Alternatives

10 Best Things 3 Alternatives

Ruud CarisEditor-in-Chief

Updated: 17 December 2025About Things 3 →

You probably love how sleek Things 3 looks, but you're frustrated that you can't use it on your Windows laptop or share tasks with your partner. Or maybe you find it annoying that you have to pay separately for each Apple platform (Mac, iPad, iPhone). Sometimes you just need a bit more than just a list, like a calendar view or collaboration options.

64+ toolsanalyzed

✓Independently tested

✓No sponsored rankings

My recommendations

Beste Overall

Todoist

★ 4.6/5

The undisputed king of cross-platform task management with the best task input.

View Todoist →

Beste Gratis

Microsoft To Do

★ 4.3/5

A surprisingly capable and completely free alternative, especially for Office users.

View Microsoft To Do →

Beste voor Power Users

TickTick

★ 4.5/5

For when you find Things too limited and also want a calendar, habit tracker, and pomodoro timer.

View TickTick →

At a glance

ToolScoreBest for

Todoist

★4.6/5

People who want a reliable task manager on every deviceView →

TickTick

★4.5/5

Productivity nerds who want everything in one toolView →

Microsoft To Do

★4.3/5

People who work in the Microsoft/Office ecosystemView →

Superlist

★3.9/5

Design lovers who want to mix tasks and notesView →

Akiflow

★4.3/5

People who live from their calendar and use many toolsView →

All Things 3 alternatives at a glance

Todoist

People who want a reliable task manager on every device

★ 4.6/5 · Gratis

If you're leaving Things because you use Windows or Android, this is your first stop. Todoist excels in 'Natural Language Processing': you type 'meeting tomorrow at 2 PM' and it directly understands the date and time. That works faster than clicking. The interface is clean, but less 'Apple-like' than Things. The big advantage is that here you can share projects with colleagues or family. The free version is fine for starters, but for filters and reminders you unfortunately have to pay.

Difference: Works on all platforms (not just Apple) and supports collaboration

Choose this if: want to enter tasks quickly and need to share with others

✓ What we like

✓Powerful natural language input
✓Reliable sync
✓Intuitive interface
✓Fast task entry

✗ What we don't like as much

✗Reminders locked behind paywall
✗Calendar view not free
✗Limited project management
✗Awkward subtasks

View Todoist →More details →

TickTick

Productivity nerds who want everything in one tool

★ 4.5/5 · Gratis

TickTick is what you get when you put Things 3 on steroids. Where Things deliberately stays simple, TickTick crams everything into one app: tasks, a full calendar, a Pomodoro timer for focus, and even a habit tracker. This is ideal if you don't want to switch between five different apps. The interface is functional, but lacks the refined finish you're used to from Cultured Code. It can feel a bit overwhelming at first due to all the options, but for the control freak this is paradise.

Difference: Built-in calendar, timer and habit tracker

Choose this if: want to use time-blocking alongside your task list

✓ What we like

✓Versatile functionality
✓Built-in focus timer
✓Handy habit tracker
✓Visual calendar view

✗ What we don't like as much

✗Dated interface design
✗Slow calendar sync
✗Limited collaboration tools

View TickTick →More details →

Microsoft To Do

People who work in the Microsoft/Office ecosystem

★ 4.3/5 · Gratis

This used to be Wunderlist, now it's Microsoft's standard task app. The biggest plus? It's completely free. No premium subscriptions. The 'My Day' feature is brilliant: every morning you start with a clean slate and choose what you're going to do today, similar to the 'Today' view in Things but more active. It integrates deeply with Outlook and Windows. Don't expect advanced filters or beautiful headers like in Things, but for the basics it's surprisingly solid and user-friendly.

Difference: Completely free and deep Outlook integration

Choose this if: don't want to pay for a subscription and seek simplicity

✓ What we like

✓Completely free with no limits
✓Seamless integration with Outlook and Teams
✓Nice My Day focus functionality
✓Simple and clear design

✗ What we don't like as much

✗Lacks advanced project management options
✗No natural language input (NLP)
✗Subtasks have limited functionality
✗Syncing occasionally hiccups between devices

View Microsoft To Do →More details →

Superlist

Design lovers who want to mix tasks and notes

★ 3.9/5 · Gratis

Created by the people behind the original Wunderlist. Superlist tries to bridge the gap between a task list and notes. The design is beautiful and feels just as modern and fresh as Things. You can enrich tasks with images, long texts and formatting, something that is very limited in Things. It has a smart toggle between 'Personal' and 'Work' so you're not confronted with work during your free time. The app is still young, so expect the occasional small bug here and there.

Difference: Combines tasks with rich text and notes

Choose this if: the app's appearance is decisive for you

✓ What we like

✓Clean and intuitive design
✓Mix of tasks and notes
✓Solid free version
✓Handy 'Make with AI' features

✗ What we don't like as much

✗No native Windows app
✗Slow sync
✗Collaboration bugs
✗Missing calendar view

View Superlist →More details →

Akiflow

People who live from their calendar and use many tools

★ 4.3/5 · Op aanvraag

Akiflow is not an ordinary to-do list, but a command center. It pulls tasks from all your other apps (Slack, Gmail, Asana, Notion) and puts them in one universal inbox. From there you drag them directly into your calendar. This is perfect if Things 3 feels too isolated for you. It is quite a bit more expensive and more focused on desktop use. Where Things is a calm list, Akiflow is a cockpit for your entire workday. Not for the casual user, but for the busy professional.

Difference: Centralizes tasks from other apps and focuses on time-blocking

Choose this if: tasks are scattered across Slack, email and project management tools

✓ What we like

✓Centralizes tasks from various apps
✓Visual time‑blocking in the calendar
✓Fast navigation via the Command Bar
✓Clean and modern interface

✗ What we don't like as much

✗Pricey monthly subscription ($34/month)
✗Mobile app still has some bugs
✗No offline mode available
✗Limited project‑management features

View Akiflow →More details →

Amazing Marvin

People who want to build their own productivity system

★ 4.3/5 · Op aanvraag

If Things 3 is an iPhone (just works, few options), then Amazing Marvin is a box of Lego. You can build this tool completely as you want. Want 'Areas' like in Things? Turn it on. Want gamification? Turn it on. Want a week planner? That's possible too. This is fantastic if you want to fine-tune your system exactly, but it can also be overwhelming. The interface is playful and less strictly business-like. A unique tool for people who find that standard apps never do exactly what they want.

Difference: Extreme customizability of features

Choose this if: often changes approach (GTD, Eisenhower, etc.)

✓ What we like

✓Huge flexibility
✓Modular strategies
✓ADHD‑friendly
✓Responsive developers

✗ What we don't like as much

✗Slow mobile app
✗Steep learning curve
✗High subscription price

View Amazing Marvin →More details →

Structured

Visual thinkers and people who need structure in their day

★ 4.4/5 · Gratis

Structured takes a different approach than Things. Instead of a list with checkboxes, you get a visual timeline of your day. It's also very focused on the Apple ecosystem and looks beautiful. It's ideal for people who are visually oriented or have trouble with time estimation. You see exactly how much time there is between tasks. It's less suitable for managing hundreds of projects, but perfect for actually planning and executing your day.

Difference: Visual timeline instead of a simple list

Choose this if: you make a list but never know when to do it

✓ What we like

✓Clean and intuitive visual design
✓Ideal for people with ADHD and visual planners
✓Syncs with Apple Calendar and Reminders
✓Useful 'Inbox' for quick notes

✗ What we don't like as much

✗Sync issues between devices
✗Android version is missing many features
✗No collaboration features
✗Free version has limited sync

View Structured →More details →

Twos

People who use tasks and notes interchangeably

★ 4.2/5 · Gratis

Twos is a bit of an odd duck, but a very nice one. It's all about remembering 'Things'. Whether that's a task, a note, a reminder or a journal entry. Everything is a 'Thing'. It works super fast and is free for almost everything. The philosophy is less rigid than GTD (Getting Things Done). If you find Things 3 too formal with all its projects and areas, Twos feels like a breath of fresh air. It's more like a digital bullet journal.

Difference: Everything is a list, no strict distinction between task and note

Choose this if: looking for a fast, free place to dump everything

✓ What we like

✓Intuitive interface
✓Fast mobile app
✓Unique revenue model
✓Active developers

✗ What we don't like as much

✗Limited text formatting
✗Slow Android performance
✗Occasional sync bugs

View Twos →More details →

Any.do

Mobile users who want to add tasks via WhatsApp

★ 4.2/5 · Gratis

Any.do has been around for years and is known for its clean, white interface that somewhat resembles Things. Their unique feature is the 'Plan my Day' mode and strong integration with WhatsApp. You can send tasks to a WhatsApp bot and they appear in your list. Handy when you're frequently on the go. They recently also added 'Family' and team features. The downside is that they're quite aggressive with pushing their premium subscription in the free version.

Difference: WhatsApp integration and focus on daily planning

Choose this if: mainly works on your phone

✓ What we like

✓Intuitive and clean interface (UI/UX)
✓Unique My Day daily planner feature
✓Seamless calendar integration (Google/Outlook)
✓WhatsApp integration (Premium)

✗ What we don't like as much

✗Recurring tasks behind a paywall
✗Sync delay between devices
✗Desktop app sometimes slow/buggy
✗Support can be a bit slow to respond

View Any.do →More details →

Amie

People who appreciate good design and calendar integration

★ 4/5 · Op aanvraag

Amie calls itself the 'joyful productivity' app and it shows. The design is colorful, playful and very polished, which will certainly appeal to Things users. Amie combines your calendar and to-do list in a way that feels very natural. You can drag a task right into your calendar. It's less 'business-focused' than Akiflow and focuses more on the experience. It is still a newcomer though, so some advanced features (like extensive recurring tasks) are still in development or recently added.

Difference: Deep integration of tasks in the calendar with a playful design

Choose this if: finds Things 3 beautiful, but misses your calendar in the app

✓ What we like

✓Beautiful, joyful, and aesthetically designed
✓Combines tasks, calendar, and email
✓Fast performance and handy shortcuts
✓AI notes without a bot in the meeting

✗ What we don't like as much

✗No Android version available
✗Pricey Pro plan ($10–15/month)
✗Sync issues with external calendars
✗Focus shifts too much toward AI notes

View Amie →More details →

For whom is Things 3 the best choice?

If you’re completely in the Apple ecosystem and mainly work alone, Things 3 is still one of the best options. The app is lightning fast, looks beautiful and works exactly as you’d expect from a good Mac app. No subscription, no hassle with accounts, just a tool that does what it’s supposed to do.

Things 3 is perfect for people who want to keep their tasks simple. You have projects, areas and tags, and that’s enough. No fancy features you never look at, no overload of options. If you’re a freelancer working on a MacBook and iPhone, or a student who just needs a reliable system without frills, then you don’t really need to switch.

Why would you look for a Things 3 alternative?

The biggest dealbreaker is that Things 3 only runs on Apple. As soon as you have a Windows laptop for work, or an Android phone, you can no longer access your tasks. And you pay separately for each platform: €10.99 for iPhone, €21.99 for iPad and €54.99 for Mac. If you want everything, you’ll spend €87.97.

Collaboration is impossible. You can’t share tasks with your partner, team, or study buddy. No comments, no assigned tasks, nothing. Things 3 also lacks a calendar view. You can set deadlines, but if you want to plan your day with time-blocking, you have to constantly switch between your calendar app and Things. For people who like to drag their tasks into time blocks, that feels like a missed opportunity.

In conclusion

Want cross-platform? Go for Todoist or TickTick. Need to collaborate? Superlist or Todoist. Live from your calendar? Look at Akiflow or Amie. For Windows users who are in the Microsoft ecosystem, Microsoft To Do is the logical choice, and if you like experimenting with your productivity system, Amazing Marvin is really worth it.

Personally, I would go for TickTick as an all-round replacement. You get almost everything Things 3 has, plus calendar view, Pomodoro timer, and it works everywhere. For €27,99 per year.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best free Things 3 alternative?

Microsoft To Do is the best completely free option. It has no hidden costs, syncs well and has a nice 'My Day' feature. For Apple users, the standard Apple Reminders app is nowadays also an excellent and free alternative.

Which Things 3 alternative is best for teams?

Todoist is the winner here. It makes it very easy to share projects, assign tasks to colleagues and leave comments, something that's impossible in Things 3.

Can I export my data from Things 3?

Yes, but it's not always simple. Things doesn't have a direct 'export everything to CSV' button in the menu. You often have to use AppleScripts or specific import tools that other apps (like Todoist or TickTick) offer to transfer your data.

Is Todoist better than Things 3?

Not necessarily better, but more versatile. Todoist wins in terms of collaboration, cross-platform availability (Windows/Android) and integrations with other tools. Things 3 wins purely on design, tranquility and the native Apple experience.

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