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Readwise Reader vs Things 3

Readwise Reader logo

Readwise Reader

News

The read-it-later app for power readers

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 Readwise Reader has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Readwise Reader there is no free tier, only a 30 day trial; Things 3 no team collaboration, task sharing, or task assignment features
  • They diverge on capability: Readwise Reader covers Read-it-later, Things 3 covers Today view.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Readwise Reader and Things 3 actually diverge.

Attributes where Readwise Reader and Things 3 differ
AttributeReadwise ReaderThings 3
Starting priceFree$9.99/one-time
Pricing modelfreemiumUnknown
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsIos, Android, WebmacOS, iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, visionOS
CategoryNewsProductivity
Founded20172004

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 Readwise Reader

  • Read-it-later
  • RSS aggregation
  • Newsletter inbox
  • PDF support
  • Highlighting
  • Notion
  • Obsidian
  • Roam Research

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.

Readwise Reader

  • Reading and note-takingnot Things 3
  • Highlight managementnot Things 3
  • Learning and studynot Things 3
  • Content curationnot Things 3

Things 3

  • Schedulingnot Readwise Reader
  • Appointment bookingnot Readwise Reader
  • Time trackingnot Readwise Reader
  • Resource managementnot Readwise Reader
  • Team coordinationnot Readwise Reader

Where each one falls short

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

Readwise Reader

  • There is no free tier, only a 30 day trial
  • Reader is bundled into the full plan rather than sold separately, so it cannot be had at the cheaper Lite price
  • The Lite plan at $5.59 a month billed annually is daily email review only, without the web app or tagging
  • Paying monthly rather than annually raises the full plan from $9.99 to $12.99

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

Readwise Reader

Free
  • Free TrialFree
    • 30 days free
    • No credit card required
  • Readwise Annual$9.99/month
    • Full Readwise and Reader access
    • Billed annually
    • Includes unified reading platform
  • Readwise Monthly$12.99/month
    • Full Readwise and Reader access
    • Billed monthly
    • Includes unified reading platform

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 Readwise Reader if

  • You need read-it-later.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Ios, Android, Web.
  • You also want rss aggregation.
Readwise Reader 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 Readwise Reader or Things 3 better?
Neither clearly leads. Readwise Reader 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, Readwise Reader or Things 3?
Readwise Reader has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Readwise Reader and $9.99/one-time for Things 3.
Does Readwise Reader or Things 3 run on more platforms?
Readwise Reader runs on Ios, Android, Web. Things 3 runs on macOS, iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, visionOS.
Can I use Readwise Reader for free?
Yes. Readwise Reader has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Things 3 starts at $9.99/one-time.
What is Readwise Reader best used for?
Readwise Reader is most often used for reading and note-taking, highlight management, learning and study, content curation. Of those, reading and note-taking and highlight management are not what Things 3 is typically brought in for.
What can Readwise Reader do that Things 3 cannot?
Readwise Reader covers Read-it-later, RSS aggregation, Newsletter inbox, PDF support. Things 3 covers Today view, Projects and areas, Quick entry, Tags. Both handle Ios support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Readwise Reader: How much does Readwise Reader cost?

Readwise (including Reader) costs $9.99 per month when billed annually or $12.99 per month when billed monthly USD. Readers can access articles, PDFs, newsletters, RSS feeds, and YouTube videos across web and mobile.

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
Readwise Reader: Is there a free trial for Readwise Reader?

Yes, Readwise offers a 30-day free trial with no credit card required. Some users who let their trials expire may qualify for an additional extended trial.

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
Readwise Reader: How much can students save on Readwise?

Readwise offers 50% discounts to verified students, educators, non-profits, military, first responders, and individuals in countries where US pricing is unaffordable. Interested users should contact [email protected] to request eligibility.

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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