Things 3 vs TickTick
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Things 3
Personal task manager for Apple devices, sold as a one-time purchase
TickTick
To-do list with a calendar, habit tracker and Pomodoro timer built in
Where they differ
- Things 3 starts at $9.99 one-time for iPhone; iPad $19.99 and Mac $49.99 are sold separately. TickTick starts at $49.99 per year (about $4.17 per month).
- TickTick has a free plan. Things 3 does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only TickTick lists a web app.
- Only TickTick lists Windows, Linux and Android apps.
- Only TickTick lists a browser extension.
- Things 3 can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- Things 3 also covers Markdown.
- TickTick also covers kanban boards, Pomodoro timer and habit tracking.
At a glance
| Things 3 | TickTick | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free trial | Free plan |
| Starts at | $9.99 one-time for iPhone; iPad $19.99 and Mac $49.99 are sold separately | $49.99 per year (about $4.17 per month) |
| Free plan | None | 9 lists, 99 tasks per list, 5 habits, 2 reminders per task and 1 attachment per day, with list and kanban views, a basic calendar view and sync across devices. |
| Free trial | 15-day free trial of the Mac app with every feature. There is no trial on iPhone, iPad or Vision. | None listed |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Browser extension | ||
| Made by | Cultured Code GmbH & Co. KG | Appest Inc. |
| Price read from | apps.apple.com | ticktick.com |
| Checked | Oct 4, 2026 | Oct 4, 2026 |
Who each one suits
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
TickTick
- People who want tasks, habits and a focus timer in a single app
- Keeping the same lists on Windows, Mac, Linux, phones and the web
- Students and school staff, who can apply for a discount on Premium
Worth knowing
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.
TickTick
- The free plan is capped at 9 lists, 99 tasks per list, 5 habits and 1 attachment per day.
- Multiple calendar views, task duration and email reminders are listed as Premium features.
- The pricing page shows Premium only as a $49.99 annual plan; a $4.99 monthly option appears on the App Store listing.
- Location-based reminders are listed as iOS only.
Key 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.
TickTick
- Typed and spoken task capture
- Dates and times are recognized as a task is typed. Voice Capture turns speech into one or more tasks and uses AI to pull out dates and priorities.
- Calendar views
- Yearly, monthly, weekly, multi-day, multi-week and agenda views show tasks alongside subscribed calendars. The free plan has a basic calendar view; Premium lists multiple views.
- Kanban, timeline and matrix
- A list can be shown as a kanban board, as a timeline for tasks that have a duration, or as an Eisenhower matrix that sorts tasks by urgency and importance.
- Pomodoro timer
- Work on a task in 25-minute focus intervals. Statistics report focus time next to completed tasks and habit logs.
- Habit tracker
- Habits are logged and charted in the same app as tasks. The free plan allows 5 habits and Premium allows 299.
- Shared lists
- Share a list with other people and assign tasks to them. The member count is 2 on the free plan and 29 on Premium.
Plans
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.
TickTick
Free$0
9 lists with 99 tasks each, list and kanban views, date recognition as you type, task reminders and cross-platform sync.
Premium$49.99
per year
299 lists with 999 tasks each, multiple calendar views, task duration, email reminders, themes and 299 habits.
Ways to pay less
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.
TickTick
- Education
25% off Premium for students, faculty and staff
Eligible students, faculty and staff can apply with proof of status for 25% off one year of Premium. TickTick lists the price after the discount as $37.99.
- Annual discount
Annual billing costs about 17% less than monthly
The App Store listing shows Premium at $4.99 monthly or $49.99 annually, so a year paid up front costs about 17% less than 12 monthly payments ($59.88).
