beorg vs Things 3
We give beorg a 3.6 GPA and Things 3 a 3.0, out of 4.0. beorg grades higher on value for money and the free plan. They get the same grade on features, ease of use and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
beorg
Plain-text task manager for iPhone and iPad using Org mode files
Things 3
Personal task manager for Apple devices, sold as a one-time purchase
How we grade them
| 3.6GPAbeorgExcellent | 3.0GPAThings 3Very good | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | APremium unlocks every extension for $1.49 a month or $9.99 a year. A typical to-do app charges about $3.99 a month. You can also buy single extensions from $0.99 to $2.99 and never subscribe. | BNo subscription, and sync through Things Cloud costs nothing extra. The iPhone app is $9.99 once, which is cheap. But iPad is $19.99 and Mac is $49.99, with no bundle, and all four apps come to $109.96. That's a bit over two years of a typical to-do subscription. |
| Free plan and trial | AUnlimited files and tasks, the weekly agenda, search, subtasks, scripting and sync through iCloud, Dropbox or WebDAV are all free. Most people could stop there. The free app caps you at 2 task templates. | CNo free version. The Mac app has a 15-day trial with every feature, downloaded from Cultured Code's site. There's no trial on iPhone, iPad or Vision, so there you pay first and find out after. |
| Features | ATasks take custom states, priorities, tags and scheduled, deadline and repeating dates. There's a folding outliner, an agenda that sits next to your iOS calendars, and a built-in Scheme language for writing your own filters. | AProjects split by headings, checklists inside a to-do, notes in Markdown, repeating items, deadlines and reminders. Today and Upcoming show your calendar events with your tasks. Type "in four days" and it gets the date. For one person's tasks, that's the whole job with depth. |
| Ease of use | A4.9 from about 1,000 App Store ratings. The files are plain Org mode text, so it helps a lot if you already know the format. If you do, you pick where they sync and get going. | A4.8 from about 28,000 App Store ratings. Dates go in as plain words like "Tomorrow" or "Saturday", and on a Mac Quick Entry adds a to-do while you're in another app. |
| Platforms and integrations | CiPhone, iPad and Apple Watch only. There's no Mac, Windows, Android or web app. On a computer you open the same files in Emacs or another Org mode editor, and beorg's own site sends Android users to Orgzly. | CMac, iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch and Apple Vision Pro, with Apple Calendar, Reminders, Shortcuts and Siri. All Apple. Cultured Code states it will not work on Windows, Android, Linux or in a web browser. |
| Best for | Org mode files on an iPhone or iPad | one person's tasks on Apple devices, paid for once |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: beorg and Things 3. How we grade
Where they differ
- beorg starts at $0.99 per extension, or $1.49 per month for beorg Premium. Things 3 starts at $9.99 one-time for iPhone; iPad $19.99 and Mac $49.99 are sold separately.
- beorg has a free plan. Things 3 does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Things 3 lists a macOS app.
- Things 3 can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- beorg also covers notes and templates.
- Things 3 also covers Markdown, natural-language input and calendar.
At a glance
| beorg | Things 3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free trial |
| Starts at | $0.99 per extension, or $1.49 per month for beorg Premium | $9.99 one-time for iPhone; iPad $19.99 and Mac $49.99 are sold separately |
| Free plan | Core features are free: unlimited Org mode files, tasks, weekly agenda, search, subtasks, Scheme scripting, 2 task templates, and sync through iCloud, Dropbox, WebDAV or a folder provider. | None |
| Free trial | 7-day free trial of beorg Premium | 15-day free trial of the Mac app with every feature. There is no trial on iPhone, iPad or Vision. |
| macOS | ||
| iOS | ||
| Made by | Apps On The Move Limited | Cultured Code GmbH & Co. KG |
| Price read from | apps.apple.com | apps.apple.com |
| Checked | Oct 9, 2026 | Oct 9, 2026 |
Who each one suits
beorg
- Emacs Org mode users who want their files on iPhone and iPad
- People who want tasks kept in plain text files they control
- Choosing where data is stored: iCloud, Dropbox or WebDAV
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
beorg
- It is offered for iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch only. On a computer the files are edited in another Org mode editor such as Emacs, and the vendor points Android users to Orgzly.
- Encryption, Box sync, saved searches, task timers, properties and UI themes are paid extensions, and the free version allows 2 task templates.
- Premium is a subscription, $1.49 monthly or $9.99 annually on the US App Store; single extensions are separate in-app purchases.
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
beorg
- Plain-text Org mode files
- Tasks, projects and notes are saved as plain text in Org mode syntax, so the files can be viewed and edited in Emacs and other editors on macOS, Windows and Linux.
- Sync through storage you choose
- Files sync through iCloud, Dropbox, WebDAV or a folder from another file provider app. Box sync is a paid extension.
- Weekly agenda and notifications
- A weekly agenda shows scheduled items and deadlines next to events from iOS calendars, and notifications warn of upcoming items. The agenda is also available on Apple Watch.
- Tasks and outliner
- Tasks take custom states, priorities, tags, notes, and scheduled, deadline and repeating dates. The outliner folds sections, rearranges items and supports subtasks.
- Quick capture
- New tasks go to an inbox or straight to a file, and the share extension adds text and links from other apps to the inbox.
- Scripting, PDF export and backups
- A built-in Scheme scripting language creates custom task filters and customizes the editor. Outlines export to PDF, and the app keeps up to 7 days of file backups.
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
beorg
Free$0
Unlimited files, tasks, weekly agenda, search, 2 task templates, and iCloud, Dropbox, WebDAV or folder sync.
Individual extensions$0.99 - $2.99
per extension, in-app purchase; period not labelled
Extensions bought one at a time. The US App Store lists Dark Mode at $0.99, Properties at $1.99, and Saved Searches, Templates and Task Timers at $2.99 each.
beorg Premium - Monthly$1.49
per month
Unlocks every extension, including encryption, Box sync, saved searches, task timers, properties, UI themes and unlimited task templates.
beorg Premium - Annual$9.99
per year
The same Premium subscription with every extension unlocked, billed once a year.
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
beorg
- Annual discount
Annual Premium costs about 44% less
The US App Store lists beorg Premium at $1.49 monthly or $9.99 annually, so a year on the annual plan costs about 44% less than twelve monthly payments.
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.
