Things 3
Timely
| Feature | Things 3 | Timely |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | From $9.99/mo | From $11/mo |
| Free Plan | ✗ No | ✗ No |
| Rating | 4.8 / 5 | 4.4 / 5 |
| Best For | apple-users, gtd-practitioners, individuals, design-lovers | consultants, agencies, freelancers, remote-teams |
| Founded | 2009 | 2014 |
| Inbox | ✓ | ✗ |
| Today View | ✓ | ✗ |
| Areas And Projects | ✓ | ✗ |
| Headings | ✓ | ✗ |
| Tags | ✓ | ✗ |
| Quick Entry | ✓ | ✗ |
| Automatic Tracking | ✗ | ✓ |
| Memory Timeline | ✗ | ✓ |
| Project Budgets | ✗ | ✓ |
| Team Dashboard | ✗ | ✓ |
| Integrations | ✗ | ✓ |
| Billable Hours | ✗ | ✓ |
✓ Things 3 Pros
- One-time purchase (no subscription)
- Stunning Apple-native design
- GTD workflow built in
- Keyboard shortcuts and natural language
✗ Things 3 Cons
- Apple ecosystem only
- No collaboration features
- No web version
✓ Timely Pros
- Fully automatic time capture
- Beautiful interface
- Memory timeline feature
- Privacy-focused
✗ Timely Cons
- No free plan
- AI capture needs training period
- Mobile tracking less reliable
The Verdict
Things 3 is built for apple users and gtd practitioners, with a focus on inbox and today-view. Timely targets consultants and agencies and leads with automatic-tracking and memory-timeline.
Pricing is close: Things 3 starts at $9.99/mo versus $11/mo for Timely — not a deciding factor on its own.
Neither tool offers a free plan, so factor the subscription cost into your decision from the start.
Things 3 edges out on user ratings (4.8 vs 4.4). While both are well-regarded, that gap reflects real differences in user satisfaction worth considering.
Bottom line: Things 3 has a slight overall edge — but if fully automatic time capture matters most to you, Timely may still be the right call.