Your calendar is full of appointments, your to-do list is overflowing and somewhere between those two your random ideas disappear in a notes app. Sorted 3 throws all of that onto one timeline and lets you automatically schedule tasks between your meetings. A hyper-scheduling app that runs exclusively on Apple devices and tries to save your day with smart time-blocking.
Who is behind Sorted 3?
Sorted 3 comes from StaySorted Limited, founded in 2015 by Leo Tumwattana and Harry Ng in Hong Kong. Leo was looking for a better way to plan his day at the time, but existing apps fell short. Instead of continuing to juggle multiple tools, he decided to build his own solution that merges tasks, calendar and notes into one overview.
The app grew into a success within the Apple ecosystem. Sorted 3 became App of the Day in more than 130 regions and now has more than 1 million downloads. The unique ‘Auto-schedule’ feature became a trademark that users praised the app for.
Yet there are concerns. Since 2021, the development of the project seems to be slowing down. Updates come less frequently and the community wonders if StaySorted Limited is still actively working on the future of the app. The company has never been acquired and details about funding are not known.
Who is Sorted 3 for?
Sorted 3 is built for people who are fully in the Apple ecosystem. Do you use iPhone, iPad and Mac? Then this app can become a central place for your planning. Freelancers who manage their own day will find powerful tools here to balance work and personal life. People with ADHD also report that the visual timeline and automatic scheduling help to maintain overview.
But Sorted 3 is absolutely not for everyone. Do you work on Android or Windows? Then you cannot use this app. There is no web version, no cross-platform support. Teams that collaborate are also better off looking elsewhere, because Sorted 3 is purely focused on individual users without collaboration features.
What can Sorted 3 do?
The free version of Sorted 3 already offers basic functionality to view tasks and calendar together. For the more powerful features such as iCloud sync, auto-schedule and advanced re-organization tools you need the Pro version. These are the main capabilities:
- Auto-schedule: The app automatically fills your free time with tasks based on priority and estimated duration. You don’t have to manually schedule everything, Sorted 3 does it for you.
- Hyper-scheduling: A term that StaySorted itself uses for the combination of tasks, calendar and notes in one continuous timeline. You see your entire day in one overview.
- Magic Select: Select multiple tasks at once and move them in bulk. Handy if you need to drastically adjust your schedule after an unexpected appointment.
- Time Blocking: Assign fixed time blocks to tasks. The app visualizes this clearly on your timeline so you can see how much space each task takes up.
- Unified Timeline: All elements (tasks, events, notes) are on one timeline. You don’t have to switch between different views or apps.
- iCloud Sync: Synchronize your schedule between iPhone, iPad and Mac. Works locally on your device for speed, but sync happens via iCloud.
- Markdown support: Write notes with markdown formatting for quick formatting without taking your fingers off the keyboard.
- Drag-and-drop interface: Drag tasks and events intuitively across your timeline. The interface responds quickly because everything runs locally.
What stands out is that Sorted 3 does not have natural language input. You cannot type “meeting tomorrow at 2:00 PM” and expect the app to automatically understand that. You have to manually select times and dates, which competitors like Todoist can do.
How much does Sorted 3 cost?
Sorted 3 does not have a monthly or annual subscription, but works with a one-time purchase. That is a relief if you are tired of monthly payments for every app. The free version is simply called Free and lets you try the basics without iCloud sync, auto-schedule or advanced organization tools.
For the Pro features you pay once. The iOS version costs $ 14,99. Do you also want the macOS app? Then you pay $ 24,99 separately for that. Or you choose the Pro Bundle of $ 35,99 which covers both platforms. That is cheaper than buying both separately, but still a separate purchase per ecosystem.
A 14-day trial period is available. In it, you can test all Pro features before you pay. Enough time to discover if the auto-schedule feature really works for you and if the sync between your devices is reliable.
What should you watch out for?
The biggest concern around Sorted 3 is the slow development. Users report that updates are becoming less frequent and that there has been little progress in new features since 2021. That raises questions about the future of the app. Does StaySorted Limited continue to actively invest or is the project quietly fading away?
Sync problems are a recurring theme in reviews. Especially the Apple Watch sync regularly doesn’t work as it should. iCloud sync between iPhone and Mac also sometimes has hiccups, which is frustrating when you’re paying specifically for that functionality.
The absence of a web version and support for Android or Windows is a hard limitation. You are completely dependent on Apple hardware. Do you work in a mixed environment or want to check your schedule on a Windows laptop? Then you can’t use Sorted 3.
The separate purchase for iOS and macOS also doesn’t feel quite right. Many apps nowadays offer a universal purchase. Here you pay twice if you want to use both platforms, even though the bundle is slightly more affordable.
Finally, Sorted 3 lacks natural language input. Competitors like Todoist let you type in plain language and automatically recognize dates and times. With Sorted 3, you have to fill in everything manually via date pickers and dropdowns. That takes more time and feels less smooth.
Sorted 3 alternatives
If Sorted 3 doesn’t quite fit, there are alternatives that do certain aspects better:
- Things 3: Choose this if you’re looking for pure task management without heavy calendar integration. Things 3 has a more polished design but places less emphasis on time blocking and auto-scheduling.
- Structured: Choose this if you want a simpler daily planner. Structured has a more visual and modern interface, but lacks the powerful batch functions and Magic Select of Sorted 3.
- Todoist: Choose this if you work on Windows or Android, or if you collaborate with others. Todoist is cross-platform and has team features, but does require an ongoing subscription for full functionality.
Frequently asked questions
Here are the questions that come up most frequently about Sorted 3:
Is Sorted 3 available for Android or Windows?
No, Sorted 3 is exclusively developed for the Apple ecosystem. You can only use it on iOS, iPadOS, macOS and watchOS. There is no web version and no support for other platforms.
Is a subscription required?
No, Sorted 3 works with a one-time purchase for the Pro features. You pay once and then have no monthly costs. However, you do have to pay separately for iOS and macOS, unless you buy the bundle.
Is the app still actively updated?
Updates have become less frequent in recent years. Since 2021, there has been less momentum in development, which raises concerns in the community about the future of the app. Functionality continues to work, but new features are coming slowly.
Conclusion
Sorted 3 offers a unique approach for people who want to merge their tasks and calendar on one timeline. The auto-schedule feature is powerful and the one-time purchase is a plus in a world full of subscriptions. But the slow development, sync problems and the lack of cross-platform support are real drawbacks. If you’re fully in the Apple ecosystem and looking for time-blocking without monthly costs, Sorted 3 is worth trying. Do you work on multiple platforms or need active development? Then you’re better off looking at alternatives.
