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Productivity · head to head

Day One vs Things 3

Day One logo

Day One

Productivity

Journalling app for iOS, Android and Mac now sold as a subscription after years as a one-time purchase

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 Day One has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Day One it moved from a one-time purchase to a subscription after the Automattic acquisition, so long-term cost is materially higher than the original pricing implied.; Things 3 no team collaboration, task sharing, or task assignment features
  • They diverge on capability: Day One covers Multiple journals, Things 3 covers Today view.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Day One and Things 3 actually diverge.

Attributes where Day One and Things 3 differ
AttributeDay OneThings 3
Starting priceFree$9.99/one-time
Pricing modelFree tier plus subscriptionUnknown
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsiOS, Android, macOS, WebmacOS, 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 Day One

  • Multiple journals
  • Rich entries
  • End-to-end encryption
  • On This Day
  • Cross-platform sync
  • PDF and Day One export

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.

Day One

  • Someone wanting a private daily journal with photos that syncs between phone and laptopnot Things 3
  • A person keeping a travel journal that auto-attaches location and weather to each entrynot Things 3
  • Someone who wants encrypted entries kept separate from an unencrypted general journalnot Things 3
  • A user who wants automated daily writing prompts and On This Day nostalgia reviewnot Things 3

Things 3

  • Schedulingnot Day One
  • Appointment bookingnot Day One
  • Time trackingnot Day One
  • Resource managementnot Day One
  • Team coordinationnot Day One

Where each one falls short

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

Day One

  • It moved from a one-time purchase to a subscription after the Automattic acquisition, so long-term cost is materially higher than the original pricing implied.
  • The free tier caps at one journal and 25 photo entries, which is restrictive enough that anyone journalling seriously for more than a few weeks needs to pay.
  • End-to-end encryption is opt-in per journal rather than on by default, so users have to actively choose it and understand which journals are protected.
  • Cancelling Premium after using multiple journals or heavy photo storage can leave content viewable but with sync and some features disabled, so people should export before cancelling.
  • As an Automattic product, its roadmap sits behind a company whose primary focus is WordPress and Tumblr, not journalling specifically.

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

Day One

Free
  • FreeFree
    • One journal
    • Up to 25 photo entries
    • Basic sync
  • Day One Premium$3.99/month
    • Unlimited journals and photos
    • End-to-end encryption
    • On This Day and audio transcription
  • Day One Premium Annual$34.99/year
    • Same as monthly Premium at a lower effective rate

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 Day One if

  • You need multiple journals.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on iOS, Android, macOS, Web.
  • You also want rich entries.
Day One 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 Day One or Things 3 better?
Neither clearly leads. Day One 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, Day One or Things 3?
Day One has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Day One and $9.99/one-time for Things 3.
Does Day One or Things 3 run on more platforms?
Day One runs on iOS, Android, macOS, Web. Things 3 runs on macOS, iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, visionOS.
Can I use Day One for free?
Yes. Day One has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Things 3 starts at $9.99/one-time.
What is Day One best used for?
Day One is most often used for someone wanting a private daily journal with photos that syncs between phone and laptop, a person keeping a travel journal that auto-attaches location and weather to each entry, someone who wants encrypted entries kept separate from an unencrypted general journal, a user who wants automated daily writing prompts and on this day nostalgia review. Of those, someone wanting a private daily journal with photos that syncs between phone and laptop and a person keeping a travel journal that auto-attaches location and weather to each entry are not what Things 3 is typically brought in for.
What can Day One do that Things 3 cannot?
Day One covers Multiple journals, Rich entries, End-to-end encryption, On This Day. Things 3 covers Today view, Projects and areas, Quick entry, Tags.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Day One: Is Day One still a one-time purchase?

No. Since the 2021 Automattic acquisition it is sold as Day One Premium, a subscription. Older lifetime purchasers were grandfathered but new users pay a subscription.

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
Day One: Is encryption on by default?

No, end-to-end encryption is an option users turn on per journal, not a default for all entries.

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
Day One: Can I export my entries if I cancel?

Yes, PDF and native Day One export formats are available regardless of subscription status, though some sync and premium features stop working.

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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