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Software · head to head

Hive vs Things 3

Hive logo

Hive

Software

Project management built for speed

From
On request
Rated
-
Things 3 logo

Things 3

Software

The award-winning personal task manager

From
$9.99/one-time
Rated
-

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Hive the free plan is capped at 200 MB of storage; Things 3 no team collaboration, task sharing, or task assignment features
  • They diverge on capability: Hive covers Tasks, Things 3 covers Today view.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Hive and Things 3 differ
AttributeHiveThings 3
Starting priceOn request$9.99/one-time
Pricing modelfreemiumUnknown
PlatformsWeb, Ios, Android, DesktopmacOS, iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, visionOS
Founded20152004

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 Hive

  • Tasks
  • Gantt view
  • Kanban
  • Time tracking
  • Forms
  • Slack
  • Zoom
  • Google Drive

Only in Things 3

  • Today view
  • Projects and areas
  • Quick entry
  • Tags
  • Calendar integration
  • Apple Calendar
  • Siri
  • Shortcuts

Both cover

  • Ios support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Hive

  • Project and task management with multiple project viewsnot Things 3
  • Coordinating work, proofing and resourcing for teamsnot Things 3

Things 3

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

Where each one falls short

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

Hive

  • The free plan is capped at 200 MB of storage
  • The Starter plan at $5 per user per month is limited to 10 projects
  • Eight capabilities are sold as $5 per user add ons on the Teams plan, including CRM, timesheets, proofing, resourcing, advanced dashboards, external users and SSO
  • Buying SSO plus a few of those add ons therefore costs more than the $12 base seat itself
  • AI credits are metered monthly at 1,000, 3,000 and 5,000 by plan

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

Hive

On request
  • FreeFree
    • Basic features
    • 10 users
  • Teams$12/month
    • Unlimited users
    • Time tracking
    • Automations

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 Hive if

  • You need tasks.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android, Desktop.
  • You also want gantt view.

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 Hive or Things 3 better?
Neither clearly leads. Hive 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, Hive or Things 3?
Hive starts at On request and Things 3 at $9.99/one-time.
Does Hive or Things 3 run on more platforms?
Hive runs on Web, Ios, Android, Desktop. Things 3 runs on macOS, iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, visionOS.
What is Hive best used for?
Hive is most often used for project and task management with multiple project views, coordinating work, proofing and resourcing for teams. Of those, project and task management with multiple project views and coordinating work, proofing and resourcing for teams are not what Things 3 is typically brought in for.
What can Hive do that Things 3 cannot?
Hive covers Tasks, Gantt view, Kanban, Time tracking. Things 3 covers Today view, Projects and areas, Quick entry, Tags. Both handle Ios support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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
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
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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