TickTick vs Things 3
One is a feature-rich subscription that runs on everything; the other is a beautifully restrained one-time purchase locked to Apple.
Short answer
TickTick ($35.99/year, free tier available) runs everywhere and packs in a calendar, habits and a Pomodoro timer. Things 3 is a one-time purchase — $49.99 Mac, $9.99 iPhone, $19.99 iPad — and is Apple-only, with a far calmer, more focused design. If you use Windows or Android, the decision is made for you: Things 3 has no version to buy.
TickTick vs Things 3: side by side
| Feature | TickTick | Things 3 | LemTask |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $35.99/year | $49.99 + $9.99 + $19.99 one-time | $0 (free plan) |
| Free tier | Yes, with limits | No | Yes |
| Windows & Android | Yes | No — Apple only | Yes (browser + PWA) |
| Built-in habit tracking | Yes (Premium) | No | Yes (free) |
| Calendar view | Yes (Premium) | Limited | Yes (free) |
| Pomodoro / focus timer | Yes | No | Yes, with billable tracking |
| Gamification | No | No | Yes — XP, levels, streaks |
Pricing reflects each vendor's published plans at the time of writing. Check their site before buying — plans change.
Which should you pick?
Pick TickTick if
You want the most features per dollar and you switch between platforms. TickTick's calendar view, habit tracker and Pomodoro timer are included in Premium at $35.99/year.
$35.99/year (Premium) · Yes, with limits
Pick Things 3 if
You are all-Apple and value calm over capability. Things 3's design and keyboard flow are still unmatched, and you pay once instead of yearly.
$49.99 Mac + $9.99 iPhone + $19.99 iPad (one-time) · None — paid per Apple device
Pick LemTask if
You want cross-platform like TickTick, habits and a focus timer included, and a free plan. LemTask runs in any browser and installs as an app on Windows, Android, macOS and iOS.
Free plan · no card
Try the free option before you pay for either
LemTask covers daily planning, time blocking, habits and a focus timer on a free plan — so you can test the workflow before committing to a subscription.
- Free forever plan, no card required
- Time blocking with Google Calendar sync
- Habits, streaks and XP for follow-through
- Import your existing lists in a couple of clicks
Frequently asked questions
- Is Things 3 better than TickTick?
- Things 3 has the better design and a one-time price, but it is Apple-only and has no habit tracking or timer. TickTick has more features and runs on every platform for $35.99/year. If you use Windows or Android, TickTick is the only one of the two you can actually run.
- Is Things 3 available on Windows?
- No. Things 3 is macOS, iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch and Vision Pro only, and has never had a Windows or Android version.
- Is TickTick cheaper than Things 3?
- Up front, yes — TickTick has a free tier and Premium is $35.99/year. Things 3 costs about $80 in one-off purchases across Mac, iPhone and iPad, so after roughly two and a half years Things 3 becomes cheaper.
- What is a good alternative to both?
- LemTask runs in any browser and installs as a PWA on Windows, Android, macOS and iOS, with tasks, habits, calendar, time blocking and a focus timer on a free plan.