Goalist vs Things 3 (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Things 3 grades higher than Goalist: 2.6 against 2.0 out of 4.0.
Checked Oct 9, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Oct 10, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
Things 3 grades higher on value for money and ease of use. They get the same grade on the free plan, features and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Goalist
One-goal to-do list that stores your data on your device
Things 3
Personal task manager for Apple devices, sold as a one-time purchase
Which one is for you
Pick Goalist if
- Fits if you want to focus on one goal and keep your data on your own device
- Works for people happy with a single browser or device
Look elsewhere if
- Not for you if you want sync across devices for free, as that's paid
- Not for you if you lose things: lose the 12-word code and you lose the data
- Skip it if you want native apps, as it's a web app only
- Watch out: the $5 price has no stated billing period
Pick Things 3 if
- Fits if you work only on Apple devices and plan your own tasks and projects
- Works for people who'd rather pay once per device than subscribe
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you use Windows, Android or Linux, as it won't run there or in a browser
- Not for you if you share lists with a partner or a team, because real-time sharing isn't supported
- Pricey if you want it on every device, as the Mac, iPhone, iPad and Vision apps come to $109.96 with no bundle
- Watch out: only the Mac app has a trial, so on iPhone, iPad or Vision you pay before you see it
- Pricey if you start on a Mac, since the Mac app alone is $49.99
How we grade them
| 2.0GPAGoalistFair | 2.6GPAThings 3Good | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C$5 for the licence, but the page doesn't say whether it's one-time or recurring, so we can't compare it with the category's one-time or monthly figures. | BNo subscription, and sync through Things Cloud costs nothing extra. The iPhone app is $9.99 once. But iPad is $19.99 and Mac $49.99 with no bundle, so a phone and laptop pairing is about $60, which still beats two years of this category's $3.99 middle plan. All four come to $109.96. |
| Free plan and trial | CFree to use with no sign-up, but device sync and daily reminders are paid, and a licence button keeps showing until you pay. | CNo free version. The Mac app has a 15-day trial with every feature, downloaded from Cultured Code's site and asking for no card. There's no trial on iPhone, iPad or Vision, so there you pay first and find out after. |
| Features | COne goal at a time, a Resistance List, side quests and recurring tasks, working offline. A smaller job than most to-do lists, with keyboard shortcuts still being built. | CProjects split by headings, checklists inside a to-do, notes in Markdown, repeating items, deadlines and reminders, with Today and Upcoming showing calendar events beside your tasks. For one person that covers it. The gap its own pages name: real-time sharing of a to-do or list isn't supported. |
| Ease of use | CNo store rating on record. A web app with a 12-word code to keep safe and a method of its own to learn. | A4.8 from 27,988 App Store ratings, which is a lot of people agreeing. 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 | CWeb only, a progressive web app you can add to your home screen. No native apps or integrations. | CMac, iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch and Apple Vision Pro, with Apple Calendar, Reminders, Shortcuts and Siri. One family of devices. Cultured Code states it will not work on Windows, Android, Linux or in a web browser. |
| Best for | working on one goal at a time with a ranked task list | 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: Goalist and Things 3. How we grade
Where they differ
- Things 3 can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- Goalist also covers goals.
- Things 3 also covers Markdown, natural-language input and calendar.
At a glance
| Goalist | Things 3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free trial |
| Starts at | $5, price basis not stated | $9.99 one-time for iPhone; iPad $19.99 and Mac $49.99 are sold separately |
| Free plan | Usable without sign-up; shows an Activate License button, and device sync and daily reminders are paid. | 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 | Goalist | Cultured Code GmbH & Co. KG |
| Price read from | goalist.app | apps.apple.com |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Oct 9, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Goalist
- It is a web app that can be added to a home screen; no native apps are listed.
- Losing the 12-word code means losing access to the data, which the site says is kept on your device.
- The page does not say whether the $5 is a one-time or a recurring charge.
- Device sync and daily reminders are paid, and keyboard shortcuts are still in progress.
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
Goalist
- One goal at a time
- The app asks you to focus on a single main goal, based on a goal-setting approach it credits to a Huberman Lab toolkit.
- Resistance List
- A to-do list where each task is given a difficulty level, which helps you see which ones you are avoiding.
- Side quests
- Secondary tasks and spontaneous ideas go on a separate list so they do not pull focus from the main goal.
- Local-first data
- Built on Evolu, so data is kept on your device and the app works without a connection. A 12-word code stands in for a login.
- Device sync and reminders
- Syncing across devices with the secret code, and daily reminders, are marked as paid features.
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
Goalist
Free$0
One goal at a time, Resistance List, side quests, recurring tasks and offline use.
License$5
billing period not stated on the page
Removes the Activate License button and enables device sync, daily reminders and more.
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
Goalist
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.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Goalist or Things 3?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Goalist starts at $5, price basis not stated, and Things 3 starts at $9.99 one-time for iPhone; iPad $19.99 and Mac $49.99 are sold separately.
Which has a free plan, Goalist or Things 3?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Goalist has a free plan. Things 3 does not, though it has a free trial.
Which platforms do Goalist and Things 3 run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Goalist lists a web app and only Things 3 lists macOS and iOS apps. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.