write something casual (or angry, or scattered) and it rewrites it in whatever tone you pick. Professional. Friendly. Assertive. Even “explain it like I’m five.”

I tested it with this: “hey can u push the meeting bc I totally forgot about the other thing I have to do”

The professional version came back as a polished, apologetic email requesting a schedule change. Perfectly fine. Nothing embarrassing.

This tool is gold for the ADHD tendency to either overthink emails for 45 minutes or send something you regret. It removes the decision fatigue around tone. You just pick a setting and let it handle the wording.

Where it falls short: Sometimes the output is generic. It loses your personality. But for work emails where personality isn’t the point? It’s great.

Verdict: Solid utility tool. Saves real time. 7/10.

Judge

Paste in a message you received. Judge tells you the tone and emotional content. Is this person being passive-aggressive? Genuinely kind? Sarcastic?

I pasted in a text from my mother-in-law: “It’s fine, don’t worry about it at all.” Judge correctly flagged it as potentially dismissive with underlying frustration. Ha.

For ADHD folks who struggle with rejection sensitivity (RSD), this is interesting. Instead of spiraling for two hours over a vague Slack message, you can get a second opinion in three seconds.

The limitation: It’s AI guessing at tone from text alone. No context about the relationship, the conversation history, or the sender. So take it as a data point, not a definitive answer.

Verdict: Fun and occasionally genuinely useful. 6/10.

Estimator

Tell it a task. It estimates how long it’ll take.

Time blindness is one of the most disruptive ADHD symptoms. I genuinely cannot tell you if something will take 10 minutes or 3 hours. My brain treats all future time as one vague blob.

I tested: “Grocery shopping for a family of four.” Estimator said 45 minutes to 1 hour 15 minutes. That’s… actually reasonable.

“Clean the bathroom” got 30 to 45 minutes. Also fair.

“Write a 2000-word blog post” got 2 to 4 hours. Depending on hyperfocus status, that’s accurate.

The catch: It can’t account for your specific speed, distractions, or the fact that you’ll definitely check your phone 47 times. It’s giving you a neurotypical estimate. But even a rough number is better than the void of “I have no idea how long this takes” that most of us live in.

Verdict: Helpful as a rough guide. Pair it with a timer for best results. 7/10.

Compiler

The reverse of Magic To-Do. You dump in a bunch of scattered thoughts, notes, or bullet points. Compiler organizes them into something coherent.

I pasted my messy brain dump about a project idea. Twelve bullet points in no particular order, some redundant, some contradictory. Compiler spat out a structured summary with clear categories.

This is the tool for after a hyperfocus brainstorm session when you’ve got 47 sticky notes and zero structure. It takes chaos and makes it readable.

Where it struggles: If your notes are truly incoherent (and mine sometimes are), the AI will make assumptions that might not match your intent. Always review the output.

Verdict: Great for turning brain dumps into plans. 7/10.

Chef

Tell it what ingredients you have. It suggests recipes.

Okay, this one is less ADHD-specific and more just… useful. Decision fatigue around meals is real though. “What do I make for dinner” is a question that has defeated me more times than I’d like to admit.

I told it I had chicken thighs, rice, broccoli, soy sauce, and garlic. It gave me a solid stir-fry recipe with steps. Not gourmet. But dinner, on the table, without 30 minutes of scrolling food blogs.

Verdict: Nice to have. Not the reason you’ll use Goblin Tools, but handy. 6/10.

What Works and What Doesn’t

What works: The tools that directly address executive dysfunction. Magic To-Do for task paralysis. Estimator for time blindness. Compiler for organizing scattered thoughts. These genuinely reduce the friction that makes ADHD hard.

What doesn’t: None of the tools are deeply personalized. They don’t learn your patterns. They don’t integrate with your calendar or task manager. Each session starts fresh. For some people that’s a feature (privacy, simplicity). For others, it’s a limitation.

Also, the AI output quality is “good enough” but not perfect. You’ll occasionally get generic or slightly off suggestions. It’s a free tool running on AI models. Calibrate expectations accordingly.

Pricing

Here’s the beautiful part.

The website is free. Completely free. No account. No trial period. No “upgrade to unlock.”

The mobile apps cost a few dollars (prices vary by platform). That money keeps the website free. You can also donate via Ko-Fi or Patreon if you want to support development.

That’s it. No tiers. No premium features locked behind a paywall. In a world where every app wants $12/month, this is refreshing.

Who Is Goblin Tools For?

People with ADHD who struggle with:

• Task paralysis (Magic To-Do will change your life)
• Time blindness (Estimator gives you a starting point)
• Email/communication anxiety (Formalizer and Judge)
• Organizing scattered thoughts (Compiler)
• Decision fatigue around daily tasks (Chef, Magic To-Do)

It’s NOT for you if:

• You need a full project management system
• You want something that integrates with other apps
• You need recurring tasks, reminders, or scheduling

Think of Goblin Tools as a utility belt, not a command center. It’s the thing you pull up when you’re stuck, not the thing that runs your whole system.

Final Verdict

Goblin Tools is genuinely useful for ADHD. And it’s free. Just go try it.

Magic To-Do alone is worth the bookmark. The other tools range from occasionally helpful to surprisingly practical. The whole package costs nothing, requires no signup, and takes about four seconds to start using.

It won’t replace your task manager or your therapist or your medication. But it will help you break through the paralysis on a bad brain day. And some days, that’s everything.

Overall rating: 8/10

Try Goblin Tools here

FAQ

Is Goblin Tools free?

Yes. The website is completely free with no ads or paywalls. Mobile apps on iOS and Android cost a few dollars, and those purchases help fund the free web version. You can also donate through Ko-Fi or Patreon.

Is Goblin Tools specifically designed for ADHD?

It’s designed for neurodivergent people broadly, with a focus on executive functioning challenges. The creator built it to help with tasks that feel overwhelming or difficult. Most of the tools directly address common ADHD struggles like task paralysis and time blindness.

Do I need to create an account to use Goblin Tools?

No. You can use every tool on the website without signing up, logging in, or providing any personal information. Just open the site and start using it.

Does Goblin Tools save my data?

The tools process your input through AI models to generate results. Check the privacy policy for specifics on data handling. There’s no user account, so nothing is stored in a profile tied to you.

Can Goblin Tools replace a to-do list app?

No. It’s not designed for that. Magic To-Do breaks tasks down, but it doesn’t save your lists, send reminders, or track progress over time. Use it alongside your existing task manager, not instead of one.

Is Goblin Tools available as a mobile app?

Yes. There are official apps on both iOS and Android. Be careful to download the official one by Bram De Buyser. There are copycat apps on the stores that aren’t affiliated with the original.