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Basecamp vs Things 3

Basecamp logo

Basecamp

All industries

Project management & team collaboration software

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 Basecamp has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Basecamp the free tier allows one project and 1 GB of storage; Things 3 no team collaboration, task sharing, or task assignment features
  • They diverge on capability: Basecamp covers Message boards, Things 3 covers Today view.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Basecamp and Things 3 differ
AttributeBasecampThings 3
Starting priceFree$9.99/one-time
Pricing modelfreemiumUnknown
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWebmacOS, iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, visionOS
CategoryAll industriesProductivity

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), founded (2004).

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 Basecamp

  • Message boards
  • To-do lists
  • Schedules
  • Documents & files
  • Group chat
  • Check-in questions
  • Hill Charts
  • Email forwards

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.

Basecamp

  • Project management for a small team in one placenot Things 3
  • Message boards and chat alongside to-dosnot Things 3
  • Client collaboration, since guests are not chargednot Things 3
  • Flat-rate project management for a larger team on Pro Unlimitednot Things 3

Things 3

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

Where each one falls short

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

Basecamp

  • The free tier allows one project and 1 GB of storage
  • Pro is $15 per user per month, so cost scales with headcount unlike the flat Pro Unlimited at $299 a month billed annually
  • Storage beyond the plan costs $50 a month per additional terabyte
  • Timesheet and the Admin Pro Pack are paid upgrades on Pro and only bundled with Pro Unlimited

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

Basecamp

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Basecamp review.

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 Basecamp if

  • You need message boards.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want to-do lists.
Basecamp 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 Basecamp or Things 3 better?
Neither clearly leads. Basecamp 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, Basecamp or Things 3?
Basecamp has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Basecamp and $9.99/one-time for Things 3.
Does Basecamp or Things 3 run on more platforms?
Basecamp runs on Web. Things 3 runs on macOS, iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, visionOS.
Can I use Basecamp for free?
Yes. Basecamp has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Things 3 starts at $9.99/one-time.
What is Basecamp best used for?
Basecamp is most often used for project management for a small team in one place, message boards and chat alongside to-dos, client collaboration, since guests are not charged, flat-rate project management for a larger team on pro unlimited. Of those, project management for a small team in one place and message boards and chat alongside to-dos are not what Things 3 is typically brought in for.
What can Basecamp do that Things 3 cannot?
Basecamp covers Message boards, To-do lists, Schedules, Documents & files. Things 3 covers Today view, Projects and areas, Quick entry, Tags.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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
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
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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Related pages

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