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Calendar & Time Management · head to head

Cron Calendar vs Things 3

Cron Calendar logo

Cron Calendar

Calendar & Time Management

The next-generation calendar for professionals

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 Cron Calendar has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Cron Calendar no longer sold as Cron. Notion acquired it and renamed it Notion Calendar, and cron.com now carries that banner; Things 3 no team collaboration, task sharing, or task assignment features
  • They diverge on capability: Cron Calendar covers Keyboard shortcuts, Things 3 covers Today view.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Cron Calendar and Things 3 actually diverge.

Attributes where Cron Calendar and Things 3 differ
AttributeCron CalendarThings 3
Starting priceFree$9.99/one-time
Pricing modelfreeUnknown
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsMacos, Windows, Ios, Android, WebmacOS, iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, visionOS
CategoryCalendar & Time ManagementProductivity
Founded20162004

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

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 Cron Calendar

  • Keyboard shortcuts
  • Multi-timezone
  • Scheduling links
  • Team availability
  • Menu bar access
  • Google Calendar
  • Notion
  • Zoom

Only in Things 3

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

Both cover

  • Macos support
  • Ios support

What people use each for

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

Cron Calendar

  • Keyboard-driven calendar for people living in their schedulenot Things 3
  • Managing several Google calendars in one viewnot Things 3
  • Scheduling links for meeting availabilitynot Things 3
  • Joining video calls from the menu barnot Things 3

Things 3

  • Schedulingnot Cron Calendar
  • Appointment bookingnot Cron Calendar
  • Time trackingnot Cron Calendar
  • Resource managementnot Cron Calendar
  • Team coordinationnot Cron Calendar

Where each one falls short

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

Cron Calendar

  • No longer sold as Cron. Notion acquired it and renamed it Notion Calendar, and cron.com now carries that banner
  • Tied to the Notion account system rather than standing alone

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

Cron Calendar

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Calendar sync
    • Scheduling links
    • Keyboard shortcuts

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 Cron Calendar if

  • You need keyboard shortcuts.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Macos, Windows, Ios, Android, Web.
  • You also want multi-timezone.
Cron Calendar 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 Cron Calendar or Things 3 better?
Neither clearly leads. Cron Calendar 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, Cron Calendar or Things 3?
Cron Calendar has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Cron Calendar and $9.99/one-time for Things 3.
Does Cron Calendar or Things 3 run on more platforms?
Cron Calendar runs on Macos, Windows, Ios, Android, Web. Things 3 runs on macOS, iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, visionOS.
Can I use Cron Calendar for free?
Yes. Cron Calendar has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Things 3 starts at $9.99/one-time.
What is Cron Calendar best used for?
Cron Calendar is most often used for keyboard-driven calendar for people living in their schedule, managing several google calendars in one view, scheduling links for meeting availability, joining video calls from the menu bar. Of those, keyboard-driven calendar for people living in their schedule and managing several google calendars in one view are not what Things 3 is typically brought in for.
What can Cron Calendar do that Things 3 cannot?
Cron Calendar covers Keyboard shortcuts, Multi-timezone, Scheduling links, Team availability. Things 3 covers Today view, Projects and areas, Quick entry, Tags. Both handle Macos support, Ios support.

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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