Things 3 vs Any.do
Things 3 is the superior choice for Apple-only users seeking a polished, reliable, and feature-rich task manager, while Any.do offers a cross-platform free option with some useful features but is plagued by bugs and aggressive monetization.
Things 3 offers a premium, intuitive, and highly functional experience for Apple users, though its multi-device pricing and lack of cross-platform support are significant drawbacks. Any.do provides a free tier and cross-platform access, but user reviews highlight frequent bugs, poor customer service regarding subscriptions, and an intrusive monetization strategy.
Head to head
you are an Apple-only user willing to pay a premium for a highly polished, reliable, and intuitive task manager with excellent design and strong organizational features R14R29.
you need a cross-platform task manager and are looking for a free option for basic list-making, or if you are willing to tolerate bugs and aggressive monetization for its core features and widget functionality .
Evidence note: Things 3 reviews are generally more positive, with negative feedback often centered on pricing structure and lack of specific features. Any.do's reviews are heavily skewed negative, especially regarding billing practices, bugs, and forced account creation, despite its higher number of lifetime ratings. The free-vs-paid asymmetry is evident, as Any.do's free tier users often express frustration with limitations and monetization, while Things 3's users have self-selected into a paid experience.
Frequently asked
Can I use Things 3 on Windows or Android?
Does Any.do offer a truly free version?
Can I attach files or images to tasks in Things 3?
Are there issues with Any.do's subscription and billing?
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.
- [R2] Things 3 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.
- [R9] Things 3 Missing images: I bought it hoping for "perfection," and it would be perfect if there was an option to upload images to the task description. Without this functionality, for me personally, it's a useless app despite other conveniences. I can't even imagine fully using an app of this kind without the ability to insert images somewhere. · translated
- [R11] Things 3 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
- [R17] Things 3 Great: After trying multiple planners and task managers, I can confidently say that this one is the best in terms of design and functionality. Clean and not overwhelming, perfect for daily use. I use it as a grad student and it helps me track my daily goals as well as multiple projects.
- [R24] Things 3 Changed Done to Clear: ios26 update they changed the Done button to Clear. This is absolutely terrible for those of us that have been using Things 3 since its inception. Who thought this change was a good idea? Fire that person.
- [R29] Things 3 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!
- [R30] Things 3 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
- [R7] Things 3 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.
- [R13] Things 3 Terrible App: If you or the app accidentally deletes a to do list theres no undo button
- [R25] Things 3 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
- [R27] Things 3 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...
- [R1] Things 3 Scamming: Absolute scam having to buy this from all of your devices. Do not waste your money
- [R4] Things 3 Confused: For costing 80$ across all 3 operating systems, this app should support ALL OS features. Where are dynamic island, live activity, location, and focus filter support? You can filter widgets to show tasks with tags. Why can I slo have the whole app filter to only show me selected tags when I’m in a focus mode. Why should widgets be filter able, but the app itself not?
- [R14] Things 3 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
- [R18] Things 3 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.
- [R10] Things 3 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.
- [R19] Things 3 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
- [R22] Things 3 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
- [R31] Things 3 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.
- [R72] Any.do Premium too expensive!: Too many things behind a way-too-expensive paywall! Can’t you lower the price? If you did, I’d pay for Premium.
- [R82] Any.do Any.do Website Claims “PERSONAL” = FREE: I thought this might be a good replacement for M/S ToDo particularly since the webpage www.any.do/pricing states clearly: PERSONAL use if FREE. But as soon as one installs the app, it immediately tries to place in its “premium” mode costing $5/month and does not offer at all the “Personal” use mode
- [R21] Things 3 No attachments: This app would be a perfect app if you could add photos, files, links, etc. That is a major issue for me.
- [R51] Things 3 Still no attachments?!: I absolutely loved this app but could never use it since it was impossible to upload attachments. This was the reason I moved to Todoist, which I do really enjoy, but ever year or two I come back and check to see if they’ve ever added this feature to really make this the perfect task management app but alas, still no dice..
- [R57] Things 3 So close to being really great: This is a lovely looking app, with very smooth operation and great UX, however the main disappointment is that you cannot add attachments or links and therefore it just becomes a good “checklist” app but can’t be used for ongoing or complicated tasks/to-do’s.
- [R70] Any.do Very poor: This planner tricked me into buying a one year subscription. Now it hangs up at every turn. Complete waste of money.
- [R73] Any.do This company is deceptive: They advertise a 7 day free trial but I was charged $59.99 immediately and was unable to obtain a refund. It’s not worth trying this app or supporting this company. Beware.
- [R79] Any.do Charged: I was charged out of nowhere, with no email notification! I have not used this app for years and somehow they charged me?? BEWARE
- [R90] Any.do Need support: I cancelled the subscription before the trial end period and it’s showing I have the plan until 2024. Sent an email but haven’t heard from anyone yet. Need to make sure I have been completely cancelled and not charged for an annual subscription.
Synthesized from 120 recent App Store reviews · updated July 2026 · View on the App Store