The Best Things 3 Alternatives in 2026
Tolodora Editorial Team
Independent software reviews for founders and small businesses.
Quick answer
The best Things 3 alternatives in 2026 are Todoist, TickTick and OmniFocus. Todoist is our top overall pick, best for anyone who wants a polished to-do app on every device. See the full ranked comparison below.
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Things 3 is a gorgeous, focused to-do app that Apple users adore. But it has two real limitations: it's Apple-only (no Windows, Android or web), and it's a separate paid purchase for Mac, iPhone and iPad with no sync-less cross-platform option. If you use non-Apple devices, want collaboration, or prefer a subscription with web access, there's a Things 3 alternative that fits, several of them cross-platform.
Here are six Things 3 alternatives worth a look in 2026, ranked on value, design, features and platform support. A couple are cross-platform favourites, one's a power-user's GTD tool, and one's free. More in productivity.
Prices below are each tool's published 2026 pricing where available, but task apps change plans often, so confirm the current figure before you commit. Ratings are our own editorial calls to help you compare.
| Tool | Starts at | Free plan | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Todoist | Free; Pro from ~$4/mo | Yes | Anyone who wants a polished to-do app on every device |
| TickTick | Free; Premium from ~$36/year | Yes (generous) | People who want tasks plus calendar, habits and focus tools in one |
| OmniFocus | Paid (subscription or one-time) | No (free trial) | Apple power users who want serious GTD depth |
| Microsoft To Do | Free | Yes, fully free | Anyone who wants a free, simple, cross-platform to-do app |
| Sunsama | From ~$20/mo | No (free trial) | Professionals who want mindful daily planning, not just a task list |
| Akiflow | Paid plans; free trial | No (free trial) | Busy professionals who want to capture fast and time-block their day |
| Tool | Value | Support | Ease of use | Features | Overall | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Todoist | 9.0 | 8.0 | 10.0 | 9.0 | 9.0 | Anyone who wants a polished to-do app on every device |
| TickTick | 9.0 | 8.0 | 9.0 | 9.0 | 8.8 | People who want tasks plus calendar, habits and focus tools in one |
| Microsoft To Do | 10.0 | 7.0 | 9.0 | 7.0 | 8.3 | Anyone who wants a free, simple, cross-platform to-do app |
| OmniFocus | 7.0 | 8.0 | 7.0 | 10.0 | 8.0 | Apple power users who want serious GTD depth |
| Sunsama | 7.0 | 9.0 | 8.0 | 8.0 | 8.0 | Professionals who want mindful daily planning, not just a task list |
| Akiflow | 7.0 | 8.0 | 8.0 | 8.0 | 7.8 | Busy professionals who want to capture fast and time-block their day |
| # | Tool | Best for | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Todoist | Anyone who wants a polished to-do app on every device | 4.5/5 |
| 2 | TickTick | People who want tasks plus calendar, habits and focus tools in one | 4.4/5 |
| 3 | OmniFocus | Apple power users who want serious GTD depth | 4.0/5 |
| 4 | Microsoft To Do | Anyone who wants a free, simple, cross-platform to-do app | 4.1/5 |
| 5 | Sunsama | Professionals who want mindful daily planning, not just a task list | 4.0/5 |
| 6 | Akiflow | Busy professionals who want to capture fast and time-block their day | 3.9/5 |
Todoist
- Pricing
- 9.0/10
- Functionality
- 9.0/10
- Ease of use
- 10.0/10
- Support
- 8.0/10
What I like
The cross-platform favourite — clean, powerful and works literally everywhere.
Best for
Anyone who wants a polished to-do app on every device
Todoist is the most popular Things 3 alternative, and the obvious pick if you want that clean, focused feel without being locked to Apple. It works everywhere, Mac, Windows, iOS, Android, web and browser extensions, with a beautifully simple interface, natural-language input ('submit report Friday 3pm'), projects, labels, filters and sensible collaboration for shared tasks. There's a genuinely useful free tier and an affordable Pro plan. For someone who loves Things' simplicity but uses non-Apple devices or wants web access and light collaboration, it's the natural choice. It's subscription-based rather than a one-time purchase. But for a polished, powerful, truly cross-platform to-do app, Todoist is the standout. See our <a href="/alternatives/todoist-alternatives">Todoist alternatives</a> too.
TickTick
- Pricing
- 9.0/10
- Functionality
- 9.0/10
- Ease of use
- 9.0/10
- Support
- 8.0/10
What I like
A feature-packed cross-platform app with tasks, calendar, habits and a Pomodoro timer.
Best for
People who want tasks plus calendar, habits and focus tools in one
TickTick is the feature-packed cross-platform alternative that does more than just to-dos. Alongside tasks, projects, natural-language input and reminders, it bundles a built-in calendar view, habit tracking and a Pomodoro focus timer, so your tasks, schedule, habits and focus sessions live in one app across every platform (Mac, Windows, iOS, Android, web). It has a generous free tier and an affordable annual Premium. For someone who wants Things 3's capability plus calendar and productivity extras, and works across devices, that all-in-one approach is a big draw. It's a touch busier than Things' minimalism. But for a powerful, cross-platform productivity app that combines tasks with calendar, habits and focus tools, TickTick is an excellent alternative. See our <a href="/alternatives/ticktick-alternatives">TickTick alternatives</a> too.
OmniFocus
- Pricing
- 7.0/10
- Functionality
- 10.0/10
- Ease of use
- 7.0/10
- Support
- 8.0/10
What I like
The power-user's GTD app, with the deepest task management on Apple (and now web).
Best for
Apple power users who want serious GTD depth
OmniFocus is the pick for Apple users who want more power than Things, not less. It's the serious Getting Things Done (GTD) app, with deep features: perspectives (custom saved views), complex defer and due dates, nested projects, tags, review workflows and powerful automation. If you found Things 3 a bit too simple for a complex system, OmniFocus gives you the control to build exactly the setup you want. It's primarily Apple-focused like Things, though it has added a web version for cross-platform access, and it's available as a subscription or one-time purchase. It's more complex and less minimalist than Things. But for Apple power users who want the deepest, most customizable task management, OmniFocus is the standout.
Microsoft To Do
- Pricing
- 10.0/10
- Functionality
- 7.0/10
- Ease of use
- 9.0/10
- Support
- 7.0/10
What I like
Completely free, clean task management that syncs everywhere and ties into Microsoft 365.
Best for
Anyone who wants a free, simple, cross-platform to-do app
Microsoft To Do is the free, simple, cross-platform pick, and a surprisingly pleasant one. It's completely free, works on Mac, Windows, iOS, Android and web, and offers clean task lists, a 'My Day' planner, due dates, reminders, steps and lists, with a tidy, approachable interface. It ties into Microsoft 365 (flagged emails in Outlook appear as tasks, for instance), which is a bonus for anyone in that ecosystem. It's lighter on advanced features and projects than Things or OmniFocus. But for someone who wants a free, no-fuss, cross-platform to-do app that covers the everyday essentials and syncs everywhere, Microsoft To Do is an excellent, zero-cost Things 3 alternative, especially if you use Windows or Microsoft 365.
Sunsama
- Pricing
- 7.0/10
- Functionality
- 8.0/10
- Ease of use
- 8.0/10
- Support
- 9.0/10
What I like
A calm daily planner that pulls tasks from everywhere and encourages intentional days.
Best for
Professionals who want mindful daily planning, not just a task list
Sunsama is a different, calmer take: a daily planning app that helps you be intentional about what you actually do each day. Rather than just storing tasks, it has you plan each day deliberately, pulling tasks from your to-do apps, email and project tools (including other task managers) and time-boxing them onto your calendar, with a guided daily planning and shutdown ritual. For a professional who feels overwhelmed by endless task lists and wants a focused, realistic plan for the day, that mindful approach is genuinely valuable. It's cross-platform and subscription-priced, sitting on top of your other tools rather than replacing them entirely. But for intentional daily planning rather than just list-keeping, Sunsama is a thoughtful Things 3 alternative. See our <a href="/alternatives/sunsama-alternatives">Sunsama alternatives</a> too.
Akiflow
- Pricing
- 7.0/10
- Functionality
- 8.0/10
- Ease of use
- 8.0/10
- Support
- 8.0/10
What I like
A command-bar task manager that consolidates tasks and time-blocks them on your calendar.
Best for
Busy professionals who want to capture fast and time-block their day
Akiflow is the pick for busy professionals who want speed and a unified day. It consolidates tasks from many sources (email, Slack, Notion, other task apps) into one place, with a fast keyboard-driven command bar for capturing and processing them, then lets you drag tasks onto your calendar to time-block your day. Like Sunsama it's about planning and doing, not just listing, but with a sharper focus on speed and calendar integration. It's cross-platform and subscription-priced. It's more of a productivity cockpit than a minimalist to-do app like Things. But for a busy professional who wants to capture tasks instantly from everywhere and time-block them against their calendar, Akiflow is a powerful, modern Things 3 alternative.
The verdict
For a polished, truly cross-platform to-do app, Todoist is the standout, and TickTick adds calendar, habits and focus tools. OmniFocus is the Apple power-user's GTD choice, Microsoft To Do is the free, simple pick, and Sunsama and Akiflow are the intentional daily planners (Sunsama for calm, Akiflow for speed). Match it to your platforms, how much power you want, and whether you need planning or just a list.
Whatever you shortlist, run your real work through it for a week before committing — the right tool is the one that quietly disappears and lets you get back to it. And if you build software like this yourself, you can list it on Tolodora free.
Frequently asked questions
What's the best cross-platform alternative to Things 3?
Todoist is the top cross-platform pick — clean and powerful across Mac, Windows, iOS, Android and web, unlike Apple-only Things. TickTick is the other strong cross-platform choice, adding calendar, habits and a focus timer. For the closest Things-like feel everywhere, start with Todoist.
Is there a free alternative to Things 3?
Yes — Microsoft To Do is completely free and cross-platform, and Todoist and TickTick both have genuinely useful free tiers. For a free, simple, sync-everywhere to-do app, Microsoft To Do; for more features free, TickTick.
Which alternative is best for power users?
OmniFocus is the power-user's choice, with deep GTD features — perspectives, complex dates, nested projects, tags and automation — for building a serious system. It's primarily Apple-focused like Things (with a web version now). For maximum task-management depth, OmniFocus is the standout.
Which Things 3 alternative helps with daily planning?
Sunsama and Akiflow go beyond lists to help you plan your actual day, pulling tasks from your tools and time-blocking them on your calendar. Sunsama emphasises a calm, intentional daily ritual; Akiflow emphasises fast capture and speed. Both suit professionals who feel buried in task lists.
Why do people switch from Things 3?
Usually because it's Apple-only (no Windows, Android or web) and a separate paid purchase per device. People move to Todoist or TickTick for cross-platform access, Microsoft To Do for a free option, OmniFocus for more power, or Sunsama/Akiflow for daily planning. Things is beautiful but limited to Apple.
Sources & further reading
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