5-Minute Review: Is Things 3 Really the Best Todo App for Mac?

Early Verdict

If you live entirely within the Apple ecosystem and despise monthly software subscriptions, Things 3 is absolutely the best todo app for Mac. It offers a polished, one-time-purchase experience that feels native to macOS. However, if you regularly switch between Mac and Windows, need to share projects with a team, or rely on AI to break down complex tasks, you should skip it and look at cross-platform alternatives like Todoist or TickTick.

The 3 Factors That Change Your Decision

Before you commit to an $80 total purchase, three specific variables will determine if this tool actually solves your problem.

First, consider your device ecosystem. Things 3 is strictly an Apple product. It runs beautifully on Mac, iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, and Vision Pro.

It does not have a web app, a Windows client, or an Android version. If your workflow requires you to check tasks from a borrowed laptop or a work PC, this app will actively hinder your productivity.

Second, evaluate your stance on subscription fatigue. Most modern productivity tools operate on a recurring revenue model. Things 3 charges $49.99 for Mac, $19.99 for iPad, and $9.99 for iPhone.

While the upfront cost feels higher than a free tier, you break even against a $60/year competitor in just over 16 months. After that, every year of use is essentially free, and you retain access to your data regardless of your payment status.

Third, assess your collaboration needs. Things 3 is designed for solo use. There is no native way to assign tasks to a colleague, share a grocery list with a partner, or comment on a project.

If your task management is deeply intertwined with other people, you will outgrow this app quickly.

Practical Strengths and Limitations

The primary strength of Things 3 is its frictionless capture and organization. The "Quick Entry" feature on Mac is arguably the best in the industry. By pressing a global keyboard shortcut, a small, unobtrusive window appears over your current work.

You can type a task, use natural language to set a date (like "next Thursday at 2pm"), assign it to a project, and dismiss it in under five seconds. It respects your focus.

The app also excels at visual hierarchy. It uses "Areas" for broad life categories, "Projects" for specific goals, and "Headings" to break those projects into manageable phases. This structure is deep enough to handle complex workflows but shallow enough to avoid the overwhelming complexity of enterprise tools like OmniFocus.

Furthermore, features like the "Someday" list allow you to park vague ideas without cluttering your active workspace, while aggressive archiving keeps your sidebar clean over the long term.

However, the limitations are real and should not be ignored. The lack of third-party integrations is a significant hurdle for automated workflows. You cannot natively connect Things 3 to Slack, Gmail, or Zapier.

While Apple Shortcuts provides some workaround potential, it requires technical tinkering and often feels fragile. Additionally, the recurring task options are somewhat basic. If you need a task to repeat on complex schedules like "the third Tuesday of every month," you will find the native scheduling options restrictive compared to more flexible competitors.

Who Benefits and Who Should Pass

To make this decision even clearer, here is a quick visual breakdown of how the top Mac task managers stack up against each other based on core user needs.

You should choose Things 3 if you are a freelancer, solopreneur, or student who uses only Apple devices. It is ideal for individuals who value beautiful design, instant performance, and the peace of mind that comes with owning their software outright. If you are tired of your task manager locking your data behind a paywall, this is the definitive solution.

You should pass on Things 3 and choose Todoist if you work in a hybrid environment (Mac and Windows), need robust team collaboration features, or want AI assistance to automatically parse and organize your tasks. Todoist’s cross-platform reliability and deep ecosystem integrations justify its recurring cost for users who cannot afford to be locked into one hardware manufacturer.

You should consider TickTick if you are on a tight budget but still want premium features. It packs a built-in Pomodoro timer, habit tracking, and a full calendar view into a highly affordable subscription, making it a massive value proposition for students and budget-conscious professionals.

One Useful Next Step

Do not buy Things 3 blindly. Cultured Code offers a fully functional 15-day free trial for the Mac version. Download it today and spend one week using only the Quick Entry feature and the Today view.

If the frictionless capture and clean interface make you more productive by the end of the trial, the one-time purchase is a no-brainer. If you find yourself wishing for a web browser version or team sharing, cancel before the trial ends and redirect your budget to a more flexible platform.

For a deeper dive into the specific features, pricing breakdowns, and advanced workflows, you can read our full comprehensive review of Things 3.