Todoist vs Things 3 vs TickTick: Which Task Manager Actually Works? (2026)

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After testing Todoist, Things 3, and TickTick as my sole task manager for 30 days each, I can tell you: they’re all good, but they’re good at very different things. The right choice depends less on features and more on how your brain works.

⚡ 2026 Update — June 20, 2026

Since our original 90-day test, TickTick released v6.0 with AI-powered auto-categorization (it learns how you label tasks and suggests projects automatically) and an enhanced Kanban board that rivals Todoists. Things 3 got a macOS Spotlight-like quick-entry window (⌘Space) and improved Apple Reminders import — but still no web/Windows version. Todoist raised Business tier to $8/user/month and added AI-suggested project templates. The core verdict below still holds, but TickTicks AI features make it even stronger for the “all-in-one” crowd.

The Short Version

  • Todoist: Best for cross-platform power users who live in their inbox. Unmatched natural language input and cross-platform support.
  • Things 3: Best for Apple-only users who want a beautiful, opinionated task manager. Best-in-class design, worst-in-class cross-platform support.
  • TickTick: Best for feature-maxxers who want everything in one app. Habit tracking, Pomodoro timer, calendar — it does it all, sometimes at the cost of simplicity.

Todoist: The Inbox-First Approach

Todoist’s philosophy is simple: capture tasks as fast as possible, organize them later. The natural language input is the best in the business — type “meeting with Sarah tomorrow at 3pm #work” and Todoist automatically sets the date, time, project, and priority.

What Makes Todoist Great

  • Natural language processing: This is Todoist’s killer feature. “Every first Friday of the month” → recurring task. “Pick up dry cleaning tomorrow at 5pm p1” → task with date, time, and priority. The parser handles complex recurring patterns that would require multiple clicks in other apps.
  • Cross-platform consistency: Todoist works identically on macOS, iOS, Windows, Android, Linux, web, and even wearables. Your tasks sync in under 2 seconds across all devices. No other task manager matches this coverage.
  • Integrations: 60+ integrations — Gmail, Outlook, Slack, Trello, GitHub, Zapier, IFTTT. Turn emails into tasks, star Slack messages as todos, automate task creation from other apps. The integration ecosystem is unmatched.
  • Filters and labels: Pro users can create complex filters like “p1 & today & @work” to see exactly the tasks they need. Combined with labels, this gives you a custom view system that adapts to any workflow.
  • Team features: Shared projects, task assignment, comments, and activity logs. For small teams (2-10 people), Todoist doubles as a lightweight project manager.

Where Todoist Falls Short

  • Design: Functional but not beautiful. The UI feels utilitarian compared to Things 3. It works, but it doesn’t inspire you to open it.
  • Calendar view: Limited. There’s a basic calendar in the Pro plan, but it’s not a real calendar — you can’t see time blocks, drag to reschedule, or overlay with your actual calendar. TickTick’s calendar integration is much better.
  • Offline mode: Poor on desktop. You can view tasks offline, but creating or editing tasks offline often fails to sync properly when you reconnect. Mobile offline is better but still unreliable.
  • Pricing change fatigue: Todoist has restructured pricing multiple times. Current Pro plan ($6/month) is fair, but long-time users feel nickel-and-dimed by feature gating.

Pricing

Free: up to 5 projects, 50 tasks/project. Pro: $6/month (unlimited projects, filters, labels, calendar view, reminders). Business: $8/user/month (team features, admin controls).

Things 3: The Design-First Approach

Things 3 is the task manager for people who care about aesthetics and simplicity. It’s the most beautiful task app on any platform — and it’s not close. Every interaction feels intentional, every animation is smooth, every screen is a masterclass in UI design.

What Makes Things 3 Great

  • Design: Things 3 is the gold standard for task app UI. The subtle gradients, the satisfying checkmark animation, the smooth transitions between views — using Things 3 feels like using a well-crafted physical object. If you appreciate good design, this matters more than you think.
  • Today view: Things 3’s Today view is the best daily planning experience available. It shows your scheduled tasks, overdue items, and anything you’ve flagged — all in one clean view. Drag to reorder, swipe to postpone. It’s the view you’ll live in.
  • Projects and areas: The two-tier organization (Areas → Projects → Tasks) is intuitive and scales well. Areas are life categories (Work, Personal, Health), Projects are specific goals, Tasks are actions. This hierarchy is simpler than Todoist’s label system and more structured than TickTick’s folders.
  • Apple ecosystem integration: Siri shortcuts, widget, Apple Watch complication, Share Sheet, and Shortcuts automation. If you live in the Apple ecosystem, Things 3 is deeply integrated in ways other apps can’t match.
  • No subscription: One-time purchase: macOS $50, iPhone $10, iPad $20, Apple Watch $5. Total for all platforms: ~$85. Over 3 years, this is cheaper than Todoist Pro ($216) or TickTick Premium ($108).

Where Things 3 Falls Short

  • Apple only: No Windows, no Android, no web. If you use a PC at work or an Android phone, you’re locked out of your tasks. This is the #1 dealbreaker for most people.
  • No natural language input: You can’t type “meeting tomorrow at 3pm” and have it parsed. Date and time must be set manually with the date picker. After using Todoist’s NLP, this feels like a step backward.
  • No collaboration: Zero team features. No shared projects, no task assignment, no comments. Things 3 is strictly a personal tool.
  • Slow updates: Cultured Code (the developer) updates Things 3 slowly — sometimes months between releases. Major features requested by the community (calendar integration, recurring task improvements) take years to arrive. The app is stable but stagnant.
  • No free tier: You pay upfront for every platform. There’s no free version to try before committing. The iPhone app is $10, which is cheap enough to test, but the full experience requires the $50 macOS app.

Pricing

One-time: macOS $50, iPhone $10, iPad $20, Apple Watch $5. No subscription, no free tier.

TickTick: The Everything-in-One Approach

TickTick takes the opposite approach from Things 3 — instead of minimalism, it gives you everything. Task management, habit tracking, Pomodoro timer, calendar integration, white noise, and even a basic matrix view (Eisenhower matrix). It’s the Swiss Army knife of task managers.

What Makes TickTick Great

  • Calendar integration: TickTick’s calendar view is the best of the three. It syncs with Apple Calendar, Google Calendar, and Outlook. You can see tasks and calendar events on the same timeline, drag tasks to reschedule, and create tasks directly from calendar events. This is a killer feature if you time-block your day.
  • Habit tracking: Built-in habit tracker with streak counting, reminders, and charts. Track “exercise 3x/week” alongside your task list. This eliminates the need for a separate habit app like Streaks or Habitica.
  • Pomodoro timer: Built-in focus timer with customizable work/break intervals. Start a timer on any task, and TickTick tracks your focused time. Useful for ADHD and anyone who struggles with time management.
  • Value for money: Free tier is generous (lists, reminders, basic calendar). Premium ($3/month or $28/year) unlocks calendar view, habits, custom themes, and more. Cheaper than both Todoist Pro and Things 3.
  • Cross-platform: Available on macOS, iOS, Windows, Android, Linux, web, and wearables. Not as polished as Todoist’s cross-platform experience, but covers the same platforms.

Where TickTick Falls Short

  • UI clutter: With habit tracking, Pomodoro, white noise, and the matrix view all vying for attention, TickTick’s interface can feel crowded. The sidebar has 10+ items by default. It takes significant customization to achieve Things 3-level simplicity.
  • Sync reliability: TickTick’s sync is slower and less reliable than Todoist’s. I experienced 5-10 second delays on desktop and occasional conflicts when editing the same task on two devices simultaneously.
  • Natural language input: TickTick added NLP but it’s not as good as Todoist’s. Complex recurring patterns (“every 2nd Tuesday of the month”) often fail. Simple date parsing (“tomorrow”) works fine.
  • Widget limitations: iOS widgets are functional but ugly compared to Things 3’s beautifully designed widgets. Android widgets are better but still not great.

Pricing

Free: limited lists and reminders. Premium: $3/month or $28/year. Best value of the three.

Feature Comparison

Feature Todoist Things 3 TickTick
Natural language input ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ❌ ⭐⭐⭐
Cross-platform ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Apple only ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Design ⭐⭐⭐ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ⭐⭐⭐
Calendar integration ⭐⭐ ⭐⭐ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Habit tracking ❌ ❌ ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Pomodoro timer ❌ ❌ ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Team collaboration ⭐⭐⭐⭐ ❌ ⭐⭐
Integrations ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ⭐⭐ ⭐⭐⭐
Price (3-year TCO) $216 ~$85 $84

Which Task Manager Matches Your Brain?

The “Capture Everything” Brain → Todoist

If you think in stream-of-consciousness — dumping tasks as fast as they come, organizing later — Todoist’s NLP and quick capture are perfect. You’ll add 30 tasks before breakfast and trust that the filter system will surface what matters.

The “Aesthetic-Motivated” Brain → Things 3

If opening a beautiful app motivates you to plan your day, Things 3 is unmatched. The design isn’t superficial — it reduces friction. When checking your tasks feels pleasant, you check them more often, and that makes you more productive.

The “All-in-One” Brain → TickTick

If you hate having separate apps for tasks, habits, time tracking, and calendar — and you want everything in one place — TickTick is the answer. The tradeoff is more complexity, but the payoff is fewer context switches.

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FAQ

Can I migrate between these task managers?

Yes. Todoist, Things 3, and TickTick all support import/export. Todoist → Things 3 migration takes 30-60 minutes. Todoist → TickTick is the smoothest (similar data model). Things 3 → others loses some metadata (repeating rules, project hierarchy).

Which task manager is best for GTD?

Todoist, by a significant margin. Its inbox capture, label/filter system, and cross-platform access align perfectly with the Getting Things Done methodology. Things 3 works for GTD but requires more manual organization. TickTick can do GTD but its extra features add noise.

Is TickTick’s free tier good enough?

For basic task management, yes. You get lists, reminders, and basic calendar. The main missing features are habit tracking, calendar view, and custom widgets. Most casual users don’t need premium.

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