Softwr

Productivity · head to head

Fastmail vs Things 3

Fastmail logo

Fastmail

Productivity

Paid email hosting with custom domains, calendar and contacts, run without ad-based revenue

From
$3/month
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

  • Each has a real cost: Fastmail it does not provide end-to-end encryption by default, so users specifically wanting zero-knowledge mail should compare it against Proton Mail or Tuta rather than assume parity.; Things 3 no team collaboration, task sharing, or task assignment features
  • They diverge on capability: Fastmail covers Custom domain hosting, Things 3 covers Today view.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Fastmail and Things 3 differ
AttributeFastmailThings 3
Starting price$3/month$9.99/one-time
Pricing modelPer user per monthUnknown
PlatformsWeb, iOS, Android, macOS, WindowsmacOS, iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, visionOS
FoundedUnknown2004

Identical on both: free tier (No), 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 Fastmail

  • Custom domain hosting
  • Masked email
  • Unlimited aliases
  • Integrated calendar and contacts
  • Migration tools
  • JMAP support

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.

Fastmail

  • Someone who wants their email address tied to a domain they own rather than a free provider they do notnot Things 3
  • A small business wanting hosted mail on its own domain without running mail server infrastructurenot Things 3
  • A person leaving Gmail specifically to stop an ad-funded provider processing their mailnot Things 3
  • A household migrating several accounts to one paid provider with shared billingnot Things 3

Things 3

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

Where each one falls short

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

Fastmail

  • It does not provide end-to-end encryption by default, so users specifically wanting zero-knowledge mail should compare it against Proton Mail or Tuta rather than assume parity.
  • Moving to Fastmail is a real migration with DNS changes for a custom domain, unlike installing a client such as Spark or Bluemail over an existing account.
  • There is no free tier at all, so a user just wanting to try it commits to a paid trial rather than a permanently free option.
  • Storage limits on the entry Basic plan are modest next to the free allowance Gmail gives, and heavy attachment users will need Standard or above.
  • Being based in Australia means it falls under Australian data access law, which some privacy-focused buyers weigh differently from Swiss or German jurisdictions used by Proton Mail and Tuta.

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

Fastmail

$3/month
  • Basic$3/month
    • 6GB storage
    • No custom domain support
    • Core mail, calendar and contacts
  • Standard$5/month
    • 60GB storage
    • Custom domain support
    • Masked email and aliases
  • Professional$9/month
    • 150GB storage
    • Multiple custom domains
    • Priority support

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 Fastmail if

  • You need custom domain hosting.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android, macOS, Windows.
  • You also want masked email.
Fastmail 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 Fastmail or Things 3 better?
Neither clearly leads. Fastmail starts at $3/month 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, Fastmail or Things 3?
Fastmail starts at $3/month and Things 3 at $9.99/one-time.
Does Fastmail or Things 3 run on more platforms?
Fastmail runs on Web, iOS, Android, macOS, Windows. Things 3 runs on macOS, iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, visionOS.
What is Fastmail best used for?
Fastmail is most often used for someone who wants their email address tied to a domain they own rather than a free provider they do not, a small business wanting hosted mail on its own domain without running mail server infrastructure, a person leaving gmail specifically to stop an ad-funded provider processing their mail, a household migrating several accounts to one paid provider with shared billing. Of those, someone who wants their email address tied to a domain they own rather than a free provider they do not and a small business wanting hosted mail on its own domain without running mail server infrastructure are not what Things 3 is typically brought in for.
What can Fastmail do that Things 3 cannot?
Fastmail covers Custom domain hosting, Masked email, Unlimited aliases, Integrated calendar and contacts. Things 3 covers Today view, Projects and areas, Quick entry, Tags.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Fastmail: Is Fastmail a client like Spark, or does it host my email?

It hosts the mailbox itself; there is no separate provider underneath it the way Spark sits over Gmail.

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
Fastmail: Does Fastmail offer end-to-end encryption?

Not by default in the way Proton Mail or Tuta do; its privacy position rests on being subscription-funded rather than ad-funded.

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
Fastmail: Can I use my own domain?

Yes, from the Standard plan up, with full alias and masked email support.

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
Share

Related pages

More on Fastmail

More on Things 3

Keep looking

Other head to heads