Head-to-Head Comparison · Alternative to Things 3 · ✅ tasks
Things 3 vs Apple Reminders
Things minus the polish tax, provided every device in sight has an Apple logo Here is how Apple Reminders ($0/mo free) stacks up against Things 3 (paid subscription) across cost, hosting, data privacy, and real-world trade-offs.
Apple Reminders
$0.00/mo · proprietary, free
Things 3 vs Apple Reminders Specification Matrix
facts verified 2026-08-10
| Dimension | Things 3 (Paid) | Apple Reminders (Replacement) |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly Price | Paid tier | $0 / mo |
| Source & License | Proprietary SaaS | free proprietary, free |
| Where It Runs | Vendor Cloud | Local (on your machine) |
| Platforms | Web / Cloud | desktopmobileone-click install |
| GitHub Stars | — | ★ $0 forever |
Deep Dive: Switching from Things 3 to Apple Reminders
Trade-offs, installation & data architecture
What you trade away
Apple Reminders is less coherent and polished than Things for organizing Areas, multi-step projects, headings, start dates, deadlines, and the Today-to-Upcoming flow.
How to deploy Apple Reminders
Preinstalled on iPhone, iPad, and Mac; enable iCloud or another supported reminders account for synchronization
Where your data lives
Structured reminder records live in iCloud or another configured reminders account and are cached on Apple devices; iCloud provides account-level restore rather than user-visible task files
Why fork Apple Reminders instead of vibe-coding a Things 3 clone?
The core loop is small enough for a capable coding agent to produce a useful local version in one sitting. For Things 3, build a polished personal task manager with areas, projects, tags, deadlines, and a today view. The hard boundary is exceptional native design, apple-device sync, shortcuts, and long-term maintenance, plus cross-device reliability and workflow polish.
Things 3 vs Apple Reminders FAQ
Is Apple Reminders a good free alternative to Things 3?+
Yes. Apple Reminders is a verified free replacement for Things 3. Things minus the polish tax, provided every device in sight has an Apple logo
What is the catch when switching from Things 3 to Apple Reminders?+
Apple Reminders is less coherent and polished than Things for organizing Areas, multi-step projects, headings, start dates, deadlines, and the Today-to-Upcoming flow.
How do I install or self-host Apple Reminders instead of Things 3?+
Install: Preinstalled on iPhone, iPad, and Mac; enable iCloud or another supported reminders account for synchronization.
