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Slack vs Things 3

Slack logo

Slack

All industries

Where work happens

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Things 3 logo

Things 3

All industries

The award-winning personal task manager

From
$9.99/one-time
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Slack has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Slack 90-day message history limit on free plan results in important conversations disappearing; Things 3 no team collaboration, task sharing, or task assignment features
  • They diverge on capability: Slack covers Channels, Things 3 covers Today view.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Slack and Things 3 differ
AttributeSlackThings 3
Starting priceFree$9.99/one-time
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, iOS, Android, macOS, Windows, LinuxmacOS, iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, visionOS
CategoryAll industriesUnknown
Founded20092004

Identical on both: pricing model (Unknown), 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 Slack

  • Channels
  • Direct messaging
  • Voice & video calls
  • Screen sharing
  • File sharing
  • Search
  • Workflow builder
  • Slack Connect

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.

Slack

  • Team communicationnot Things 3
  • Project coordinationnot Things 3
  • Customer supportnot Things 3
  • Remote worknot Things 3
  • Cross-functional collaborationnot Things 3

Things 3

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

Where each one falls short

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

Slack

  • 90-day message history limit on free plan results in important conversations disappearing
  • Per-user pricing becomes expensive quickly for larger teams
  • Notification overload with 78% of employees feeling overwhelmed by notifications
  • Mobile app performance issues including lag and slow syncing
  • Huddles limited to 50 people and cannot be recorded
  • Requires dedicated video conferencing service for formal meetings and webinars

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

Slack

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Slack 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 Slack if

  • You need channels.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android, macOS, Windows, Linux.
  • You also want direct messaging.
Slack 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 Slack or Things 3 better?
Neither clearly leads. Slack 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, Slack or Things 3?
Slack has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Slack and $9.99/one-time for Things 3.
Does Slack or Things 3 run on more platforms?
Slack runs on Web, iOS, Android, macOS, Windows, Linux. Things 3 runs on macOS, iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, visionOS.
Can I use Slack for free?
Yes. Slack has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Things 3 starts at $9.99/one-time.
What is Slack best used for?
Slack is most often used for team communication, project coordination, customer support, remote work. Of those, team communication and project coordination are not what Things 3 is typically brought in for.
What can Slack do that Things 3 cannot?
Slack covers Channels, Direct messaging, Voice & video calls, Screen sharing. Things 3 covers Today view, Projects and areas, Quick entry, Tags.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Slack: Does Slack have a free plan?

Yes, Slack offers a free plan indefinitely with no credit card required. Free users get 90-day message history, up to 10 app integrations, and 1:1 huddles.

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
Slack: What are Slack's pricing plans?

Slack offers Free, Pro ($7.25/user/month with annual billing), Business+ ($12.50/user/month), and Enterprise Grid (custom pricing). Monthly billing costs approximately 20% more than annual.

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
Slack: Does Slack support offline use?

Slack is a cloud-based platform and does not support robust offline work. Internet connectivity is required to access messages and collaborate.

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
Slack: What integrations does Slack support?

Slack integrates with 43+ apps on average per team, including Google Drive, ChatGPT, Vercel, Asana, GitHub, and many others through their app marketplace.

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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