Things 3 — The Apple-only task manager that wins on design: one-time purchase, native on every Apple device, no subscription.
What it is
Things 3 is Cultured Code's personal task manager for Apple platforms - Mac, iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch and Vision - built around to-dos, projects, areas and a Today/Upcoming plan, with Things Cloud sync included in the one-time purchase price.
Editor's review
Long-form introduction by the BetterPicker editors · checked against the official site · Oct 28, 2026
Things 3 is the task manager reviewers buy with their own money and stay with for a decade. Christopher Lawley's setup tour (208,000 views) describes running his whole life in it and credits its visual clarity with keeping his ADHD on track, Peter Akkies has both a Things-versus-Todoist comparison (65,000 views) and a five-reasons case (55,000 views), a pro-tips walkthrough (67,000 views) digs into power use, and a 2024 beginner guide (41,000 views) shows newcomers still arriving. The design bet is calm: to-dos live in projects, projects sit inside areas, and the Today and Upcoming views mix tasks with calendar events so the day reads at a glance. Everything is a native app - Mac, iPhone, iPad, Watch and Vision - with fast sync through Things Cloud, Markdown notes, tags, headings, quick entry from anywhere, and mail-in task capture. Cultured Code sells it as a one-time purchase per app rather than a subscription, and the app has twice taken an Apple Design Award. Reviewers who compare task managers year after year keep landing on the same conclusion: nothing else on the platform feels this considered.
What it does well
It feels native everywhere: reviewers consistently single out how at home it looks on each Apple device, with keyboard shortcuts, widgets and Type Travel search that never break the platform's own conventions.
Structure without ceremony: projects, areas, headings and tags give enough shape for a whole life planner, and the pairing of a start date with a due date is something reviewers say few rivals handle as cleanly for multi-day work.
Automation is first-class: native Shortcuts support, Markdown notes and mail-to-inbox make repeat chores scriptable - one reviewer builds grocery and laundry tasks from automations - which is where long-term users say the app quietly earns its price.
Who it's for
Apple households and solo professionals who want a personal task manager that stays out of the way, including ADHD reviewers who rely on its visual clarity. Teams looking for shared task lists, or anyone who needs Windows, Android or a web app, should look elsewhere entirely.
Where it falls short
Apple only, and priced per app: the iPhone app is $9.99 and the Mac app $49.99, with iPad and Vision apps sold separately, so covering a household costs real money against free rivals.
No collaboration: there are no shared lists or delegated tasks, which rules it out for couples managing one list, households dividing chores, or teams of any size - a striking omission at this price.
Small papercuts persist: recurring tasks cannot be checked off before their due date - a limitation reviewers say many users have complained about - and there is no natural-language entry, so dates are set by hand or through Shortcuts.
Specs at a glance
Facts from the official site · not editorial opinion
| Latest version | Things 3 line, continuously updated across Mac, iPhone, iPad, Watch and Vision apps |
|---|---|
| Price | One-time purchase per app: iPhone $9.99, Mac $49.99; iPad and Vision apps sold separately; Things Cloud sync included |
| Platforms | Mac, iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Apple Vision Pro - no Windows, Android or web app |
| Open source | No - closed source, proprietary |
| Core capability | To-dos, projects, areas, headings, tags, Today and Upcoming planning, start and due dates, reminders, repeaters |
| Integrations | Things Cloud sync, Apple Shortcuts, calendar events in views, Mail to Things, Markdown notes, widgets |
| Best for | Apple-centric individuals who want a polished, subscription-free personal task manager |
Frequently asked questions
▸How much does Things 3 cost in total?
Each app is a separate one-time purchase: $9.99 for iPhone, $49.99 for Mac, with iPad and Vision apps priced separately. There is no subscription, and sync via Things Cloud is included.
▸Does Things 3 work on Windows or Android?
No. Things is Apple-only - Mac, iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch and Vision. There is no web app either, so cross-platform users need another tool.
▸Can I share tasks with someone else in Things 3?
No. Things is a personal task manager with no shared lists or task delegation. For collaborative lists you would need a different app.
▸Is Things 3 worth it over free alternatives?
Reviewers who stay for years point to the native design, Shortcuts automation and lack of a subscription as the payoff. If those do not matter to you, free tools cover the basics.
Video reviews
4 review videos aggregated · praise and criticism included alike · click through to the original video
Channels that covered it
Channels are aggregated as sources only — we don’t rate creators
Related tools
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