Composed vs Things 3
TLDR
Things 3 is one of the most beautiful task managers ever made — a true Apple design masterpiece. Composed shares that design philosophy (calm, intentional, no clutter) but applies it to a different problem: preparing for events rather than managing task lists. If you want elegant task management, Things 3 is hard to beat. If you want intelligent event planning, that’s Composed’s territory.
Quick Comparison
| Things 3 | Composed | |
|---|---|---|
| Core purpose | Task management | Unified planning |
| Design philosophy | Calm, minimal | Calm, minimal |
| AI features | None | Full AI planning + voice |
| Pricing | One-time (~$80 across platforms) | Subscription |
| Platforms | Apple only | iOS (Apple native) |
| Collaboration | None | Shared events + RSVP |
| Travel features | None | Departure + flight tracking |
Where Things 3 Shines
Things 3 is beloved for good reason. Cultured Code spent years perfecting every detail:
The design is exceptional. Every animation, every transition, every pixel is considered. Things 3 set the standard for what a productivity app can look like on Apple platforms. It’s calm and focused without feeling sterile.
Organization is elegant. Areas (for life categories), Projects (for multi-step goals), and Headings (for sections within projects) create a clean hierarchy without overwhelming complexity. It’s structured enough to be useful, simple enough to not be a burden.
Quick entry is blazing fast. The keyboard shortcut for adding tasks is legendary among Mac power users. Thought to task in under a second. No friction.
One-time purchase. In a world of subscriptions, Things 3 charges once and you own it forever. The full suite runs about $80 across all platforms (iPhone $9.99, iPad $19.99, Mac $49.99), with no recurring costs.
It just works. Things 3 is rock-solid reliable. It doesn’t crash, it doesn’t lose data, it doesn’t surprise you. There’s something deeply respectable about software that simply does its job, perfectly, for years.
Where Composed Takes a Different Approach
Composed and Things 3 share DNA — both believe planning tools should be calm and beautiful. The divergence is in how they help you plan.
Events drive the planning. Things 3 starts with tasks: what do you need to do? Composed starts with events: what’s happening in your life? From there, it works backward to generate the tasks. This is more natural for people who think in terms of commitments and appointments rather than to-do lists.
AI does the heavy lifting. In Things 3, every task is manually created, manually scheduled, and manually organized. Composed’s AI analyzes your events and generates prep tasks automatically. Tell it about a dinner party and it suggests what to buy, when to start cooking, and what to clean.
Voice input creates structure. Things 3’s quick entry is text-based. Composed lets you speak your plans and turns natural language into structured events with linked tasks and appropriate reminders.
Reminders are contextual. Things 3 offers basic due dates and reminders. Composed’s 3-layer system changes the type of reminder based on how far away something is — gentle awareness for distant events, action nudges as they approach, logistics alerts on the day.
Travel is built in. Things 3 has no concept of location, distance, or travel time. Composed includes departure tracking and flight intelligence so your planning accounts for the physical world.
Who Should Use Which
Choose Things 3 if:
- You prefer a one-time purchase over subscriptions
- You want the most beautiful task management interface on Apple platforms
- Your planning is primarily about personal tasks and projects
- You prefer full manual control over AI suggestions
- You don’t need collaboration features
- You value stability and simplicity above all
Choose Composed if:
- Your life is organized around events and commitments, not just tasks
- You want AI to help generate prep work and reminders
- You prefer speaking your plans over typing them
- You need travel awareness (departure times, flight tracking)
- You want to share events with others
- You find traditional task managers create more pressure than they relieve
FAQ
I love Things 3’s design. Will I like Composed’s?
If you appreciate calm, intentional design — yes. Composed shares the same philosophy: no red badges, no clutter, no anxiety-inducing elements. The visual language is different, but the feeling is similar.
Can Things 3 handle events?
Things 3 can assign due dates and times to tasks, and it integrates with Apple Calendar for a side-by-side view. But it doesn’t create events, generate prep tasks, or handle travel logistics. It’s fundamentally a task tool.
Is Things 3 still being updated?
Cultured Code maintains Things 3 with regular compatibility and refinement updates. The pace of major feature additions is deliberate — stability and polish are clearly prioritized.
Does Composed work on Mac?
Composed is currently focused on iOS. Things 3’s Mac app is one of its strongest advantages for desktop users.
Competitor details and pricing were last verified in February 2026 and may have changed. Visit Things 3's website for current information.
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