GTD App Comparison
NextThing vs Things 3
Things 3 is beautifully designed and a joy to use — but it's Apple-only and missing core GTD features. Here's a detailed comparison for anyone considering both.
The short version
Things 3 is one of the best-designed productivity apps ever made, with award-winning UI and one-time pricing. But it's Apple-only (no Android, Windows, Linux, or web), has no sequential projects, no Waiting For tracking, no energy filtering, no guided inbox processing, and no weekly review. NextThing brings the full GTD methodology to every platform with a modern interface inspired by the same calm design philosophy.
Feature-by-feature comparison
| Feature | NextThing | Things 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Guided inbox processing | ||
| Full GTD workflow | Partial | |
| Sequential projects | ||
| Parallel projects | ||
| Contexts / Tags | ||
| Waiting For with contacts | ||
| Energy filtering | ||
| Time estimates | ||
| Someday / Maybe | ||
| Areas of focus | Roadmap | |
| Weekly review | ||
| Native iOS app | ||
| Native Android app | ||
| Native macOS app | ||
| Native Windows app | ||
| Native Linux app | ||
| Offline support | ||
| Free tier | Free trial (Mac) |
Where Things 3 shines
Things 3 is an Apple Design Award winner, and it shows. The interface is polished, animations are smooth, and every interaction feels intentional. If UI quality is your top priority and you're fully in the Apple ecosystem, Things 3 is hard to beat.
The one-time pricing model is refreshing — $49.99 for Mac, $9.99 for iPhone, $19.99 for iPad. No subscription, no recurring charges. Things Cloud sync is free and reliable, recently rebuilt from scratch in Swift.
Natural language date input is excellent ("tomorrow at 3pm", "every other Wednesday"), and the This Evening feature is a clever touch for organizing your day. Areas provide a nice way to group projects by life category.
Deep Apple integration includes Siri, Shortcuts, Widgets, Handoff, and Apple Watch support.
Where Things 3 falls short for GTD
Things 3 is a great task manager, but it's not a complete GTD implementation. There are no sequential projects — all tasks in a project are visible at once, with no way to show only the next action. You need to use start dates as a workaround to simulate sequencing.
There's no Waiting For tracking — users create a tag as a workaround, but there's no contact field or delegation tracking. No energy levels, no time estimates, no guided inbox processing, and no built-in weekly review workflow.
The biggest limitation is platform availability. Things 3 is Apple-only — no Android, no Windows, no Linux, no web version. If you use any non-Apple device, you simply can't access your tasks.
Why people switch from Things 3 to NextThing
Most people switch for one of two reasons: they need a non-Apple device, or they want the full GTD workflow.
NextThing runs natively on iOS, Android, macOS, Windows, and Linux. If you have an Android phone and a Mac, or a Windows PC at work, your GTD system follows you everywhere.
For GTD depth, NextThing adds what Things 3 is missing: sequential projects that show only the next action, Waiting For with contact tracking, energy and time filtering, guided 2-step inbox processing, and a weekly review flow. All the things that make GTD actually work as a system, not just a task list.
NextThing's calm, modern design is inspired by the same philosophy that makes Things 3 a pleasure to use — without sacrificing GTD completeness.
The full GTD experience, on every device
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