Software · head to head
Things 3 vs Focus@Will
Focus@Will
Software
Music and sounds designed to enhance focus and productivity
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Only Focus@Will has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: Things 3 no team collaboration, task sharing, or task assignment features; Focus@Will the App Store listing (seller Dulcetta Inc) states the free trial is limited to 7 days, after which a paid subscription is required to continue using the music and features
- They diverge on capability: Things 3 covers Today view, Focus@Will covers Curated focus music.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Things 3 and Focus@Will actually diverge.
| Attribute | Things 3 | Focus@Will |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $9.99/one-time | Free |
| Pricing model | Unknown | freemium |
| Free tier | No | Yes |
| Platforms | macOS, iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, visionOS | Web, IOS, Android, MacOS, Windows |
| Founded | 2004 | 2011 |
Identical on both: 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 Things 3
- Today view
- Projects and areas
- Quick entry
- Tags
- Calendar integration
- Apple Calendar
- Siri
- Shortcuts
Only in Focus@Will
- Curated focus music
- Multiple music channels
- Built-in focus timer
- Focus statistics
- Different music genres
- Offline access
- Cross-platform sync
- Volume control
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Things 3
- Schedulingnot Focus@Will
- Appointment bookingnot Focus@Will
- Time trackingnot Focus@Will
- Resource managementnot Focus@Will
- Team coordinationnot Focus@Will
Focus@Will
- Productivitynot Things 3
- Collaborationnot Things 3
- Task managementnot Things 3
- Organizationnot Things 3
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
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
Focus@Will
- The App Store listing (seller Dulcetta Inc) states the free trial is limited to 7 days, after which a paid subscription is required to continue using the music and features
- The same listing states a 30 day money-back guarantee applies to the subscription, implying no refund is available after that window
Pricing, plan by plan
Things 3
$9.99/one-time- iPhone/Watch$9.99/one-time
- iPad$19.99/one-time
- Mac$49.99/one-time
Focus@Will
Free- FreeFree
- Limited access to music
- Basic 25-min timer
- Ads
- Basic$4.95/month
- Unlimited music access
- Custom timers
- No ads
- Pro$9.95/month
- Everything in Basic
- Advanced analytics
- Priority support
Which should you pick?
Choose Things 3 if
- You need today view.
- You work on macOS, iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, visionOS.
- You also want projects and areas.
Choose Focus@Will if
- You need curated focus music.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, IOS, Android, MacOS, Windows.
- You also want multiple music channels.
Questions people ask
- Is Things 3 or Focus@Will better?
- Neither clearly leads. Things 3 starts at $9.99/one-time and Focus@Will at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Things 3 or Focus@Will?
- Focus@Will has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $9.99/one-time for Things 3 and Free for Focus@Will.
- Does Things 3 or Focus@Will run on more platforms?
- Things 3 runs on macOS, iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, visionOS. Focus@Will runs on Web, IOS, Android, MacOS, Windows.
- Can I use Focus@Will for free?
- Yes. Focus@Will has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Things 3 starts at $9.99/one-time.
- What is Things 3 best used for?
- Things 3 is most often used for scheduling, appointment booking, time tracking, resource management. Of those, scheduling and appointment booking are not what Focus@Will is typically brought in for.
- What can Things 3 do that Focus@Will cannot?
- Things 3 covers Today view, Projects and areas, Quick entry, Tags. Focus@Will covers Curated focus music, Multiple music channels, Built-in focus timer, Focus statistics.
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.
SourceThings 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.
SourceThings 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.
SourceThings 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.
SourceThings 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