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Content Creation · head to head

Notion AI vs Things 3

Notion AI logo

Notion AI

Content Creation

AI-powered productivity within Notion

From
Free
Rated
-
Things 3 logo

Things 3

Productivity

The award-winning personal task manager

From
$9.99/one-time
Rated
-

The short version

  • Only Notion AI has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Notion AI full AI access including agents and meeting notes requires the Business plan at $20 per member per month, double the $10 Plus plan; Things 3 no team collaboration, task sharing, or task assignment features
  • They diverge on capability: Notion AI covers Writing assistance, Things 3 covers Today view.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Notion AI and Things 3 actually diverge.

Attributes where Notion AI and Things 3 differ
AttributeNotion AIThings 3
Starting priceFree$9.99/one-time
Pricing modelfreemiumUnknown
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Desktop, MobilemacOS, iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, visionOS
CategoryContent CreationProductivity
Founded20162004

Identical on both: 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 Notion AI

  • Writing assistance
  • Summarization
  • Translation
  • Q&A
  • Native Notion
  • Slack
  • Google Drive
  • Web support

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.

Notion AI

  • AI-powered document generation and database autofillnot Things 3
  • Autonomous task automation with Notion Agentnot Things 3
  • Meeting notes and enterprise search integrationnot Things 3

Things 3

  • Schedulingnot Notion AI
  • Appointment bookingnot Notion AI
  • Time trackingnot Notion AI
  • Resource managementnot Notion AI
  • Team coordinationnot Notion AI

Where each one falls short

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

Notion AI

  • Full AI access including agents and meeting notes requires the Business plan at $20 per member per month, double the $10 Plus plan
  • The Free and Plus plans offer trial AI capabilities rather than the full feature set
  • AI is not sold separately from the workspace seat, so every member must be upgraded to reach it
  • Zero data retention with LLM providers is Enterprise only, which is custom priced

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

Notion AI

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Trial AI capabilities like generating docs and autofilling databases
    • Basic forms and sites
    • Notion Calendar access
  • Business$null/month
    • Notion Agent for task automation
    • Custom Agents (free through May 3, 2026; then $10 per 1,000 credits)
    • AI Meeting Notes
  • Enterprise$null/custom
    • All Business features
    • Zero data retention with LLM providers
    • HIPAA compliance capabilities

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 Notion AI if

  • You need writing assistance.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Desktop, Mobile.
  • You also want summarization.

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 Notion AI or Things 3 better?
Neither clearly leads. Notion AI 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, Notion AI or Things 3?
Notion AI has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Notion AI and $9.99/one-time for Things 3.
Does Notion AI or Things 3 run on more platforms?
Notion AI runs on Web, Desktop, Mobile. Things 3 runs on macOS, iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, visionOS.
Can I use Notion AI for free?
Yes. Notion AI has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Things 3 starts at $9.99/one-time.
What is Notion AI best used for?
Notion AI is most often used for ai-powered document generation and database autofill, autonomous task automation with notion agent, meeting notes and enterprise search integration. Of those, ai-powered document generation and database autofill and autonomous task automation with notion agent are not what Things 3 is typically brought in for.
What can Notion AI do that Things 3 cannot?
Notion AI covers Writing assistance, Summarization, Translation, Q&A. Things 3 covers Today view, Projects and areas, Quick entry, Tags.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Notion AI: Is Notion AI free?

Notion offers a free plan with trial AI capabilities for generating docs and autofilling databases. Full AI features like Notion Agent and Custom Agents require a Business plan.

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
Notion AI: What does Notion's Custom Agents cost?

Custom Agents are free to use through May 3, 2026. Starting May 4, 2026, Custom Agents will cost $10 per 1,000 monthly Notion credits. Admins can purchase Notion credits as add-ons.

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
Notion AI: What features does Notion's Business plan include?

Business plan includes Notion Agent for autonomous task automation, AI Meeting Notes, Enterprise Search across connected apps, SAML SSO, granular database permissions, private teamspaces, and premium app connections.

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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