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Productivity · head to head

Alfred vs Things 3

Alfred logo

Alfred

Productivity

Mac launcher and automation tool sold as a one-time Powerpack licence rather than a subscription

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Things 3 logo

Things 3

Productivity

The award-winning personal task manager

From
$9.99/one-time
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Alfred has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Alfred there is no official built in AI assistant, so anything AI related depends on a community workflow calling an external API key you supply yourself.; Things 3 no team collaboration, task sharing, or task assignment features
  • They diverge on capability: Alfred covers Workflows, Things 3 covers Today view.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Alfred and Things 3 actually diverge.

Attributes where Alfred and Things 3 differ
AttributeAlfredThings 3
Starting priceFree$9.99/one-time
Pricing modelOne-time purchaseUnknown
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsMacmacOS, iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, visionOS
FoundedUnknown2004

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Productivity).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Alfred

  • Workflows
  • Clipboard history
  • Snippets
  • File actions
  • Universal actions
  • Theming

Only in Things 3

  • Today view
  • Projects and areas
  • Quick entry
  • Tags
  • Calendar integration
  • Apple Calendar
  • Siri
  • Shortcuts

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Alfred

  • A developer who wants to trigger scripts, run shell commands and search files from one hotkey without a subscriptionnot Things 3
  • A writer who wants text snippets and clipboard history and does not want built in AInot Things 3
  • A long time Alfred user with a large personal library of custom workflows built up over yearsnot Things 3
  • A user who prefers paying once per major version over a recurring monthly chargenot Things 3

Things 3

  • Schedulingnot Alfred
  • Appointment bookingnot Alfred
  • Time trackingnot Alfred
  • Resource managementnot Alfred
  • Team coordinationnot Alfred

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Alfred

  • There is no official built in AI assistant, so anything AI related depends on a community workflow calling an external API key you supply yourself.
  • The workflow format is older XML and script filters, which is less approachable for a beginner than a modern extension store with typed APIs.
  • It is Mac only, so a user who splits time between Mac and Windows needs a second tool on the other machine.
  • The free tier is quite limited, with no workflows or clipboard history, so most serious users end up paying for the Powerpack anyway.
  • Because upgrades to a new major version are a separate purchase for Single Licence holders, users who skip the Mega Supporter tier can face a further one-time charge every few years.

Things 3

  • No team collaboration, task sharing, or task assignment features
  • Apple ecosystem only, with no Windows, Android, or web version
  • No third-party app integrations beyond Apple's ecosystem
  • Cannot attach files or images to tasks, only text notes
  • No time blocking or calendar integration for scheduling tasks into specific time slots

Pricing, plan by plan

Alfred

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Basic app and file launching
    • Web searches and system commands
    • No workflows or clipboard history
  • Powerpack Single Licence$34/one-time
    • 1 user on up to 2 Macs
    • Workflows, clipboard history and snippets
    • Free updates within the same major version
  • Powerpack Mega Supporter$59/one-time
    • 1 user on up to 4 Macs
    • Free upgrades to all future major versions
    • Early access to betas

Things 3

$9.99/one-time
  • iPhone/Watch$9.99/one-time
  • iPad$19.99/one-time
  • Mac$49.99/one-time

Which should you pick?

Choose Alfred if

  • You need workflows.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Mac.
  • You also want clipboard history.
Alfred review

Choose Things 3 if

  • You need today view.
  • You work on macOS, iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, visionOS.
  • You also want projects and areas.
Things 3 review

Questions people ask

Is Alfred or Things 3 better?
Neither clearly leads. Alfred starts at Free and Things 3 at $9.99/one-time, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Alfred or Things 3?
Alfred has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Alfred and $9.99/one-time for Things 3.
Does Alfred or Things 3 run on more platforms?
Alfred runs on Mac. Things 3 runs on macOS, iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, visionOS.
Can I use Alfred for free?
Yes. Alfred has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Things 3 starts at $9.99/one-time.
What is Alfred best used for?
Alfred is most often used for a developer who wants to trigger scripts, run shell commands and search files from one hotkey without a subscription, a writer who wants text snippets and clipboard history and does not want built in ai, a long time alfred user with a large personal library of custom workflows built up over years, a user who prefers paying once per major version over a recurring monthly charge. Of those, a developer who wants to trigger scripts, run shell commands and search files from one hotkey without a subscription and a writer who wants text snippets and clipboard history and does not want built in ai are not what Things 3 is typically brought in for.
What can Alfred do that Things 3 cannot?
Alfred covers Workflows, Clipboard history, Snippets, File actions. Things 3 covers Today view, Projects and areas, Quick entry, Tags.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Alfred: Is Alfred a subscription?

No. The Powerpack is a one-time purchase per major version, or a one-time Mega Supporter purchase that includes all future major version upgrades.

Things 3: Does Things 3 support team collaboration?

No. Things 3 is designed for individual use only with no task sharing, team workspaces, task assignment, or commenting features.

Source
Alfred: Does Alfred replace Spotlight?

It can. Alfred can take over the system-wide hotkey and generally returns results faster with more configurable behaviour than Spotlight.

Things 3: What platforms does Things 3 run on?

Things 3 is exclusive to Apple devices: macOS, iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, and visionOS. There is no Windows, Android, or web version.

Source
Alfred: Does Alfred have AI features?

Not officially built in. Some community workflows add AI chat or completion by calling an external API with a key you provide.

Things 3: How much does Things 3 cost?

Things 3 uses a one-time purchase model: $9.99 for iPhone/Watch, $19.99 for iPad, and $49.99 for Mac. Total cost for all platforms is approximately $80 with no subscription required.

Source
Things 3: Does Things 3 sync across devices?

Yes. Things Cloud keeps your to-dos in sync across all your Apple devices automatically. There is no extra cost for cloud synchronization.

Source
Things 3: Can you attach files or images to tasks in Things 3?

No. Things 3 does not support attachments. You can only add notes (text) to tasks.

Source
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