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Software · head to head

Things 3 vs Zotero

Things 3 logo

Things 3

Software

The award-winning personal task manager

From
$9.99/one-time
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Zotero logo

Zotero

Software

Collect, organize, annotate, cite and share your research

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Zotero 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; Zotero free account storage is limited; paid tiers start at $20/year for 2GB and reach $120/year for unlimited storage

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Things 3 and Zotero differ
AttributeThings 3Zotero
Starting price$9.99/one-timeFree
Pricing modelUnknownfreemium
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsmacOS, iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, visionOSWeb
Founded2004Unknown

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 Zotero

Nothing recorded that Things 3 does not also cover.

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Things 3

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

Zotero

No use cases recorded yet. See the Zotero review.

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

Zotero

  • Free account storage is limited; paid tiers start at $20/year for 2GB and reach $120/year for unlimited storage
  • Sync and web access are optional add-ons layered on the core desktop app rather than included outright

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

Zotero

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Zotero review.

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.
Things 3 review

Choose Zotero if

  • You want to start without paying.
Zotero review

Questions people ask

Is Things 3 or Zotero better?
Neither clearly leads. Things 3 starts at $9.99/one-time and Zotero at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Things 3 or Zotero?
Zotero has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $9.99/one-time for Things 3 and Free for Zotero.
Does Things 3 or Zotero run on more platforms?
Things 3 runs on macOS, iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, visionOS. Zotero runs on Web.
Can I use Zotero for free?
Yes. Zotero 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 Zotero is typically brought in for.
What can Things 3 do that Zotero cannot?
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 Things 3

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