Todoist vs Things 3: Which Task Manager Fits Your Work?
Todoist and Things 3 are both widely respected task managers for individuals and small teams, but they represent two different philosophies. Todoist is cross-platform, subscription-based, and designed to grow with a team — it works on every device and operating system with real-time sync. Things 3 is Mac and iOS exclusive, a one-time purchase, and designed around a specific opinionated GTD-inspired workflow. The comparison often comes down to Apple ecosystem commitment and how you feel about subscriptions versus one-time purchases.
Todoist pricing verified against todoist.com/pricing (June 2026). Things 3 is a one-time App Store purchase — pricing visible at culturedcode.com/things (June 2026). Check official sources for current prices.
Quick Comparison
| Todoist | Things 3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Platform | Web, Mac, Windows, iOS, Android, Linux, browser extension | Mac, iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Vision Pro — Apple only |
| Pricing model | Free; Pro $4/mo (annual); Business $6/user/mo (annual) | One-time: Mac $49.99, iPhone $9.99, iPad $19.99 |
| Natural language input | Yes — “tomorrow at 3pm”, “every Monday” | Yes — “today”, “next week” |
| Project views | List, Board (kanban), Calendar | List, Logbook, Area structure |
| Team collaboration | Yes — shared projects, task assignment, comments | No — individual use only |
| Recurring tasks | Yes — advanced recurrence patterns | Yes — flexible recurrence |
| Filters and labels | Yes — custom filters; priority levels; labels | Tags; Area/Project hierarchy; deadline-based views |
| Integrations | Zapier, IFTTT, Google Calendar, Slack, 60+ integrations | Apple Reminders sync; limited third-party |
Todoist
What it is
Todoist is a cross-platform task manager available on every major operating system and browser. The free plan provides unlimited tasks in 5 projects. Pro costs $4/month billed annually ($5/month monthly) and unlocks reminders, filters, labels, and 300 projects. Business is $6/user/month billed annually and adds team features, shared projects, and admin controls.
Strengths
Todoist’s cross-platform reach is its primary advantage: the same task list works identically on Mac, Windows, Android, iPhone, and browser. For anyone who uses multiple platforms or shares tasks with colleagues on different devices, this is non-negotiable. Natural language date parsing is excellent — typing “meeting with Alex every other Friday at 2pm” creates the task with the correct recurrence. Shared projects and task assignments make Todoist usable for small team collaboration, not just individual task management. Karma, Todoist’s gamified productivity score, provides optional motivation feedback. Integration with Zapier, IFTTT, Google Calendar, and Slack extends the tool into broader workflows.
Limitations
Todoist’s interface, while clean, is less visually polished than Things 3 on Apple platforms. The free plan’s 5-project limit is genuinely restrictive. Recurring subscription pricing means the long-term cost accumulates — over 5 years, Pro at $4/mo = $240, versus Things 3’s one-time purchase. For power users who want an aesthetically refined Apple-native experience, Todoist’s cross-platform design feel like a compromise.
Things 3
What it is
Things 3 is a task manager for Apple platforms exclusively, developed by Cultured Code. It is a one-time purchase: $49.99 for Mac, $9.99 for iPhone, $19.99 for iPad. There is no subscription. Updates have been consistent for over a decade. Things 3 is built around an opinionated GTD-inspired structure: Areas (life domains like Work, Personal), Projects (goal-oriented collections of tasks), and a Today view that pulls together what needs attention now.
Strengths
Things 3 is widely regarded as the best-designed task manager on Apple platforms. The UX is refined, the animations are fluid, and every interaction feels intentional. The structure — Areas, Projects, Headings, Tasks — creates a clear hierarchy for organizing work and life without overwhelming options. The Today and Upcoming views surface the right tasks at the right time without configuration. As a one-time purchase, the total cost is low for long-term users. The app works entirely offline with iCloud sync. Things 3 has no team features, no web app, and no Android app — but for individuals committed to the Apple ecosystem, this is not a limitation.
Limitations
Things 3 is Apple-only. If you use Windows or Android — or share tasks with colleagues on those platforms — Things 3 simply does not work. There are no team collaboration features: no task assignment, no shared projects, no comments. Integration with external tools is limited. For anyone whose work extends beyond Apple devices, Things 3 is not an option regardless of how good it is.
How They Compare
Platform reach
Todoist wins absolutely. Cross-platform support for every OS and browser is Todoist’s defining advantage. Things 3 is Apple-only with no exceptions.
UX and design
Things 3 wins on Apple platforms. The interface quality, animation refinement, and overall feel are noticeably superior to Todoist on Mac and iPhone.
Long-term cost
Things 3 wins for long-term individual users. One-time purchase versus ongoing subscription — after two to three years, Things 3 costs less than Todoist Pro cumulatively, and there is no recurring charge.
Who Should Choose Todoist
Anyone who uses Windows, Android, or multiple operating systems. Teams that need to share projects and assign tasks across members. Users who need deep integrations with tools like Slack, Google Calendar, or Zapier. Individuals who want a capable free task manager without a purchase commitment.
Who Should Choose Things 3
Apple ecosystem users — Mac, iPhone, iPad — who value design quality above all else and do not need cross-platform access. Individuals who prefer one-time software purchases over recurring subscriptions. GTD practitioners who want a structured hierarchy of Areas, Projects, and Tasks without configuration overhead. Anyone who has tried multiple task apps and found them too visually cluttered or functionally overwhelming.
How to Decide
The decision is straightforward: if you use anything outside the Apple ecosystem, choose Todoist. If you are fully committed to Apple and want the best-designed individual task manager available, Things 3 is the better product. Both are excellent at their core job — for Apple-only users, Things 3 deserves a serious trial before defaulting to a subscription alternative.
For more on productivity and task management tools, see our comparison of Linear vs ClickUp for team project management, our picks for the best project management tools for small teams, and our guide to reducing tool overload at work.