Is Things 3 worth it?

Top Features, Pricing & User Reviews

Things 3 is one of the most powerful to-do list applications on the market.

It offers users a subscription-free experience, allowing them to use the app without worrying about paying for a yearly subscription. Over the years, the software has evolved into a minimal and clean way to manage tasks.

We reviewed, tested, and thoroughly evaluated its performance and features to determine if it's genuinely the best to-do list application for you. By the end of this review, we hope to help you decide if it's the right choice for you.

What is Things 3?

Things 3 is an iOS, macOS, and iPad task management app famous for its speed and functionality. Many people use it to manage their tasks on Apple devices. It allows you to manage tasks, calendars (via Apple Calendar), and personal projects.

Cultured Code, a German-based development company, developed it. Things 3 has a one-off pricing and no subscription.

Who is Things 3 best suited for?

Things 3 is likely best suited for individuals who want to manage their productivity without paying for a yearly subscription. It positions itself as a to-do list application, though it lacks calendar and note-taking features. However, it offers a robust and fast experience for Apple users on iOS and Mac. While it allows users to manage tasks and projects, it doesn't support task-sharing beyond personal use.

For this reason, we recommend it for busy professionals, freelancers, and those who do not need to share tasks externally. Even for casual and everyday use, Things 3 remains a solid option. While it comes with a higher upfront cost, budget-conscious Apple users may still find it a worthwhile solution. It's worth considering if these features align with your needs.

Things 3 Features

Things 3 has various features, so let's explore some of the main ones:

Task Management (A)

Things 3 offers comprehensive task management without going into excessive detail, like creating board views, calendars, or advanced list views with custom options.

Still, it does a solid job. You can add tasks with titles, notes, and even checklists. One feature we particularly like is the ability to add deadlines.

The label feature is also useful because it allows you to filter tasks in the Today view and other project areas. This is helpful if you're working with multiple labels and want a clearer, more organized view. The "This Evening" view is a nice addition, allowing you to separate tasks within the Today section.

Regarding planning, Things 3 makes it easy to see upcoming tasks and move items around. While it’s not the most advanced, features like the Anytime and Someday sections help you manage tasks that don't fit in Today or are less urgent.

The Logbook is a great tool for reviewing completed tasks and tracking progress. Capturing tasks into the Inbox is quick, especially on iOS, where the mobile app runs smoothly, making it easy to add items on the go. Overall, the task management is excellent for personal use.

Calendar Management (C+)

We weren't particularly impressed with the calendar management, but it’s important to note that Things 3 isn’t trying to be a calendar app. The Upcoming area integrates with Apple Calendar, letting you view upcoming events alongside your tasks.

While it works fine, it’s not as robust as we'd like. There’s no calendar view, and while it does the job of showing your tasks and calendar events together, we expect future updates to improve this feature.

Project Management & Areas (A)

This is where Things 3 shines. If Todoist offered the same level of project management, it would likely perform better in this area. You can easily add deadlines and break down tasks within projects, which is a big advantage.

Completing projects in Things 3 is also much more accessible than in Todoist, where lists don’t feel as actionable. The "Areas" feature is another highlight, allowing you to organize tasks into personal or work-related folders. The Mac app was smooth and easy to use during testing, with no issues when creating areas or adding tags. Duplicating or repeating projects is also simple, making this feature highly functional.

In summary, Things 3 excels at task and project management, while calendar management is adequate but could be improved.

How does Things 3 work?

Things 3 allows you to add tasks and organize them into a "Today" area.

Adding tasks is easy. For Things 3 that don't have a specific date, you can place them in "Today," "This Evening," or "Someday." You can also assign tasks to a future date or add deadlines. This is useful for people who like working with deadlines because it lets you add a second date to focus on when the task needs to be done. You can use the due date as a start date or adjust it however you like.

Unlike apps like Todoist that limit date options, Things 3 does this automatically. You can also add a checklist or label to each task to help with organization, but the main organization happens through creating areas and projects.

Areas act as folders for projects, while projects break tasks down with a more focused goal. You can also add a deadline to a project, which is helpful if you want to set a future goal and work toward completing it. This is something other apps like Todoist or TickTick don’t commonly offer. You can also track your progress and repeat the project if necessary.

One downside is that you can’t share tasks like in other apps, so Things 3 is a personal rather than collaborative tool. There’s also an "Upcoming" area for planning tasks in the next weeks or months, an "Anytime" section to see everything at a glance, a "Someday" area for unscheduled tasks, and a logbook for completed ones. You can also add as many lists as needed and break down projects with section headers, which can be useful for organizing.

Things 3 works on both iOS and Mac.

To sync between devices, you use Things Cloud, which is included with the app and doesn’t require a subscription. Once you’ve paid the one-time fee, you get access for life.

Verdict: Things 3

Things 3 is likely the best Apple-focused task management app available.

It's fluid, easy to use, and ideal for those willing to pay an upfront cost and commit to it long-term. If you're not interested in sharing features and primarily need something for personal organization, it's an excellent choice. During our testing, Things 3's performance was incredibly smooth, with the app running flawlessly like butter to us.

The build quality is top-notch, and the overall user experience is well-tuned. Another benefit is that Things 3 continues to receive regular updates, keeping up with the latest iOS features like widgets and standby mode. While a future version like Things 4 may come eventually, Things 3 is still actively maintained, making it a reliable option for Apple users who want a personal task management tool.

Things 3 Alternatives

These are some recommendations for alternatives: