Softwr

Payroll & Benefits · head to head

Namely vs Things 3

Namely logo

Namely

Payroll & Benefits

The HR platform that employees love

From
$18/employee/month
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

  • Each has a real cost: Namely limited customization for complex HR processes: workflows and customization options are limited compared to enterprise solutions; Things 3 no team collaboration, task sharing, or task assignment features
  • They diverge on capability: Namely covers HR Management, Things 3 covers Today view.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Namely and Things 3 differ
AttributeNamelyThings 3
Starting price$18/employee/month$9.99/one-time
PlatformsWebmacOS, iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, visionOS
CategoryPayroll & BenefitsProductivity
Founded20122004

Identical on both: pricing model (Unknown), free tier (No), 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 Namely

  • HR Management
  • Payroll
  • Benefits Administration
  • Time Off Management
  • Performance Management
  • Onboarding
  • Slack
  • Google Workspace

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.

Namely

No use cases recorded yet. See the Namely review.

Things 3

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

Where each one falls short

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

Namely

  • Limited customization for complex HR processes: workflows and customization options are limited compared to enterprise solutions
  • Payroll limitations: better served for less complex organizations and struggles with complex time-and-attendance or multi-FEIN scenarios
  • Missing ATS and surveys: lacks built-in applicant tracking system and pulse survey capabilities
  • Slow support response times: pod-based support model has led to slow response times for customers
  • Designed for specific market segment: best fit is mid-sized companies with 50-350 employees

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

Namely

$18/employee/month

No published plan breakdown. See the Namely review.

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 Namely if

  • You need hr management.
  • You also want payroll.
Namely 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 Namely or Things 3 better?
Neither clearly leads. Namely starts at $18/employee/month 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, Namely or Things 3?
Namely starts at $18/employee/month and Things 3 at $9.99/one-time.
Does Namely or Things 3 run on more platforms?
Namely runs on Web. Things 3 runs on macOS, iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, visionOS.
What can Namely do that Things 3 cannot?
Namely covers HR Management, Payroll, Benefits Administration, Time Off Management. Things 3 covers Today view, Projects and areas, Quick entry, Tags. Both handle Ios support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Namely: Does Namely support global payroll?

Namely primarily focuses on mid-sized US-based companies with 50-350 employees. While it can handle complex payroll scenarios, it is better served for less complex organizations and does not have extensive global payroll capabilities compared to enterprise platforms.

Source
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
Namely: What is included in Namely's Premium pricing?

Premium plans cost $18-24 per employee per month plus implementation fees of 10-25% of annual software costs. Plans include payroll, HR, benefits administration, time management, and talent management 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
Namely: Does Namely include performance management features?

Yes, Namely offers customizable performance review modules enabling dynamic, ongoing feedback rather than traditional annual-only reviews. This is one of Namely's standout features.

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
Namely: How long does Namely implementation typically take?

Namely is designed for mid-sized companies and implementation timelines vary based on complexity. The platform includes implementation fees of 10-25% of annual software costs in addition to monthly per-employee pricing.

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

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