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Software · head to head

Microsoft To Do vs Things 3

M

Microsoft To Do

Software

Your personal task management app

From
Free
Rated
-
Things 3 logo

Things 3

Software

The award-winning personal task manager

From
$9.99/one-time
Rated
-

The short version

  • Only Microsoft To Do has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • They diverge on capability: Microsoft To Do covers My Day suggestions, Things 3 covers Today view.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Microsoft To Do and Things 3 differ
AttributeMicrosoft To DoThings 3
Starting priceFree$9.99/one-time
Pricing modelfreeUnknown
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Ios, Android, Windows, MacosmacOS, iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, visionOS
Founded19752004

Identical on both: 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 Microsoft To Do

  • My Day suggestions
  • List sharing
  • Steps
  • Due dates
  • Reminders
  • Outlook
  • Microsoft 365
  • Microsoft Teams

Only in Things 3

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

Both cover

  • Ios support
  • Macos support

What people use each for

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

Microsoft To Do

  • Scheduling
  • Appointment booking
  • Time tracking
  • Resource management
  • Team coordination

Things 3

  • Scheduling
  • Appointment booking
  • Time tracking
  • Resource management
  • Team coordination

Both are used for scheduling, appointment booking, time tracking, resource management, team coordination, on those jobs the choice comes down to price and fit rather than capability.

Where each one falls short

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

Microsoft To Do

Nothing recorded yet. See the Microsoft To Do review.

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 To Do

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Unlimited tasks
    • My Day
    • List sharing

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 To Do if

  • You need my day suggestions.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android, Windows, Macos.
  • You also want list sharing.

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 Microsoft To Do or Things 3 better?
Neither clearly leads. Microsoft To Do 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 To Do or Things 3?
Microsoft To Do has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Microsoft To Do and $9.99/one-time for Things 3.
Does Microsoft To Do or Things 3 run on more platforms?
Microsoft To Do runs on Web, Ios, Android, Windows, Macos. Things 3 runs on macOS, iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, visionOS.
Can I use Microsoft To Do for free?
Yes. Microsoft To Do has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Things 3 starts at $9.99/one-time.
What is Microsoft To Do best used for?
Microsoft To Do is most often used for scheduling, appointment booking, time tracking, resource management.
What can Microsoft To Do do that Things 3 cannot?
Microsoft To Do covers My Day suggestions, List sharing, Steps, Due dates. Things 3 covers Today view, Projects and areas, Quick entry, Tags. Both handle Ios support, Macos 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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