Things 3 vs Google Keep
Which is better in 2026? Five scores, side by side.
Things 3 is the better app overall, scoring 8.9 to 8.3. Things 3 wins on 4 of the 5 scores, Google Keep on 1.
Apple users who want a calm, personal task manager without a subscription
Android users and families who want quick shared lists and simple notes
Score by score
The details
| Feature | Things 3 | Google Keep |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Productivity & Notes | Productivity & Notes |
| Category rank | #9 of 17 | #15 of 17 |
| Developer | Cultured Code | |
| Pricing | Paid | Free |
| Usable for free | No | Yes |
| iPhone & iPad | ✓ | ✓ |
| Android | — | ✓ |
| Mac | ✓ | — |
| Web | — | ✓ |
Common questions
Is Things 3 better than Google Keep?
Things 3 is the better app overall, scoring 8.9 to 8.3. Things 3 wins on 4 of the 5 scores, Google Keep on 1.
Which is cheaper, Things 3 or Google Keep?
Things 3: One-time purchase: $9.99 iPhone, $19.99 iPad, $49.99 Mac. Google Keep: Free; uses your Google account's 15 GB of free storage. On value for money, Google Keep scores higher.
Do Things 3 and Google Keep work on the same devices?
Only Things 3 runs on Mac. Only Google Keep runs on Android, Web.
Which is more private, Things 3 or Google Keep?
Things 3 scores higher on privacy (9.0/10). The App Store label links only your to-do content to you, plus anonymous diagnostics, with no tracking or ads. Things Cloud encrypts data in transit and at rest, but not end-to-end.
Strengths and weaknesses
Things 3
- Calm, polished design that makes planning easy
- Fast, reliable sync across Apple devices
- One-time purchase with no subscription
- Apple devices only, with no web access
- No shared lists or team collaboration
- Buying for Mac, iPhone and iPad adds up
Things 3 is the most pleasant task manager on Apple devices. Every screen is calm and clear, and Today, This Evening, Areas and headings make planning feel easy rather than fiddly. This year's updates added Siri to-do creation, Spotlight search and smarter repeating to-dos, and Things Cloud sync is reliable. The catch: there are no Windows, Android or web apps, no shared lists, and you buy each platform separately.
Full Things 3 review
Google Keep
- Free, with no ads
- Works on Android, iPhone and any web browser
- Shared shopping lists update in real time
- No folders or tables, and only basic formatting
- Notes aren't end-to-end encrypted
- Keep Live is Android-only and needs a paid Google AI plan
Google Keep is the sticky-note wall of notes apps. Jot a thought, tick off a shopping list, snap a photo or record a voice memo, and it syncs to Android, iPhone and the web in seconds. Shared lists update live for everyone, and reminders pop up at the right time or place. It's free with no ads. Formatting is basic, there are no folders, and your notes aren't end-to-end encrypted.
Full Google Keep review
