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Stable Diffusion vs Things 3

Stable Diffusion logo

Stable Diffusion

Software

Open-source AI image generation

From
Free
Rated
-
Things 3 logo

Things 3

Software

The award-winning personal task manager

From
$9.99/one-time
Rated
-

The short version

  • Only Stable Diffusion has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Stable Diffusion generated images have lower resolution and quality at non-standard dimensions; Things 3 no team collaboration, task sharing, or task assignment features
  • They diverge on capability: Stable Diffusion covers Text-to-image, Things 3 covers Today view.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Stable Diffusion and Things 3 actually diverge.

Attributes where Stable Diffusion and Things 3 differ
AttributeStable DiffusionThings 3
Starting priceFree$9.99/one-time
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Local (GPU-based), Cloud APIsmacOS, iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, visionOS
Founded20192004

Identical on both: pricing model (Unknown), 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 Stable Diffusion

  • Text-to-image
  • Image-to-image
  • Inpainting
  • LoRA support
  • ComfyUI
  • Automatic1111
  • Multiple UIs
  • Local 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.

Stable Diffusion

  • ai tools managementnot Things 3
  • Workflow automationnot Things 3
  • Reportingnot Things 3

Things 3

  • Schedulingnot Stable Diffusion
  • Appointment bookingnot Stable Diffusion
  • Time trackingnot Stable Diffusion
  • Resource managementnot Stable Diffusion
  • Team coordinationnot Stable Diffusion

Where each one falls short

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

Stable Diffusion

  • Generated images have lower resolution and quality at non-standard dimensions
  • Struggles with complex multi-object prompts and text generation
  • Poor rendering of human hands, limbs, and faces due to training data limitations
  • Trained primarily on English-language descriptions, reinforcing Western cultural bias
  • Requires significant GPU computational resources for local deployment

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

Stable Diffusion

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Stable Diffusion 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 Stable Diffusion if

  • You need text-to-image.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Local (GPU-based), Cloud APIs.
  • You also want image-to-image.

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 Stable Diffusion or Things 3 better?
Neither clearly leads. Stable Diffusion 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, Stable Diffusion or Things 3?
Stable Diffusion has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Stable Diffusion and $9.99/one-time for Things 3.
Does Stable Diffusion or Things 3 run on more platforms?
Stable Diffusion runs on Web, Local (GPU-based), Cloud APIs. Things 3 runs on macOS, iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, visionOS.
Can I use Stable Diffusion for free?
Yes. Stable Diffusion has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Things 3 starts at $9.99/one-time.
What is Stable Diffusion best used for?
Stable Diffusion is most often used for ai tools management, workflow automation, reporting. Of those, ai tools management and workflow automation are not what Things 3 is typically brought in for.
What can Stable Diffusion do that Things 3 cannot?
Stable Diffusion covers Text-to-image, Image-to-image, Inpainting, LoRA support. Things 3 covers Today view, Projects and areas, Quick entry, Tags.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Stable Diffusion: Is Stable Diffusion truly free and open-source?

Yes. Stable Diffusion is released under the CreativeML Open RAIL-M license, allowing free use for both commercial and non-commercial purposes, and the code is open-source on GitHub.

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
Stable Diffusion: Can I use Stable Diffusion commercially for free?

Yes, if your organization has less than $1M annual revenue. Organizations exceeding $1M annually must obtain an Enterprise License from Stability AI.

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
Stable Diffusion: What are Stable Diffusion's image resolution limitations?

The base model was trained on 512x512 pixel images, and image quality degrades noticeably when deviating from this resolution. Newer models like SDXL support higher resolutions.

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
Stable Diffusion: Can I run Stable Diffusion locally on my computer?

Yes. Stable Diffusion is open-source and can run locally on compatible hardware, though it requires a GPU for reasonable performance.

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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