Software · head to head
Epic Systems vs Things 3

Epic Systems
Software
Leading electronic health records system for healthcare organizations
- From
- On request
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Epic Systems no free version or trial; enterprise pricing only with custom negotiation required; Things 3 no team collaboration, task sharing, or task assignment features
- They diverge on capability: Epic Systems covers Electronic Health Records, Things 3 covers Today view.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Epic Systems and Things 3 actually diverge.
| Attribute | Epic Systems | Things 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | On request | $9.99/one-time |
| Pricing model | quote | Unknown |
| Platforms | Web, Desktop, Mobile | macOS, iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, visionOS |
| Founded | 1979 | 2004 |
Identical on both: free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).
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 Epic Systems
- Electronic Health Records
- Revenue Cycle Management
- Patient Portal
- Clinical Decision Support
- Population Health
- Lab Systems
- Imaging Systems
- Pharmacy Systems
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.
Epic Systems
- Patient Carenot Things 3
- Medical Recordsnot Things 3
- Practice Managementnot Things 3
- Telehealthnot Things 3
Things 3
- Schedulingnot Epic Systems
- Appointment bookingnot Epic Systems
- Time trackingnot Epic Systems
- Resource managementnot Epic Systems
- Team coordinationnot Epic Systems
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Epic Systems
- No free version or trial; enterprise pricing only with custom negotiation required
- Lengthy implementation timeline: 12-24 months for single hospitals, 3-5 years for multi-system rollouts
- Customization and workflow adaptation requires extensive consulting services
- Very high licensing costs ranging from 100,000 to 30 million USD depending on organization size
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
Epic Systems
On requestNo published plan breakdown. See the Epic Systems 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 Epic Systems if
- You need electronic health records.
- You work on Web, Desktop, Mobile.
- You also want revenue cycle management.
Choose Things 3 if
- You need today view.
- You work on macOS, iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, visionOS.
- You also want projects and areas.
Questions people ask
- Is Epic Systems or Things 3 better?
- Neither clearly leads. Epic Systems starts at On request 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, Epic Systems or Things 3?
- Epic Systems starts at On request and Things 3 at $9.99/one-time.
- Does Epic Systems or Things 3 run on more platforms?
- Epic Systems runs on Web, Desktop, Mobile. Things 3 runs on macOS, iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, visionOS.
- What is Epic Systems best used for?
- Epic Systems is most often used for patient care, medical records, practice management, telehealth. Of those, patient care and medical records are not what Things 3 is typically brought in for.
- What can Epic Systems do that Things 3 cannot?
- Epic Systems covers Electronic Health Records, Revenue Cycle Management, Patient Portal, Clinical Decision Support. Things 3 covers Today view, Projects and areas, Quick entry, Tags.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Epic Systems: What is Epic's market position?
Epic holds 36 percent of the U.S. EHR market and manages over 280 million patient records across 1,200+ healthcare organizations. Among hospitals with over 300 beds, Epic has 52 percent market share, and 71 percent market share in major academic medical centers as of 2026.
SourceThings 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.
SourceEpic Systems: Is there a free trial or demo available?
Epic does not offer a free version or trial. The software is enterprise-only with custom pricing negotiated directly with organizations. Typical implementation timelines for single hospitals range from 12 to 24 months, and multi-hospital systems can take 3 to 5 years for phased rollouts.
SourceThings 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.
SourceEpic Systems: How does Epic integrate with third-party systems?
Epic provides multiple integration pathways: FHIR R4 APIs, HL7 v2 messaging, CCDA document exchange, and proprietary APIs through Epic Showroom (formerly App Orchard). Over 1,000 certified apps are available in the marketplace, enabling real-time data synchronization and interoperability.
SourceThings 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.
SourceEpic Systems: What is included in Epic's unified platform?
Epic provides a truly unified system spanning inpatient, outpatient, emergency department, surgical, pharmacy, laboratory, radiology, billing, and population health on a single database. It includes appointment scheduling, medical billing, clinical decision support, patient portal (MyChart), telehealth capabilities, and analytics.
SourceThings 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.
SourceThings 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.
SourceRelated pages
More on Epic Systems
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- Things 3 vs WebPT
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- Things 3 vs Brain.fm
- Things 3 vs TickTick
- Things 3 vs Akiflow
- Things 3 vs Any.do
- Things 3 vs Focus@Will
- Things 3 vs Forest
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- Things 3 vs 7-Zip
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- Things 3 vs Bear Notes
- Things 3 vs BoldSign

