Todoist
vsThings 3
Todoist works everywhere and has natural language input. Things 3 has the most beautiful design in any task app and a one-time purchase price. Todoist for cross-platform users and teams. Things 3 for Apple-only users who want the best-designed task manager.
Quick Answer
<a href="/tools/todoist">Todoist</a> for cross-platform, natural language input, and collaboration. Things 3 for Apple ecosystem, beautiful design, and one-time pricing. if you use Windows or Android at all, Todoist. if you're Apple-only and want the prettiest task manager ever made, Things 3.
Platform Availability
Todoist
- Web, Mac, Windows, iOS, Android, browser extensions
- Works everywhere. Switch between devices seamlessly
- Browser extension captures tasks from any webpage
Things 3
- Mac, iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch only
- No web app, no Windows, no Android
- Only for people fully committed to Apple
Design and UX
Todoist
- Clean and functional. Good design but not remarkable
- Consistent across platforms
- Gets the job done without getting in the way
Things 3
- Arguably the best-designed productivity app on any platform
- Feels native to Apple. Smooth animations, intuitive gestures
- The design makes you want to use it, which matters for habit formation
Task Capture
Todoist
- Natural language input: 'meeting tuesday 3pm p1 #work' creates a full task
- Quick add from anywhere with keyboard shortcut
- Email forwarding turns emails into tasks automatically
Things 3
- Quick entry is fast but requires more taps/clicks
- No natural language parsing for dates and projects
- Keyboard shortcut for quick entry on Mac is good
Organization
Todoist
- Projects, sections, labels, priorities, and custom filters
- Flexible filtering system creates custom views
- Supports both GTD and simple list approaches
Things 3
- Areas (life categories) and Projects. Clean hierarchy
- Headings within projects for sub-grouping
- Today, Upcoming, Anytime, Someday views built-in
Pricing
Todoist
- Free tier with 5 projects
- $4/month for Pro (billed yearly)
- Recurring subscription adds up over time
Things 3
- One-time purchase: $50 Mac, $10 iPhone, $20 iPad
- No subscription. Pay once, use forever
- Total ~$80 once vs $48/year for Todoist
Collaboration
Todoist
- Shared projects with assignees and comments
- Team workspaces on Business plan
- Built for both personal and team use
Things 3
- No collaboration features at all
- Strictly personal task management
- If you need sharing, Things 3 isn't an option
Pricing Comparison
Todoist
✓ Free tier available
Starts at $4/mo
Things 3
Starts at $50/mo
The Verdict
Todoist is the more practical choice for most people. it works everywhere, has the best task capture, and supports collaboration. Things 3 is the more delightful choice for Apple users. The design genuinely makes you want to manage your tasks, which is half the battle. if you're Apple-only and work solo, Things 3 is worth the $80. otherwise, Todoist.
Choose based on your needs
Choose Todoist if:
- • You use Windows, Android, or any non-Apple devices
- • Natural language task capture is important to you
- • You need collaboration or shared projects
- • You want a generous free tier to start with
Choose Things 3 if:
- • You're fully in the Apple ecosystem (Mac + iPhone)
- • Beautiful design motivates you to use your tools
- • You prefer a one-time purchase over subscriptions
- • You only need personal task management (no sharing)