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Updated July 2026 · real, multi-region App Store reviews
Head-to-head

Things 3 vs Microsoft To Do

Things 3 4.8★ · $9.99 85
Winner Things 3
Microsoft To Do 4.7★ · Free + IAP 70

Things 3 is the better choice for Apple-exclusive users seeking a premium, highly-regarded task manager, while Microsoft To Do is a solid free option, especially for those in the Microsoft ecosystem, despite its stability and sync issues.

Full reviews: Things 3 · Microsoft To Do

Things 3 offers a clean, intuitive design and robust functionality for Apple users, though it comes with a significant multi-device cost and lacks cross-platform support. Microsoft To Do is a free, cross-platform solution with good integration for Microsoft users, but it frequently suffers from sync problems, crashes, and missing features.

Head to head

Features edge: Things 3R2R3R9R11
Things 3 Things 3 is praised for its detailed task notes in markdown, ability to manage multiple projects and categories, and drag-and-drop task reordering R2R11. Users appreciate its clean design and functionality for daily goals and projects . However, it lacks key features like the ability to check off recurring tasks early, attach images/files, natural language processing, and a month view R3R9. Some users also note the absence of AI integration and a proper calendar view .
Microsoft To Do Microsoft To Do is valued for its ability to create multiple lists, the 'My Day' feature, and customization options . It allows for shared lists, which is a major benefit for families and teams R93. However, users report missing functionalities like printing individual tasks, sorting categories alphabetically on mobile, and an accessible search feature . There are also complaints about the inability to add clickable links in notes and issues with sub-task management .
Ease of Use edge: Things 3R7R13R29R30
Things 3 Things 3 is generally considered intuitive, clean, and easy to start using, helping users feel calmer R29. Users appreciate its simple yet highly functional design . However, some find it not intuitive, especially for repeating tasks, and report difficulty with recurring reminder setup R30R36. There are also complaints about the lack of an undo option, accidental deletion of lists, and a confusing tutorial R7R13.
Microsoft To Do Microsoft To Do is praised for its daily utility and organizational benefits . However, users frequently encounter issues with accidental taps, difficulty knowing what was tapped, and inconsistent UX elements . Many find the app's login process frustrating, requiring frequent 2FA and dismissing nags . The search function is also criticized for being hard to access and not always finding items .
Reliability edge: Things 3R10R25R27R33
Things 3 Things 3 is generally seen as reliable and consistent, with users depending on it for years . However, some users report issues like the app not refreshing content automatically in the background, crashes after iOS updates, and specific bugs like keyboard connection loss R25R27R33R40. A significant concern is the loss of data when switching phones if an account isn't created for cloud sync R10.
Microsoft To Do Microsoft To Do suffers from significant reliability issues, with frequent complaints about syncing problems across devices and platforms R67R73R93R94. The app is prone to crashing, especially when creating new lists or interacting with tasks R75R79R81R88. Users also report widgets not working correctly on iOS .
Price/Value tieR1R14R18R19
Things 3 Things 3 is a paid app, costing $9.99 for iPhone, with separate purchases required for iPad ($19.99) and Mac R1R18. Many users find it 'worth every penny' due to its quality and effectiveness R14. However, the multi-device cost is a major dealbreaker for others, who feel it's excessive and a 'scam' R1R18R19. There are also complaints about the lack of a free trial .
Microsoft To Do Microsoft To Do is a free app, which is a significant advantage for many users . Its value is enhanced by its cross-platform availability and integration with other Microsoft services like Outlook . However, some users feel that despite being free, the app's frequent crashes and sync issues diminish its value, making it unreliable for critical tasks R67R73R79.
Support edge: Things 3R7R40R56R69
Things 3 Things 3 users appreciate the provided tutorials R56. One user mentioned engaging the Cultured Code team about a keyboard issue, who attributed it to an Apple problem R40. However, the tutorial is criticized by some for assuming prior knowledge R7.
Microsoft To Do Microsoft To Do users report difficulty making suggestions, with links in the app not signing them in correctly R69. There's a general sentiment that feedback mechanisms are not effective, with users resorting to reviews to voice issues .
Pick Things 3 if

you are deeply embedded in the Apple ecosystem (iPhone, iPad, Mac) and are willing to pay a premium for a highly polished, reliable, and feature-rich task manager, especially if you value a clean design and detailed task notes R2R11R14R22.

Pick Microsoft To Do if

you need a free, cross-platform task manager that integrates well with other Microsoft services like Outlook, or if you need to share lists with family or colleagues R93.

Evidence note: Things 3 reviews are predominantly positive, with negative feedback often centered on the pricing model and lack of specific features. Microsoft To Do reviews, while numerous, show a higher proportion of negative feedback related to stability and syncing issues, which is common for free apps with a large user base across diverse platforms.

Frequently asked

Does Things 3 support cross-platform use?
No, Things 3 is exclusive to the Apple ecosystem (iOS, iPadOS, macOS) and does not offer a Windows version or a web interface, which is a dealbreaker for users in mixed environments R22R31.
Can I share tasks or lists with others in Things 3?
Things 3 does not support sharing tasks or lists with other users, making it impossible to have a shared family to-do list within the app R19.
Are there recurring task issues in Things 3?
Yes, some users find the recurring task functionality in Things 3 problematic, specifically the inability to check off recurring tasks due in the future and confusion around setting them up R3R15R30R36.
Does Microsoft To Do have syncing problems?
Yes, Microsoft To Do frequently experiences significant syncing issues across different devices and platforms (iOS, Mac, Windows), leading to lost tasks and inconsistent updates R67R73R93R94.
Does Microsoft To Do crash frequently?
Yes, many users report that Microsoft To Do crashes frequently, especially when trying to create new lists, interact with tasks, or scroll through lists R75R79R81R88.

What reviewers actually said

Built only from these 120 real reviews (foreign ones translated). Superscripts jump to the quote here. Apple has no per-review links, so [ref] opens that app's reviews on the App Store.

  1. [R2] Things 3 5/5 · US Consistency: Thinks app allows me to keep detailed task notes in markdown inside the tasks which helps me find the context and key information quickly. Things app also allows me to set tasks for work during day and also for the end of the day for my personal time, so, it allows me to not think about personal tasks during the day.
  2. [R3] Things 3 3/5 · US Can’t Check Off Recurring Tasks Early: This app came highly praised and the reviews are almost unreal but this app doesn’t have the one feature that, for me, is the most important: inability to check-off recurring tasks due in the future. Complete waste of money as I got the iPad version too. I’m going back to Apple Reminders to get basic functionality.
  3. [R9] Things 3 3/5 · US Missing images: I bought this hoping for "perfection," and it would be perfect if there was an option to upload images to the task description. Without this feature, for me personally, it's a useless app despite its other conveniences. I can't even imagine fully using an app of this kind without the ability to insert images somewhere. · translated
  4. [R11] Things 3 5/5 · US Works great for me: This app has become foundational to my life. I have four rentals three children, several sources of employment and income. It allows me to keep track of all of them seamlessly- at least for the way I think
  5. [R7] Things 3 1/5 · US No undo option: Deal breaker. Deleted my to do list without warning. Tutorial on app is atrocious-assumes you already know how to use the app. Better options out there.
  6. [R13] Things 3 1/5 · US Terrible App: If you or the app accidentally deletes a to do list theres no undo button
  7. [R29] Things 3 5/5 · US Beautiful: As a computer scientist, I am very discerning when it comes to apps. This one is brilliant in its balance between rich features and simplicity. I was about to sit down and write my own out of frustration with existing apps…but then I found this work of art. Kudos to the designers!
  8. [R30] Things 3 3/5 · US UI could be more intuitive: While Things appears to be the most solid to do app, and one I’ve used for years, there is still room for improvement to make it more intuitive. I use a lot of recurring reminders, and each time have to look up how to make them recur in the app. I don’t have this issue with any other app, but Things makes it hard to do, there’s no clear way to make a reminder recurrin
  9. [R10] Things 3 1/5 · US Coulda been the best: I wasn’t warned about creating an account to keep my entries in the cloud. Lost a lot when I switched phones.
  10. [R25] Things 3 2/5 · US App doesn’t automatically refresh: The app does not refresh content automatically in the background. Updates only appear when you manually open the app, which is frustrating and interrupts workflow. Background refresh is expected in modern apps, this limitation significantly reduces usability and user experience. Please implement automatic background updates so content stays current without constan
  11. [R27] Things 3 3/5 · US Crashes After Opening: I am using iOS26 and whenever I open the app, it crashes. Uninstalled and reinstalled, nothing. Works great on Macbook and iPad tho...
  12. [R33] Things 3 3/5 · US Can't input punctuation by iOS Pinyin: Can't input any punctuation by iOS Pinyin！！！ This bug has been occurring since some version several weeks ago, please FIX it quickly.
  13. [R1] Things 3 1/5 · US Scamming: Absolute scam having to buy this from all of your devices. Do not waste your money
  14. [R14] Things 3 5/5 · US Only Review I’ve Ever Written: I truly have never considered writing a review for an app. I’m an admin professionally and have spent years testing ways to keep a todo list that didn’t feel like more work. I could never find something easy that somehow cleanly held EVERY todo I have - and here it is! Worth every penny, would buy again and again - my brain has never been happier or less full of junk
  15. [R18] Things 3 3/5 · US Can’t use across iPhone and iPad with buying another version: Admittedly haven’t gotten much into the functionality, but a big reason is I had planned to quickly input items with my phone on-the-go and then reference on my iPad later. Well, after paying $9.99 for the iPhone version, turns out I need to also pay $19.99 for the iPad version. Seems excessive, haven’t done it.
  16. [R19] Things 3 2/5 · US Be ready to spend a lot and not be able to share with others: I saw all the great reviews and was super excited to buy this app and organize my life! And yes, it’s a great app to organize projects and tasks however it has some serious shortcomings, especially given the exorbitant costs. First, you can’t share with a family member so having a shared family to do list in one app is impossible with
  17. [R40] Things 3 1/5 · US IPAD Magic Keyboard Interface link issue: I have engaged the Cultured Code team about an issue where the keyboard will randomly lose connection for specific buttons (return, CMD, etc). They stated that it is an apple problem but this is the only app this occurs in. If this issue is resolved. I will update to 5 stars because the app is great otherwise.
  18. [R56] Things 3 5/5 · US My GO TO DO list: I’ve used several task apps but I like the ease of using Things3. I use it daily because it sure beats paper. I like the tutorials they provide. The only thing the app needs work is the ability to share a photo, like a texted invite photo with dates and times etc. to the things list in a much simpler quicker easier way, ie- please write that software so it can be automatic. I’m g
  19. [R69] Microsoft To Do 3/5 · US Can’t make suggestions: It would be nice to have a way to make suggestions. I clicked on the link in the app, but it won’t sign me in with the code they emailed me. So frustrating. The app really needs a way to have a list within a list. For example, for my “tv shows to watch” list, letting me sort it into “shows to watch alone, “shows to watch with spouse,” “movies for the weekend,” etc. And for
  20. [R22] Things 3 2/5 · US Not Available on Windows: I use Apple products for almost everything except work, where I’m required to use a Windows laptop. Not being able to access Things 3 on Windows or even through a web interface is a major obstacle and dealbreaker. I genuinely love Things 3. It’s one of the best designed task managers available. However, many professionals operate in mixed ecosystems, and the lack of any
  21. [R31] Things 3 1/5 · US Mac ecosystem only GRRRR: A little did I know that purchasing this app was just a waste of my money. There’s not even a web version, and that’s prehistoric in today’s world. This app looks nice, but it’s useless unless you buy Mac products your entire life. No web version? That’s absurd in 2025.
  22. [R15] Things 3 3/5 · US Repeat Problems: Good app, but can't check off a repeating task the day before it is due. Can only check it off on the day it is due. So if you get it done a day or so early, you are out of luck. Another problem: If I miss checking off a task on a particular day, it shows up on the next day, but there is no way to find the original due date. It just says due today. I’d like to go back and find
  23. [R36] Things 3 3/5 · GB Ok but nothing more: I’ve had the app almost three weeks and it’s ok but I’m not impressed. It’s not at all intuitive to use, particularly if you use repeating tasks. Getting started with the system is a frustrating experience and given the functionality or lack of it, not worth the hassle. The different options to input repeating tasks aren’t at all clear and why you should use one or the oth
  24. [R67] Microsoft To Do 1/5 · US Sync issues never end: Unfortunately, MS apps - primarily To Do and OneNote, have had sync issues on/off for 5+ years. They fix the issues for a while and then they come back. At work, home, and on Windows and iOS/Mac. Nice idea, just okay GUI, but horrible execution. BLUF: It’s not reliable. Time to replace.
  25. [R73] Microsoft To Do 1/5 · US Refuses to sync correctly: The iOS app refuses to sync correctly with the desktop app. Signing out and in does not fix the issue. Looks like it’s time to find a more reliable to do app. It’s sad to see just how badly Microsoft screwed up the Wunderlist purchase.
  26. [R93] Microsoft To Do 3/5 · US Awesome when it works: I use this list for years. Me and my husband would share it for grocery list or packing list. I shared it with other family member members when we were traveling together and it’s been awesome. The problem is over the last six months to a year. It’s not updating between people anymore. It constantly signing us out or not sinking properly. It’s become unusable at this point
  27. [R94] Microsoft To Do 2/5 · US Functionality issues: Updates I make an Outlook do not sync well with the Web app or the mobile To Do app. It is difficult to keep track of items that are overdue. There needs to be an overdue section in my day and an easy way to update a group of items.
  28. [R75] Microsoft To Do 3/5 · US 3 stars: It crashes on me when I try to start a new list. And I have lost tasks when moving to a new list. Poof. Just gone. So now I have to screenshot before moving just in case. Otherwise it’s great!
  29. [R79] Microsoft To Do 1/5 · US Crashes Frequently: About every 30-90 seconds this app crashes, good one microslop
  30. [R81] Microsoft To Do 3/5 · US IOS challenges: I like To Do on my computer but I use an iPhone and the two aren’t the best of friends. It’s often slow and shuts down. So, I’m using Reminders on my phone and To Do on my computer.
  31. [R88] Microsoft To Do 1/5 · US Bug: When I click on the task to review the setup and stuff it stops working or either like doesn’t just froze everything

Synthesized from 120 recent App Store reviews · updated July 2026 · View on the App Store