📑 Table of Contents
📊 Core Parameters Comparison Real-World Testing Who Should Choose Which? 🏆 Final Verdict📊 Core Parameters Comparison
| Feature | Todoist | Things 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Platform | iOS, Android, macOS, Windows, Web, Linux (browser) | iOS, macOS, iPadOS (Apple only) |
| Pricing Model | Subscription ($5/mo Pro, $8/mo Business) | One-time purchase ($10 iPhone, $20 iPad, $50 Mac) |
| Total Cost (3 years) | $180 (Pro) | $80 (all platforms) |
| Natural Language Input | Excellent ("Meeting tomorrow at 3pm #work") | Good but less flexible |
| Collaboration | Full (shared projects, comments, assignments) | None |
| Filters & Labels | Powerful filters with custom queries | Tags with basic filtering |
| Reminders | Time-based + location-based (Pro) | Time-based only |
| Integrations | 60+ integrations, Zapier, IFTTT, API | Limited (Mail, Calendar, Shortcuts) |
| Offline Support | Full offline with sync | Full offline (native app) |
| G2 Rating | 4.6/5 (1,300 reviews) | 4.8/5 (App Store, 45K reviews) |
Real-World Testing
Based on aggregated community reviews from r/todoist, r/thingsapp, App Store reviews, and personal productivity blog comparisons throughout 2025–2026.
Design & User Experience
Things 3 is widely considered the most beautiful task manager ever built. Every interaction is smooth, animations are delightful, and the UI follows Apple's Human Interface Guidelines perfectly. Todoist is functional and clean but lacks the polish that makes Things 3 feel like a native Apple app. If design matters to you, Things 3 wins decisively.
u/productivity_geek on Reddit: "Things 3 is the only task manager that makes me want to open it. The design is so good that completing tasks feels satisfying. Todoist is more powerful, but it feels like a tool. Things feels like a craft."
Cross-Platform Reality
Things 3 is Apple-only. No Android, no Windows, no web app. If you use any non-Apple device, Things 3 is a non-starter. Todoist runs everywhere — even your Linux workstation and Android phone. This single factor eliminates Things 3 for many users.
Power Features
Todoist is the more powerful tool. Natural language parsing ("Meeting with John tomorrow at 3pm #work p1") is best-in-class. Filters let you create custom views with boolean queries. Collaboration features (shared projects, comments, assignments) make it usable for teams. Things 3 is intentionally simpler — it does less, but what it does, it does beautifully.
Cost Over Time
Things 3's one-time pricing is deceptive — you pay separately for iPhone ($10), iPad ($20), and Mac ($50) versions. That's $80 total for all platforms. Todoist Pro is $5/month, which equals $180 over 3 years. But Todoist includes all platforms, continuous updates, and collaboration features. For pure value, Things 3 wins on cost. For feature-per-dollar, Todoist wins.
Who Should Choose Which?
All-Apple users who value design
✅ Things 3 — the most beautiful task manager, one-time purchase
Users with mixed platforms (Android, Windows, Linux)
✅ Todoist — the only cross-platform option
Team collaboration on tasks
✅ Todoist — shared projects, comments, assignments
GTD practitioners with complex systems
✅ Todoist — filters, labels, and natural language support power-user workflows
Budget-conscious users (long-term)
✅ Things 3 — one-time $80 vs Todoist's $180 over 3 years
🏆 Final Verdict
If you're 100% Apple and value design over raw power, Things 3 is the better experience. For everyone else — and that's most people — Todoist is the practical choice. Cross-platform support, collaboration, and power features make it the more versatile tool. The best task manager is the one you'll actually use daily, and for many, Things 3's beauty makes it the one they reach for most often.
Frequently Asked Questions
❓ Is Things 4 coming out?
Cultured Code (Things 3's developer) has not announced Things 4. Things 3 continues to receive maintenance updates. Given the 8-year lifespan of Things 3, a Things 4 seems likely eventually, but there's no timeline.
❓ Can I use Todoist for free?
Yes. Todoist's free tier includes up to 5 projects, 5 people per project, and a 5MB file upload limit. It's functional for personal use. Things 3 has no free tier — it's a paid app on every platform.
❓ Which is better for GTD?
Todoist is better for strict GTD implementations. Its filters, labels, and natural language input map well to GTD contexts and next-action lists. Things 3 supports GTD but is less flexible — it uses areas and tags instead of contexts and filters.
❓ Does Things 3 support recurring tasks?
Yes. Things 3 supports recurring tasks with flexible schedules (every Monday, every 2 weeks, etc.). It's comparable to Todoist's recurring task feature, though Todoist's natural language input makes creating recurring tasks faster.