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Utilities · head to head

Find My vs Things 3

Find My logo

Find My

Utilities

Apple's built-in app for locating devices, AirTags and shared people locations

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 Find My has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Find My it only works within Apple's own device and accessory ecosystem, so it cannot locate Android phones or non-Apple trackers.; Things 3 no team collaboration, task sharing, or task assignment features
  • They diverge on capability: Find My covers Device location, Things 3 covers Today view.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Find My and Things 3 actually diverge.

Attributes where Find My and Things 3 differ
AttributeFind MyThings 3
Starting priceFree$9.99/one-time
Pricing modelFree, built into Apple hardware and iCloudUnknown
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsiOS, macOSmacOS, 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 Find My

  • Device location
  • Lost Mode and remote erase
  • AirTag and Find My network tracking
  • People sharing
  • Unknown tracker alerts
  • Offline finding

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.

Find My

  • Locating a lost or stolen iPhone, iPad or Mac and remotely locking or erasing itnot Things 3
  • Tracking an AirTag attached to keys, a bag or luggagenot Things 3
  • Sharing live location with family members who have mutually agreed to share backnot Things 3
  • Getting an alert if an unknown tracker appears to be travelling with you unexpectedlynot Things 3

Things 3

  • Schedulingnot Find My
  • Appointment bookingnot Find My
  • Time trackingnot Find My
  • Resource managementnot Find My
  • Team coordinationnot Find My

Where each one falls short

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

Find My

  • It only works within Apple's own device and accessory ecosystem, so it cannot locate Android phones or non-Apple trackers.
  • People location sharing requires both parties to have Apple devices and an iCloud account, which limits it in mixed-platform families or groups.
  • AirTags and the Find My network have been documented as a stalking tool when hidden on a person or vehicle without their knowledge, and while Apple has added unknown-tracker alerts, the underlying misuse risk is real and has prompted lawsuits and product changes over time.
  • Remote erase on a lost device is permanent and cannot be undone if the device is later recovered, so users need to be certain before using it.
  • It depends on other nearby Apple devices for offline location via the Find My network, so location accuracy in areas with few Apple device users nearby can be poor.

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

Find My

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Included with every Apple device and iCloud account
    • No subscription tier

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 Find My if

  • You need device location.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on iOS, macOS.
  • You also want lost mode and remote erase.
Find My 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 Find My or Things 3 better?
Neither clearly leads. Find My 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, Find My or Things 3?
Find My has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Find My and $9.99/one-time for Things 3.
Does Find My or Things 3 run on more platforms?
Find My runs on iOS, macOS. Things 3 runs on macOS, iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, visionOS.
Can I use Find My for free?
Yes. Find My has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Things 3 starts at $9.99/one-time.
What is Find My best used for?
Find My is most often used for locating a lost or stolen iphone, ipad or mac and remotely locking or erasing it, tracking an airtag attached to keys, a bag or luggage, sharing live location with family members who have mutually agreed to share back, getting an alert if an unknown tracker appears to be travelling with you unexpectedly. Of those, locating a lost or stolen iphone, ipad or mac and remotely locking or erasing it and tracking an airtag attached to keys, a bag or luggage are not what Things 3 is typically brought in for.
What can Find My do that Things 3 cannot?
Find My covers Device location, Lost Mode and remote erase, AirTag and Find My network tracking, People sharing. Things 3 covers Today view, Projects and areas, Quick entry, Tags.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Find My: Does Find My cost anything?

No, it is free and built into every Apple device with an iCloud account.

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
Find My: Can someone track my location without my consent?

Not through the People feature, which requires mutual opt-in, though hidden AirTags placed without consent are a documented separate misuse case Apple has added alerts to detect.

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
Find My: Is this the same as Find My Kids?

No, Find My Kids is an unrelated third party family location tracking app, not made by Apple.

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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