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Productivity · head to head

Microsoft OneNote vs Things 3

Microsoft OneNote logo

Microsoft OneNote

Productivity

Free digital note-taking application for all devices

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 Microsoft OneNote has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Microsoft OneNote full-featured OneNote requires a paid Microsoft 365 subscription (from $9.99 per month for Personal); the standalone free version is web and mobile only; Things 3 no team collaboration, task sharing, or task assignment features
  • They diverge on capability: Microsoft OneNote covers Digital notebook with sections and pages, Things 3 covers Today view.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Microsoft OneNote and Things 3 actually diverge.

Attributes where Microsoft OneNote and Things 3 differ
AttributeMicrosoft OneNoteThings 3
Starting priceFree$9.99/one-time
Pricing modelfreeUnknown
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, IOS, Android, MacOS, WindowsmacOS, iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, visionOS
Founded19752004

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 Microsoft OneNote

  • Digital notebook with sections and pages
  • Rich text formatting
  • Drawing and handwriting
  • Image and file attachments
  • Web clipper
  • Cross-platform sync
  • Collaboration and sharing
  • Search functionality

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.

Microsoft OneNote

  • Productivitynot Things 3
  • Collaborationnot Things 3
  • Task managementnot Things 3
  • Organizationnot Things 3

Things 3

  • Schedulingnot Microsoft OneNote
  • Appointment bookingnot Microsoft OneNote
  • Time trackingnot Microsoft OneNote
  • Resource managementnot Microsoft OneNote
  • Team coordinationnot Microsoft OneNote

Where each one falls short

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

Microsoft OneNote

  • Full-featured OneNote requires a paid Microsoft 365 subscription (from $9.99 per month for Personal); the standalone free version is web and mobile only

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

Microsoft OneNote

Free
  • OneNoteFree
    • Unlimited free notes
    • Cross-device sync
    • Collaboration

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 Microsoft OneNote if

  • You need digital notebook with sections and pages.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, IOS, Android, MacOS, Windows.
  • You also want rich text formatting.
Microsoft OneNote 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 Microsoft OneNote or Things 3 better?
Neither clearly leads. Microsoft OneNote 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, Microsoft OneNote or Things 3?
Microsoft OneNote has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Microsoft OneNote and $9.99/one-time for Things 3.
Does Microsoft OneNote or Things 3 run on more platforms?
Microsoft OneNote runs on Web, IOS, Android, MacOS, Windows. Things 3 runs on macOS, iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, visionOS.
Can I use Microsoft OneNote for free?
Yes. Microsoft OneNote has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Things 3 starts at $9.99/one-time.
What is Microsoft OneNote best used for?
Microsoft OneNote is most often used for productivity, collaboration, task management, organization. Of those, productivity and collaboration are not what Things 3 is typically brought in for.
What can Microsoft OneNote do that Things 3 cannot?
Microsoft OneNote covers Digital notebook with sections and pages, Rich text formatting, Drawing and handwriting, Image and file attachments. Things 3 covers Today view, Projects and areas, Quick entry, Tags.

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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Related pages

More on Microsoft OneNote

More on Things 3

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