Softwr

Productivity · head to head

Google Slides vs Things 3

Google Slides logo

Google Slides

Productivity

Google's browser presentation editor, free with a Google account and included in every Workspace edition

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 Google Slides has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Google Slides fonts are limited to what Google hosts, so a brand's licensed typeface cannot be installed, and decks built to a corporate template either substitute a lookalike or lose the visual identity the template exists to enforce.; Things 3 no team collaboration, task sharing, or task assignment features
  • They diverge on capability: Google Slides covers Simultaneous editing, Things 3 covers Today view.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Google Slides and Things 3 actually diverge.

Attributes where Google Slides and Things 3 differ
AttributeGoogle SlidesThings 3
Starting priceFree$9.99/one-time
Pricing modelfreemiumUnknown
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWebmacOS, 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 Google Slides

  • Simultaneous editing
  • Version history
  • Comments and suggestions
  • PowerPoint import and export
  • Linked charts from Sheets
  • Presenter view
  • Offline editing
  • Apps Script and add-ons

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.

Google Slides

  • A deck several people must build at once before a deadline, where merging emailed versions would be the actual failure mode.not Things 3
  • Recurring reports where the charts should update from a spreadsheet rather than being pasted in again each time.not Things 3
  • Teaching and classroom use, where the tool is free and runs on inexpensive hardware.not Things 3
  • Sharing a deck with people outside the organisation by link rather than as an attachment that immediately goes stale.not Things 3

Things 3

  • Schedulingnot Google Slides
  • Appointment bookingnot Google Slides
  • Time trackingnot Google Slides
  • Resource managementnot Google Slides
  • Team coordinationnot Google Slides

Where each one falls short

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

Google Slides

  • Fonts are limited to what Google hosts, so a brand's licensed typeface cannot be installed, and decks built to a corporate template either substitute a lookalike or lose the visual identity the template exists to enforce.
  • PowerPoint conversion is lossy in both directions, with animations, transitions, embedded video, diagrams and precise positioning all liable to shift, so a deck that must end up in a client's PowerPoint needs checking slide by slide and is often rebuilt.
  • Offline access has to be arranged before the connection is lost, so a deck not marked for offline use in advance is simply unavailable, which is a recurring failure on the way to present at a customer site.
  • Animation, master slide control, image editing and typographic precision sit behind PowerPoint and Keynote, so design-led work meets a ceiling that no add-on removes and the designers work elsewhere.
  • The governance features an organisation eventually needs, including retention and legal hold, data loss prevention and data residency controls, belong to higher Workspace editions, so a tool adopted because it was free carries an upgrade cost that surfaces only when compliance asks.

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

Google Slides

Free
  • Starter$6.8/month
    • Google Slides access
    • 30 GB storage
    • Custom business email
  • Standard$13.6/month
    • Google Slides with enhanced features
    • 2 TB storage
    • Advanced email and Gemini capabilities
  • Plus$21.1/month
    • Google Slides with advanced features
    • 5 TB storage
    • Advanced security features

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 Google Slides if

  • You need simultaneous editing.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want version history.
Google Slides 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 Google Slides or Things 3 better?
Neither clearly leads. Google Slides 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, Google Slides or Things 3?
Google Slides has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Google Slides and $9.99/one-time for Things 3.
Does Google Slides or Things 3 run on more platforms?
Google Slides runs on Web. Things 3 runs on macOS, iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, visionOS.
Can I use Google Slides for free?
Yes. Google Slides has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Things 3 starts at $9.99/one-time.
What is Google Slides best used for?
Google Slides is most often used for a deck several people must build at once before a deadline, where merging emailed versions would be the actual failure mode., recurring reports where the charts should update from a spreadsheet rather than being pasted in again each time., teaching and classroom use, where the tool is free and runs on inexpensive hardware., sharing a deck with people outside the organisation by link rather than as an attachment that immediately goes stale.. Of those, a deck several people must build at once before a deadline, where merging emailed versions would be the actual failure mode. and recurring reports where the charts should update from a spreadsheet rather than being pasted in again each time. are not what Things 3 is typically brought in for.
What can Google Slides do that Things 3 cannot?
Google Slides covers Simultaneous editing, Version history, Comments and suggestions, PowerPoint import and export. Things 3 covers Today view, Projects and areas, Quick entry, Tags.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Google Slides: Is Google Slides free?

Yes, with a personal Google account and no time limit or feature gate on the editor. What costs money is Workspace, which adds storage, administration and the governance controls.

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
Google Slides: Can I open and edit PowerPoint files?

Yes, and .pptx files can be edited directly in Drive. Complex decks lose animations, effects and exact positioning in the conversion, so check anything that came from a designer.

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
Google Slides: Does it work offline?

Yes in Chrome, but only if the file was made available offline beforehand. It cannot be arranged after you have lost the connection, which is when people usually try.

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
Google Slides: Is it good enough for a client-facing deck?

For a standard business deck, yes. For a design-led deck using brand typefaces and animation it will hold you back, and the export to PowerPoint will not be clean.

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 Google Slides

More on Things 3

Keep looking

Other head to heads