Things is a premium Apple-ecosystem task manager from Cultured Code in Germany; Things 3 won the Apple Design Award in 2017, sells for about $49.99 one-time on macOS and is known for GTD hierarchy and minimal design.

Strengths and Features

✅ One-time purchase model: about $49.99 on macOS and $19.99 on iOS, with no subscription burden and lower long-term cost
✅ Things 3 launched in 2017 and won the Apple Design Award, praised as a benchmark task app on the Apple ecosystem for its minimal design and fluid interaction
✅ Full GTD hierarchy built in: 4 levels of Today, Upcoming, Projects and Areas, plus tags, lists and checklists for complex tasks
✅ Things Cloud syncs in real time across 3 platforms (macOS, iOS and iPadOS) and works offline
✅ Quick Entry global shortcut plus deep Things URL Scheme and Shortcuts integration for automation across 3 Apple platforms
⚠️ Apple-only: no Windows, Android or Web versions, so non-Apple users cannot use it at all
⚠️ No team collaboration: no shared lists, task assignment or comments, personal task management only
⚠️ Deliberately restrained features: no natural language parsing or large third-party ecosystem, and deep automation relies on Apple Shortcuts
⚠️ No free tier: every platform requires a paid one-time purchase after the trial period

Product Information

Category Productivity

Tags 16IDC Productivity Task Management Time Management GTD Apple Ecosystem One-Time Purchase Todo things Quick Entry Things Cloud

Company things

Service Region Germany

Official Website https://culturedcode.com/things/

Recommendation Score 5 pts

Published 2026-08-09

Detailed Notes

Overview

Things is developed by Cultured Code in Stuttgart, Germany, and is a premium task management app in the productivity space. Built around the Getting Things Done (GTD) methodology, it helps users organize personal and work tasks through a four-level hierarchy of Today, Upcoming, Projects and Areas, and is among the most acclaimed to-do apps on the Apple ecosystem.

Things 1 launched in 2008, and after years of iteration Things 3 arrived in 2017 and won the Apple Design Award, priced at about $49.99 on macOS and $19.99 on iOS as one-time purchases. The app syncs in real time across macOS, iOS and iPadOS through Things Cloud, and pairs Quick Entry capture with deep URL Scheme and Shortcuts integration. It suits Apple users who value refined design and long-term stability; see productivity tool collection for comparable options.

Key Strengths

Top-tier design on the Apple ecosystem: Things 3 won the Apple Design Award with refined, fluid interaction, widely regarded as the most elegant task manager on macOS and iOS.
One-time purchase, no subscription: about $49.99 on macOS and $19.99 on iOS, with a lower long-term cost than subscription rivals and more controllable data.
Complete GTD methodology: the Today, Upcoming, Projects and Areas hierarchy plus tags, lists and checklists turns complex goals into actionable steps, and can pair with OKR management tools for long-term goals.
Things Cloud sync across three platforms: real-time sync and offline use on macOS, iOS and iPadOS with no manual maintenance.
Quick capture and automation: Quick Entry grabs ideas in seconds, and URL Scheme plus Shortcuts support personal automation flows; see SaaS product website guide for product design thinking.

Product Ecosystem

Things 3 Task Management

The core to-do app covering macOS, iOS and iPadOS. Tasks are organized by Today, Upcoming, Projects and Areas, with due dates, reminders, tags, lists and checklists, fully following GTD.

Things Cloud Sync

The official cloud sync service keeps task data in sync across three devices in real time, supports offline editing, and works without a third-party cloud account.

Quick Entry

A global quick-input window that adds tasks without opening the app, with reminder times and project assignment, ideal for capturing ideas and ad-hoc tasks on the fly.

Tags, Lists and Areas

Tags filter across projects, lists provide step-by-step checks inside tasks such as travel packing, and areas organize tasks by life or work domains.

URL Scheme and Shortcuts Integration

Things URL Scheme lets other apps jump in to create tasks, and deep Shortcuts integration builds automations like "daily review" or "end-of-day cleanup", a key differentiator of the Things ecosystem.

Limitations

Apple-only: no Windows, Android or Web versions, so non-Apple users cannot use it; cross-platform teams should switch to Todoist or similar.
No team collaboration: no shared lists, task assignment or comments; it is a personal tool, so collaborative projects can pair with Notion.
Deliberately restrained features: no natural language parsing or large third-party ecosystem, and deep automation depends on Apple Shortcuts, which may feel limited to users who like stacked features.
No free tier: every platform requires a paid one-time purchase after the trial; budget-sensitive users can consider Taskwarrior and other free options.

Use Cases

Personal task management on the Apple ecosystem (recommended ★★★★★): the first choice for macOS, iOS and iPadOS users who want refined design and GTD.
Freelancers and knowledge workers (recommended ★★★★): the Projects and Areas hierarchy suits personal project management, paired with freelance work management tips.
Long-term personal productivity (recommended ★★★★): one-time purchase with no subscription pressure, ideal for steady long-term use.
Team collaboration (recommended ★★): collaboration features are missing, so teams should use a dedicated project management platform.

Pricing

Platform	Price	Key Features
macOS	about $49.99 (one-time)	Full task management, GTD hierarchy, Things Cloud, Quick Entry
iOS	about $19.99 (one-time)	Mobile task management, reminders, quick entry
iPadOS	about $19.99 (one-time)	Touch-optimized interface, task and project management

Note: Prices are public one-time reference prices from the official site. One purchase covers long-term use on the matching platform; taxes may vary by region, so check the official site.

FAQ

Does Things support Windows or Android? No. Things is Apple-only, so Windows, Android and Web users cannot use it; for cross-platform needs, see productivity tool collection for alternatives.
Does Things have a free version? No. Each platform is a paid one-time purchase and you must pay after the trial; for free task management, consider open-source options such as Taskwarrior.
How does Things sync between devices? Things Cloud syncs in real time across macOS, iOS and iPadOS with offline support; URL Scheme and Shortcuts can also build automation flows, as covered in remote team toolchain.
Is Things suitable for team collaboration? No. Things is a purely personal task manager without sharing or assignment features; teams should use a dedicated project management platform.

Visit Things Website →