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PlanetScale vs Things 3

PlanetScale logo

PlanetScale

Software

The MySQL-compatible serverless database

From
$15/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Things 3 logo

Things 3

Software

The award-winning personal task manager

From
$9.99/one-time
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: PlanetScale eBS High Availability requires 3-node configuration with replication overhead; Things 3 no team collaboration, task sharing, or task assignment features
  • They diverge on capability: PlanetScale covers Database Branching, Things 3 covers Today view.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where PlanetScale and Things 3 differ
AttributePlanetScaleThings 3
Starting price$15/month$9.99/one-time
Pricing modelsubscriptionUnknown
PlatformsCloud-hosted (AWS, GCP, Azure)macOS, iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, visionOS
Founded20182004

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 PlanetScale

  • Database Branching
  • Non-blocking Schema Changes
  • Insights
  • Horizontal Scaling
  • Connection Pooling
  • Query Caching
  • Automatic Backups
  • Global Replication

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.

PlanetScale

  • MySQL database hosting with automatic failover and replicationnot Things 3
  • Vitess-based sharding for horizontal scaling across large datasetsnot Things 3
  • Cloud provider flexibility across AWS, GCP, Azure with 60+ regionsnot Things 3
  • Cost-effective database clusters using ARM64 architecture optionsnot Things 3

Things 3

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

Where each one falls short

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

PlanetScale

  • EBS High Availability requires 3-node configuration with replication overhead
  • EBS Non-HA single-node option lacks redundancy and automatic failover
  • Pricing varies by cloud provider and region, requiring queries for specific rates
  • ARM64 architecture only available on EBS tier, not Metal deployments

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

PlanetScale

$15/month

No published plan breakdown. See the PlanetScale 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 PlanetScale if

  • You need database branching.
  • You work on Cloud-hosted (AWS, GCP, Azure).
  • You also want non-blocking schema changes.
PlanetScale 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 PlanetScale or Things 3 better?
Neither clearly leads. PlanetScale starts at $15/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, PlanetScale or Things 3?
PlanetScale starts at $15/month and Things 3 at $9.99/one-time.
Does PlanetScale or Things 3 run on more platforms?
PlanetScale runs on Cloud-hosted (AWS, GCP, Azure). Things 3 runs on macOS, iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, visionOS.
What is PlanetScale best used for?
PlanetScale is most often used for mysql database hosting with automatic failover and replication, vitess-based sharding for horizontal scaling across large datasets, cloud provider flexibility across aws, gcp, azure with 60+ regions, cost-effective database clusters using arm64 architecture options. Of those, mysql database hosting with automatic failover and replication and vitess-based sharding for horizontal scaling across large datasets are not what Things 3 is typically brought in for.
What can PlanetScale do that Things 3 cannot?
PlanetScale covers Database Branching, Non-blocking Schema Changes, Insights, Horizontal Scaling. 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 PlanetScale

More on Things 3

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