# 2 Best Open Source Alternatives for Things

Canonical: https://caniforkit.com/things
Last updated: 2026-11-07

Looking for the best open source alternative for Things? Compare 2 verified free and open source alternatives to Things (Super Productivity, Vikunja) with license details, self-hosting requirements, and practical trade-offs.

## Things Overview & Subscription Cost
- **Product**: Things
- **Category**: [tasks](https://caniforkit.com/category/tasks)
- **Paid Subscription Price**: $10/month per seat
- **1-Seat Annualized Cost**: $120/year
- **5-Person Team Annualized Cost**: $600/year
- **10-Person Team Annualized Cost**: $1,200/year
- **Can I Vibe-Code / Rebuild It Myself?**: NO (use a free alternative, save the tokens)
- **Rebuild Verdict**: Instead of paying recurring SaaS fees for Things or rebuilding it from scratch, deploy one of the 2 battle-tested open-source alternatives like Super Productivity.

## Verified Free & Open Source Alternatives

| Alternative | Type | License | Runs On | GitHub Stars | Head-to-Head |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Super Productivity](https://caniforkit.com/fork/super-productivity) | Open Source | MIT | Local | ★ 23.5k | [Compare vs Things](https://caniforkit.com/vs/things-vs-super-productivity) |
| [Vikunja](https://caniforkit.com/fork/vikunja) | Open Source | AGPL-3.0+ | Self-host | ★ 6k | [Compare vs Things](https://caniforkit.com/vs/things-vs-vikunja) |

## In-Depth Alternative Profiles

### Super Productivity
- **Fork Page**: [Super Productivity Profile](https://caniforkit.com/fork/super-productivity)
- **Head-to-Head Comparison**: [Things vs Super Productivity](https://caniforkit.com/vs/things-vs-super-productivity)
- **Official Website**: https://super-productivity.com/
- **Source Code Repository**: https://github.com/johannesjo/super-productivity
- **License**: MIT
- **Runs On**: Local
- **GitHub Stars**: 23.5k
- **Maintenance Activity**: nov 2026
- **Supported Platforms**: desktop, mobile, web, one-click install
- **Summary**: Privacy-first task manager combining task lists, Kanban, Pomodoro timers, time tracking, and integrations with GitHub, GitLab, and Jira. No account required, works offline.
- **The Catch vs Things**: Super Productivity timeboxes local tasks well but does not pull a broad set of external task systems into one inbox or automatically place them on the calendar like Akiflow.
- **Installation**: Use the browser/PWA or install a packaged desktop or mobile build
- **Setup**: Download the native package or installer for your operating system.
- **Data Storage**: Tasks, projects, time records, and settings are local-first in browser or app storage; optional synchronization and backups use the user's chosen WebDAV or Dropbox account

### Vikunja
- **Fork Page**: [Vikunja Profile](https://caniforkit.com/fork/vikunja)
- **Head-to-Head Comparison**: [Things vs Vikunja](https://caniforkit.com/vs/things-vs-vikunja)
- **Official Website**: https://vikunja.io
- **Source Code Repository**: https://github.com/go-vikunja/vikunja
- **License**: AGPL-3.0+
- **Runs On**: Self-host
- **GitHub Stars**: 6k
- **Maintenance Activity**: nov 2026
- **Supported Platforms**: desktop, web, self-hosted, docker to self-host
- **Summary**: A powerful, open-source task management platform for teams and individuals, offering customizable workflows and seamless integration.
- **The Catch vs Things**: Vikunja lacks Any.do’s polished guided daily planner, consumer-grade reminders, calendar experience, and low-friction mobile setup.
- **Installation**: Use the paid hosted service or deploy the free server with Docker Compose, a package, or the standalone binary
- **Setup**: The free path requires a server or Docker, persistent volumes, secrets, and normally a reverse proxy with TLS
- **Data Storage**: Tasks, projects, users, and settings live in SQLite, MySQL/MariaDB, or PostgreSQL, with attachments in a persistent files directory, on the selected host

## Frequently Asked Questions

### What is the best free alternative to Things?
The top free alternative to Things is Super Productivity (open source, MIT). Privacy-first task manager combining task lists, Kanban, Pomodoro timers, time tracking, and integrations with GitHub, GitLab, and Jira. No account required, works offline. Other popular Things replacements include Vikunja.

### How much does switching from Things to a free alternative save?
Things starts at $10/month per seat ($120/year). Switching a 5-person team to a free alternative like Super Productivity saves $600 per year in software subscription fees.

### What is the catch when switching away from Things?
While Super Productivity replaces core Things features without subscription fees, the real-world trade-off is: Super Productivity timeboxes local tasks well but does not pull a broad set of external task systems into one inbox or automatically place them on the calendar like Akiflow.

## Related

- [tasks Software Category Hub](https://caniforkit.com/category/tasks)
- [All Paid SaaS Alternatives Index](https://caniforkit.com/alternatives)
- [Self-Hosted Software Directory](https://caniforkit.com/self-hosted)
- [Homepage](https://caniforkit.com)