Things3 Vs. Todoist: Which is the Best Task Management App?
Follow this Things 3 and Todoist comparison to discover which task manager is best for you.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Task apps have become more than just digital checklists; they shape the way we plan, work, and even think about time. After spending real time with both Things 3 and Todoist, I noticed how different they feel once you go beyond the basics. On the surface they both let you add tasks, set deadlines, and keep track of priorities, but the experience they create is not the same.
Things 3 focuses on clarity, giving you a calm and almost distraction-free space to organize your day. Todoist takes a broader approach, built with powerful features that can handle personal planning as well as complex team projects. The contrast between them isn’t only about design, it’s about the kind of mindset each app encourages.
This comparison looks at those differences in detail, so you can see how each tool actually fits into everyday routines and decide which one matches the way you like to work.
Quick Comparison Table: Things3 Vs. Todoist
Key Features | Things 3 | Todoist |
Pricing & Plans | One-time purchase: Mac $49.99, iPad $19.99, iPhone/Watch $9.99 (~$80 total); major version upgrades require new purchase | ✅ Winner Freemium model; Pro $4/month, Business $6/month; continuous updates and full features |
Task Capture & Entry | Quick Entry on Mac, Magic Plus button, basic natural language for dates/reminders | ✅ Winner Advanced natural language input, recurring tasks, labels, project assignment, collaborators |
Task Management | Areas, Projects, Headings, Tags, subtasks, basic priorities | ✅ Winner Projects, subtasks, priorities, labels, recurring tasks, file attachments, sharing, nested subtasks |
Planning & Scheduling | ✅ Winner Today view with calendar integration; sections: Today, Evening, Upcoming, Anytime, Someday; start dates for pacing | List, board, and calendar views; filters and custom views; flexible calendar integrations |
Collaboration Features | None; personal use only | ✅ Winner Shared projects, assignees, comments, file uploads, role-based permissions |
Integrations & Automation | Apple ecosystem: Siri Shortcuts, Things Cloud, Apple Watch; limited outside Apple | ✅ Winner 80+ integrations including Google Calendar, Slack, Zapier, Outlook; API support for automation |
Mobile & Cross-Device Use | Native Apple apps; polished and offline-capable; Apple-only | ✅ Winner Works on iOS, Android, Windows, Mac, Web; tasks sync seamlessly across devices |
Ease of Use | ✅ Winner Minimalist, distraction-free, intuitive for Apple users | Powerful but slightly heavier; more features to learn |
Overall | Good for Apple-only personal planning | ✅ Winner Best overall for flexibility, team collaboration, and advanced task management |
Things3 Overview
Things 3 is a task manager created by Cultured Code, designed exclusively for Apple devices. It combines elegant design with a simple, distraction-free workflow, making it one of the most polished productivity apps for personal use. Unlike many subscription-based apps, Things 3 follows a one-time purchase model, offering a premium experience across Mac, iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch.
Key Features
- Exclusively for Apple devices (Mac, iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch)
- One-time purchase: $49.99 (Mac), $19.99 (iPad), $9.99 (iPhone/Watch)
- Project-based structure: organize tasks into Areas, Projects, Headings, and Tags
- Seamless sync with Things Cloud across all Apple devices
- Siri Shortcuts and deep Apple ecosystem integration
- Keyboard-driven workflows for faster task input on Mac and iPad
- Clean, minimalist interface focused on clarity and ease of use
Who is it for?
Things 3 is a great fit for:
- Apple users who want a beautifully designed personal task manager
- Individuals who prefer one-time payments to subscriptions
- People who value a clean, distraction-free environment to plan tasks
- Solo users who don’t need collaboration or team features
Todoist Overview
Todoist is one of the most popular productivity apps, built to handle everything from personal planning to team projects. It blends a clean, simple interface with powerful tools for organization and collaboration. Available across almost every platform, Todoist makes it easy to capture tasks, set reminders, and stay on top of priorities anywhere you work.
Key Features
- Available on web, desktop, mobile, and browser extensions
- Natural language task creation (e.g., “submit report every Monday at 9am”)
- Organize tasks with projects, sections, sub-tasks, and multiple views (list, board, calendar)
- Smart reminders and recurring due dates
- Collaboration features: assign tasks, comment, share projects, and attach files
- Custom filters, labels, and templates for advanced workflows
- Integrations with 80+ apps, including Google Calendar, Slack, Dropbox, and Zapier
- Freemium pricing model: free plan, with Pro from $4/month
Who is it for?
Todoist is a great fit for:
- Professionals and small teams who need project collaboration
- Individuals who want a cross-platform task manager with reliable syncing
- Teams working with shared projects and client workflows
- Power users looking for customization, integrations, and advanced features
Feature Comparison
1. Pricing and Plans
Things 3
Things 3 uses a one-time purchase model. You buy the app separately for each device: $49.99 for Mac, $19.99 for iPad, and $9.99 for iPhone/Apple Watch. If you want the complete setup across all devices, it comes to about $80.
The upside is that once you’ve paid, you own it, with no monthly subscriptions eating into your budget. The only catch is that when a major new version comes out (like a future Things 4), you’d need to buy it again.
Todoist
Todoist follows a freemium subscription model. You can use the free plan with up to 5 projects, which is good enough for simple personal use. The Pro plan is $4/month ($48/year) and unlocks powerful features like calendar view, reminders, custom filters, and AI assistance.
For teams, the Business plan costs $6/month ($72/year) per user and adds advanced collaboration tools like role permissions and shared templates.
With Todoist, you keep getting new features and updates as long as you stay subscribed, but over the years the cost can add up beyond what Things 3 charges once.
Verdict: For pricing, Todoist wins with a flexible free plan and affordable subscription tiers that keep improving with updates, making it more valuable in the long run.
2. Task Capture & Entry
Things 3
Things 3 keeps task capture simple but effective. On Mac, the Quick Entry shortcut (Ctrl+Space) lets you add tasks no matter what you’re working on, and everything drops neatly into your inbox.
The Magic Plus button is another clever touch; you can drag it to exactly where you want a task, whether inside a project, under a heading, or into a specific list.
Natural language support is there, but only for the basics like setting a date or reminder. It won’t pick up priorities, tags, or complex recurring patterns the way other apps do.
Todoist
Todoist takes task entry to another level with its Quick Add feature. The natural language processing is so advanced that you can type out a full instruction in one go, and Todoist will break it down for you.
For example, writing “Meeting with Ada today 9:30 !30min p1” will schedule the task for 9:30 AM, set a 30-minute reminder, and mark it as a top priority. You can even add recurring tasks (“every Monday”), project assignments (#Marketing), labels (@urgent), and collaborators, all without clicking around menus.
Verdict: For task capture, Todoist is the clear winner with its powerful natural language input that makes adding tasks faster and more flexible than Things 3.
3. Task Management
Things 3
Things 3 keeps task management focused and simple, while still giving you the details you need. You can add titles, notes, due dates, tags, recurring tasks, and even break larger items into subtasks with checklists. It also supports time-based and location-based reminders, which makes it useful for errands or on-the-go planning.
What I really like is how it organizes everything into Areas, Projects, and Headings, so tasks don’t just pile up but sit neatly in context. The only downside is that it doesn’t have priority levels or file attachments, which sometimes feels limiting if you want to flag what’s truly urgent or share extra material.
Todoist
Todoist takes task management a step further. It covers all the basics Things 3 offers, but adds layers of flexibility. You get priority levels (P1–P4), due times alongside due dates, task sharing, file uploads, and nested subtasks.
On top of that, Todoist supports collaboration with features like assignees, comments, and mentions, making it easy to work with others. Even small touches like emoji reactions give it a more interactive feel, especially when you’re using it with a team.
Verdict: For task management, Todoist wins with more flexibility and collaboration tools, while Things 3 stays strong as a focused personal planner.
4. Planning & Scheduling
Things 3
Things 3 doesn’t just hold your tasks, it also blends your calendar events right into the Today view, so you see meetings and to-dos in one place.
What makes it different are its planning sections: Today, This Evening, Upcoming, Anytime, and Someday. These give you a natural way to sort tasks based on when you actually want to handle them, rather than forcing everything into rigid due dates.
Another strength is that you can set start dates separate from deadlines, which makes it easier to pace projects instead of feeling rushed.
Todoist
Todoist leans into flexibility with multiple ways to view your work. You can switch between a list view, a board view (like Kanban), or a calendar layout for visual planning. Calendar integrations let you see tasks right alongside your events, and you can even block time by estimating task durations.
On top of that, Todoist’s filters and custom views are powerful for zeroing in on what matters most, whether it’s tasks due today, high-priority items, or specific projects.
Verdict: For task and calendar management, Things 3 wins with its simple yet thoughtful planning sections that make daily organization feel natural and less stressful
5. Collaboration Features
I tested how Things 3 and Todoist behave when you want to work with others, and here’s what I found:
Things 3
Things 3 is clearly made for one person. It doesn’t let you share tasks or lists in real time, or assign tasks to other people. You can use the OS share features to send a to-do’s text or a whole list via email or message, but that’s just sending a copy or note, not actual collaboration. If a teammate changes something, you won’t see updates.
Todoist
Todoist is very strong when it comes to team work. With its Business plan, you get shared workspaces, team projects, file uploads, comments, and the ability to assign tasks to others. You also get role-based permissions, which means you can control who can edit or view what. Centralized billing is supported so the whole team's paid access is managed in one place. It can handle up to 1000 team members and guests under its Business plan.
Verdict: For collaboration and team use, Todoist wins because it supports real-time project sharing, assignments, comments, and team roles
6. Integrations and Automation
Things 3
Things 3 plays almost entirely inside Apple’s world. It connects beautifully with Siri Shortcuts, works smoothly on Apple Watch, and fits right into the Shortcuts app for quick automations. If you like URL schemes and keyboard-driven workflows, you can set up custom flows too.
Things 3 doesn’t have broad integrations, but it does include one powerful feature: its URL scheme. This lets you create custom workflows, shortcuts, and automations on Apple devices.
For example, you can use a shortcut to automatically add tasks to Things 3 from other apps, trigger recurring routines, or deep-link directly into a specific project. It’s not beginner-friendly, but for power users, it’s a hidden gem
Todoist
Todoist is the opposite. It thrives on integrations. You can connect it with Google Calendar, Slack, Dropbox, Zapier, and more than 80 other services. It also supports automation through its open API and webhooks, which means you can create some very advanced workflows if you’re into that kind of customization.
Todoist isn’t just a standalone app, it becomes part of a larger productivity system, which is especially useful if you’re juggling multiple tools at work or across projects.
Verdict: For integrations, Todoist is the clear winner, as it makes it much more versatile for both personal and professional workflows.
7. Mobile and Cross-Device Use
Things 3
Things 3 feels completely at home on Apple devices. The iPhone and iPad apps are fast, smooth, and built with native design, so everything from swiping to scheduling feels natural. The Apple Watch app makes it easy to check tasks on the go, and sync through Things Cloud is quick and reliable across all your Apple devices.
The tradeoff is clear, though; it only works inside the Apple ecosystem. If you ever switch to Windows or Android, you’re out of luck.
Todoist
Todoist takes the opposite route. It’s available everywhere: iOS, Android, Windows, Mac, and web browsers, so you can log in and see your tasks no matter what device you’re on. That flexibility is a huge advantage if you move between platforms or collaborate with people using different systems. The apps work well, but because they’re built for so many environments, they don’t always feel as polished or “native” on iOS as Things 3 does.
Verdict: For platform flexibility, Todoist wins because it works everywhere, while Things 3 is locked into Apple’s world.
Things3 Vs. Todoist: Pros and Cons
Things 3: Pros & Cons
Things 3 is all about polish and simplicity. Here’s what really stands out when using it:
Pros
- The Apple-native experience is hard to beat. It feels buttery smooth with animations and gestures that just make you want to use it.
- It’s a one-time purchase, with no monthly subscriptions to worry about.
- The design is incredibly minimal and distraction-free, so you’re not bogged down with options you don’t need.
- The way it structures Areas, Projects, and Headings makes organizing work and personal tasks feel natural.
- Deep Apple ecosystem integration (Siri, Shortcuts, Apple Watch) makes it feel like part of iOS itself.
- The sync is fast and reliable through Things Cloud, and you don’t pay extra for it.
Cons
- The biggest drawback is it’s Apple-only. No Android, no Windows, not even a web version.
- It’s designed mainly for individual use, there are no real collaboration tools for teams or families.
- Integrations are limited compared to other cross-platform tools.
- The upfront cost (about $80 if you want it on all devices) can feel steep.
- Its natural language input is pretty basic compared to Todoist.
Todoist: Pros & Cons
Todoist, on the other hand, plays the long game with flexibility and reach. Here’s how it feels:
Pros
- It’s everywhere; cross-platform support means your tasks follow you across web, mobile, desktop, and even smartwatches.
- Perfect for teamwork: you can share projects, assign tasks, and track progress easily.
- I love its natural language processing; typing “Submit report every Friday at 9am” just works.
- It integrates with almost everything (90+ apps like Google Calendar, Slack, Outlook).
- Offers different project views (list, calendar, board) so you can plan however you prefer.
- The free plan is actually pretty solid for personal use, and the Pro tier isn’t too expensive.
Cons
- Over time, the subscription adds up; you’ll probably end up paying more than Things 3’s one-time cost.
- It can feel a bit cluttered with features if you’re just looking for simple daily planning.
- The interface sometimes has that web-app feel instead of being truly native on mobile.
- You’ll need an internet connection to get the most out of it, unlike Things which works offline seamlessly.
Things 3 vs Todoist: Which One Should You Choose?
If you’re someone who uses Apple devices every day, Things 3 is a great option. It’s simple, elegant, and feels like it was built right into the Apple ecosystem. The design is clean, the sync is smooth, and it makes personal task management easy without distractions.
But if you want something that works everywhere, not just on Apple, Todoist is the safer bet. It’s available on all platforms, supports collaboration, and connects with tools like Google Calendar and Slack. Plus, its natural language input and flexible project views make it more powerful for handling both personal and work tasks.
For me, Todoist comes out on top. It’s reliable, works across all my devices, and gives me the flexibility I need without being tied to a single ecosystem.
Focuzed: A Better Alternative to Things3 and Todoist
If you’ve tried Things 3 and Todoist, you probably noticed that one focuses on design and simplicity while the other focuses on flexibility and collaboration. Both are solid, but each has its limits. Things 3 can feel a bit locked into Apple devices, and Todoist sometimes gets overwhelming with features. That’s where Focuzed comes in.
Focuzed isn’t just another to-do list app. It’s built around the idea that productivity is deeply linked to your energy, focus, and timing, not just your ability to tick boxes. The app combines task management with features like AI auto-scheduling, Pomodoro and time boxing, and even biohacking insights that suggest the best times of day for deep work vs lighter tasks.
Why Focuzed Stands Out
- You can create tasks in natural language (like Todoist), but instead of only setting deadlines, Focuzed looks at your calendar and energy levels to suggest when to actually do them.
- Focuzed helps you to schedule tasks based on your energy levels so that you tackle the important work when you’re sharpest.
- Unlike Things 3, which is Apple-only, Focuzed works across platforms, making it more practical if you switch between devices.
- It has built-in Pomodoro timers and a Focus Bar, so you don’t need a separate app to stay accountable while working.
- Over time, it learns from your routines and wearables (like Oura, Whoop, or Apple Watch) to recommend smarter schedules.
- Reports and insights help you see not just what you got done, but when you were at your best, so you can plan smarter going forward.
What Things 3 and Todoist Don’t Offer
- AI-driven daily planning that adapts to your energy and focus
- A true focus-first design that reduces distractions
- Real-time adjustments based on wellness and productivity trends
- A balance between structure and flexibility, without locking you into rigid systems
Focuzed is ideal for professionals, students, and anyone who wants a healthier way to manage work without bouncing between multiple tools. It doesn’t just help you remember tasks; it helps you work in sync with your mind and body.
With Focuzed, productivity isn’t about cramming more into your day; it’s about planning your time around focus and energy, so you get things done without burning out.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the main difference between Things 3 and Todoist?
Things 3 is a personal task manager designed exclusively for Apple devices, focusing on simplicity, elegance, and distraction-free planning. Todoist, on the other hand, is cross-platform, supports teams, integrates with many apps, and offers advanced task management features.
- Which app is better for Apple users?
If you only use Apple devices and want a clean, minimal interface, Things 3 is excellent. It feels polished and fully integrated into the Apple ecosystem.
- Which app is easier to use for beginners?
Things 3 has a minimalist, distraction-free interface that’s easy to pick up. Todoist has more features, which may require a short learning curve, but it’s powerful once you get used to it.
- Which app is better for daily planning and focus?
Things 3 provides structured sections like Today, Upcoming, Anytime, and Someday, which help reduce overwhelm. Todoist is flexible and powerful, but it may feel heavier for simple daily planning.
- Is there a better alternative to both Things 3 and Todoist?
Yes. Focuzed combines task management with energy-aware scheduling, Pomodoro timers, AI-assisted planning, and wearable integrations. It works across platforms and focuses on productivity without burnout, making it an excellent alternative.
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