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Utilities · head to head

Everything vs Things 3

Everything logo

Everything

Utilities

Instant filename search for Windows

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 Everything has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Everything searches filenames only, not file contents, which is the deliberate trade for its speed; Things 3 no team collaboration, task sharing, or task assignment features
  • They diverge on capability: Everything covers Instant results, Things 3 covers Today view.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Everything and Things 3 differ
AttributeEverythingThings 3
Starting priceFree$9.99/one-time
Pricing modelFree; donations acceptedUnknown
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWindowsmacOS, iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, visionOS
CategoryUtilitiesProductivity
FoundedUnknown2004

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 Everything

  • Instant results
  • MFT-based indexing
  • Tiny footprint
  • Regex and filters

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.

Everything

  • Finding a file by name instantly instead of waiting on Windows Searchnot Things 3
  • Locating duplicates and stray files across large drivesnot Things 3
  • Navigating a machine with hundreds of thousands of filesnot Things 3

Things 3

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

Where each one falls short

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

Everything

  • Searches filenames only, not file contents, which is the deliberate trade for its speed
  • Windows and NTFS only: no macOS or Linux build, and non-NTFS volumes fall back to slower indexing
  • Requires administrator rights to read the Master File Table

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

Everything

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Core functionality
    • Personal use

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 Everything if

  • You need instant results.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows.
  • You also want mft-based indexing.
Everything 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 Everything or Things 3 better?
Neither clearly leads. Everything 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, Everything or Things 3?
Everything has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Everything and $9.99/one-time for Things 3.
Does Everything or Things 3 run on more platforms?
Everything runs on Windows. Things 3 runs on macOS, iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, visionOS.
Can I use Everything for free?
Yes. Everything has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Things 3 starts at $9.99/one-time.
What is Everything best used for?
Everything is most often used for finding a file by name instantly instead of waiting on windows search, locating duplicates and stray files across large drives, navigating a machine with hundreds of thousands of files. Of those, finding a file by name instantly instead of waiting on windows search and locating duplicates and stray files across large drives are not what Things 3 is typically brought in for.
What can Everything do that Things 3 cannot?
Everything covers Instant results, MFT-based indexing, Tiny footprint, Regex and filters. Things 3 covers Today view, Projects and areas, Quick entry, Tags.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Everything: Is Everything free?

Yes, free to use with donations accepted.

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
Everything: Why is it so much faster than Windows Search?

It reads the NTFS Master File Table directly instead of crawling the filesystem, so indexing a whole volume takes seconds.

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
Everything: Can it search inside files?

Only in a limited way. It is built for filename search, and full content search is not what it is for.

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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