User Interface and Task Entry:

Todoist

Users often praise Todoist for its natural language processing and syntax support (e.g., @, #, !!). In this area, Todoist truly excels compared to its competitors. Task scheduling is straightforward, allowing for priority settings, labels, due dates, notes, attachments, and reminders.

The platform facilitates meticulous task entry by capturing all necessary details efficiently. Once you start using Todoist, the robust design and thoughtful interface become apparent, positioning it as a strong contender not only for task management but also for project management.

Todoist also provides a variety of themes, although this feature is exclusive to the Pro plan.

Things 3

The guiding principle behind Things 3 is to keep it simple, ensuring an intuitive and fluid experience. Task entry is a straightforward and clean process, supporting notes (with markdown), checklists (for sub-tasks), tags, and deadlines.

Things 3 adopts a minimalistic and user-friendly approach while effectively meeting all essential requirements. Its elegant design makes it a delight to use—an impressive feat for a task manager.

Task Input:

User Interface:

Todoist

The user experience in Todoist is recognized for its solid structure, especially on the home page, Inbox, Today, Upcoming, and Projects sections. The app features filters and labels that enhance usability.

Users can conveniently view related tasks from the Home screen using these filters and labels—an excellent addition.

Things 3

Things 3 takes a different approach to its home page by incorporating sections like Someday, Anyday, and the Logbook (a dedicated space for tracking daily accomplishments, which I find particularly appealing), alongside the Inbox, Today, and Upcoming views.

It also includes Areas within the app, allowing users to categorize goals such as Personal, Finance, Writing, etc. This organization simplifies project management and keeps everything orderly.

Task Management:

Todoist

Todoist allows users to customize task views based on priorities, assignees, labels, or projects—providing a useful overview of daily tasks. It supports both List and Board views, making it versatile.

Users can easily select multiple tasks, schedule them, and assign them to projects with just a few clicks. Todoist is widely regarded as a benchmark in task management.

Things 3

With Things 3, users can view today's tasks by tags or group them by List (Area), providing a clear overview of what needs to be done. A notable feature is the inbuilt calendar in Today’s View and Upcoming, allowing for easy access to calendar events.

Things 3 boasts a fluid, dynamic design, making it enjoyable to manage tasks and move them between Areas and Projects. Additionally, it includes a separate section for evening tasks, acknowledging that personal tasks are also important.

Both applications facilitate the creation of recurring tasks, but in Things 3, any task can be transformed into a project, adding flexibility.

Project Management:

Todoist

While both applications serve as task managers, users often desire more features, and Todoist exceeds expectations with its project management capabilities.

Creating projects in Todoist is straightforward, with options for new projects within parent projects, along with list or board views. Collaboration features absent in Things 3 make Todoist the go-to choice for team projects.

Users can add sections, sub-tasks, reorder them, duplicate, or archive projects, and the colorful interface enhances usability. Todoist supports sub-tasks, file attachments, sharing, and reminders, making it a comprehensive project management solution.

Another valuable feature is the ability to add tasks via email, streamlining the task entry process.

Things 3

Things 3 offers Areas, providing a neat and useful organization system where related projects reside. This functionality is well executed, making it difficult to switch back to other task managers once you adapt.

Creating projects, sections, and deadlines is simple, and delightful design elements like progress indicators enhance the experience.

Users can also send emails to Things 3, which appear in the Inbox, allowing for easy task creation.

The Magic Plus feature can be dragged and dropped anywhere, making the interface smooth and enjoyable.

Additionally, deep linking with Craft.do enables Things 3 to function effectively as a personal project management tool, albeit without collaborative features.

Pricing and Platforms:

Todoist

Todoist offers a free version for starters, while the individual Pro plan begins at $3 per month (if paid annually). It is accessible on all major platforms, including Android, Web, Windows, and iOS.

Things 3

Things 3 is exclusive to the Apple ecosystem, with apps available for iPhone, iPad, and Mac. It requires a one-time purchase with no subscription model. Pricing is as follows: iPhone: $9.99, iPad: $19.99, Mac: $49.99 (with a 15-day free trial). There is no free version available.

Conclusion

After two years of contemplation, I can confidently summarize the following:

If you need a task manager that operates across multiple platforms and supports team collaboration, Todoist is your best bet. Conversely, if you are within the Apple ecosystem or planning to join it, opt for Things 3.

This may not be a straightforward choice, but for me, it's clear—I am currently using Things 3.

Thank you for reading. Keep exploring and sharing.

Astu.