Apple Reminders vs Things 3
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Apple Reminders
Apple's free to-do app for iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple Watch
Things 3
Personal task manager for Apple devices, sold as a one-time purchase
Where they differ
- Apple Reminders is free. Things 3 starts at $9.99 one-time for iPhone; iPad $19.99 and Mac $49.99 are sold separately.
- Apple Reminders has a free plan. Things 3 does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Apple Reminders lists a web app.
- Things 3 can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- Apple Reminders also covers templates and kanban boards.
- Things 3 also covers Markdown and calendar.
At a glance
| Apple Reminders | Things 3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free trial |
| Starts at | Free | $9.99 one-time for iPhone; iPad $19.99 and Mac $49.99 are sold separately |
| Free plan | The app is listed as free on the App Store, with no paid tier: lists, Smart Lists, tags, subtasks, shared lists, location-based reminders and iCloud sync. | None |
| Free trial | None listed | 15-day free trial of the Mac app with every feature. There is no trial on iPhone, iPad or Vision. |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| iOS | ||
| Made by | Apple | Cultured Code GmbH & Co. KG |
| Price read from | apps.apple.com | apps.apple.com |
| Checked | Oct 5, 2026 | Oct 4, 2026 |
Who each one suits
Apple Reminders
- People who use only Apple devices
- Shared grocery and household lists among iCloud users
- Location-based reminders and adding tasks by voice with Siri
Things 3
- People who work only on Apple devices
- Buyers who prefer a one-time purchase to a subscription
- One person planning their own tasks and projects
Worth knowing
Apple Reminders
- Apps are listed only for Apple devices; on anything else, reminders are reached in a web browser at iCloud.com.
- On iCloud.com a reminder's title, notes, day or location alert and flag can be edited; Apple directs you to the app for other details.
- Sync and shared lists depend on iCloud, and collaborators need to use iCloud as well.
- Apple notes that certain features are available only in select languages and regions.
Things 3
- Apple devices only: the vendor states it will not work on Windows, Android, Linux or in a web browser.
- Mac, iPhone, iPad and Vision apps are separate purchases with no bundle; all four come to $109.96.
- Real-time sharing of to-dos or lists with other people is not supported.
- Only the Mac app has a free trial.
Key features
Apple Reminders
- Smart Lists
- Built-in lists such as Today, Scheduled, Flagged and Assigned to Me fill themselves. Custom Smart Lists gather reminders by tag, date, time, location, flag and priority.
- Tags, subtasks and sections
- Reminders can carry tags and subtasks. A list can be divided into sections and shown in a column view, which Apple suggests for simple kanban boards.
- Time, location and Messages alerts
- A reminder can repeat daily, weekly or at a custom interval, fire on arriving at a place or getting in the car, or appear the next time you message a tagged person.
- Shared lists and assignments
- Everyone on a shared list can add and complete reminders, changes show up for all collaborators in real time, and reminders can be assigned to people on the list.
- Grocery lists and templates
- Grocery lists group items into sections such as dairy and produce on their own. Any list can be saved as a template and shared with others through a link.
- Natural language and Apple Intelligence
- A typed phrase such as "Jog every other morning" sets the schedule. Apple Intelligence can sort a list into categories and suggest tasks from shared text or web pages.
Things 3
- Today and This Evening
- The Today list puts the day's calendar events at the top and to-dos underneath, with a separate This Evening section for tasks meant for later in the day.
- Upcoming
- A view of the days ahead with scheduled to-dos, repeating items, deadlines and calendar events. A to-do can be dragged to another day to reschedule it.
- Projects, headings and checklists
- Headings split a project into categories or milestones, and a single to-do can carry a checklist of smaller steps along with notes written in Markdown.
- Dates in plain words
- The Jump Start popover accepts dates typed as "Tomorrow", "Saturday" or "in four days", and a time-based reminder can be added to any to-do.
- Quick Entry and Quick Find
- Quick Entry on Mac creates a to-do while you are working in another app. Quick Find searches projects, to-dos and tags as you type.
- Things Cloud sync
- To-dos sync between your devices through the vendor's own Things Cloud service at no extra charge.
Plans
Apple Reminders
Free$0
Every feature of the app on iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch and Apple Vision Pro, plus browser access at iCloud.com.
Things 3
Things for iPhone & Watch$9.99
one-time purchase
The iPhone app, with the Apple Watch app included. Sold on the App Store.
Things for iPad$19.99
one-time purchase
The iPad app, bought separately from the iPhone and Mac apps.
Things for Vision$29.99
one-time purchase
The Apple Vision Pro app, bought separately from the other apps.
Things for Mac$49.99
one-time purchase
The Mac app, sold on the Mac App Store. A 15-day trial can be downloaded from the vendor's site.
Ways to pay less
Apple Reminders
No public discounts listed.
Things 3
- Other savings
Shareable through Apple Family Sharing
Cultured Code supports Apple's Family Sharing, so one purchase of an app can be shared with family members at no extra cost.
