Best Things 3 Alternative
Why People Look for Things 3 Alternatives
Things 3 is arguably the most beautifully designed task manager ever made. People who use it tend to love it deeply. So why would anyone look for an alternative?
The one-time purchase model means slow updates. Things 3 launched in 2017. While Cultured Code maintains it well, the pace of meaningful feature additions is deliberate. In a world where AI and voice input are transforming how we interact with apps, Things 3 feels like it prioritizes refinement over reinvention. People who want modern intelligence in their planning tool eventually start looking elsewhere.
Manual task creation is the only path. Every task in Things 3 is something you typed or dictated. There is no layer of intelligence that looks at your schedule and figures out what you need to prepare. If you have a job interview next week, you have to think through and manually create every preparation step. The app stores your thinking beautifully, but it does not help you think.
It is Apple-only with no sync flexibility. Things 3 works across iPhone, iPad, and Mac with its own cloud sync. But there is no web app, no Android support, and no API for integrations. If your life ever extends beyond the Apple ecosystem, Things cannot follow.
What Composed Does Differently
Composed brings your events, tasks, and notes into one calm place — and adds intelligence on top.
Both Composed and Things 3 value calm, intentional design. The difference is what happens beneath that surface.
Intelligence instead of just storage. Things 3 is a beautiful container for your tasks. Composed is an active participant in your planning. Tell it about an upcoming dinner party and it generates a preparation checklist: decide on menu, buy groceries, clean the house, set the table. The app does the thinking-through that Things leaves entirely to you.
Events as the organizing principle. Things 3 organizes around Areas and Projects. Composed organizes around moments in time. This reflects how many people actually experience their lives: not as a collection of ongoing projects, but as a series of things happening that they need to be ready for.
Reminders that adapt to context. Things 3 offers standard time-based reminders. Composed uses a three-layer system that changes tone based on urgency. A week before your dentist appointment, you get a gentle awareness nudge. The day before, you get preparation reminders. The morning of, you get logistics: leave by this time, bring these documents.
What You Keep and What Changes
You keep: Beautiful, calm design. A sense of control over your day. Native iOS experience with smooth animations and thoughtful interactions.
What changes: Tasks are generated for you, not just stored by you. Organization shifts from projects and areas to events and timelines. Voice input creates complete plans, not just task titles. Travel intelligence and departure tracking are built in.
Who Should Switch (and Who Should Not)
Composed is a good fit if:
- You love Things 3’s design philosophy but wish it were smarter
- You plan around events and appointments, not just abstract to-do lists
- You want AI to help generate preparation steps
- Voice input and intelligent reminders matter to you
- You travel regularly and need departure and flight awareness
Stay with Things 3 if:
- You prefer the Areas and Projects organizational model
- You want a pure task manager with no event layer
- The one-time purchase price matters to you (no subscription)
- You need iPad and Mac apps alongside iPhone
- You enjoy the meditative practice of manually curating your task list
Things 3 is a masterpiece of app design. If it already works perfectly for how your brain operates, there is no reason to leave. Composed serves a different style of thinking: people who want their planning tool to actively help them prepare, not just remember.
Try Composed
Composed is free on iOS. Events, tasks, and notes in one calm place — voice, photo, or text input with AI that handles the rest.
Competitor details and pricing were last verified in February 2026 and may have changed. Visit Things 3's website for current information.
Ready to feel composed?
Download Composed free. Events, tasks, and notes in one calm place.