Things 3 is the better app overall, scoring 8.8 to 8.4. Things 3 wins on 3 of the 5 scores, Jotter on 2.
Apple users who want a calm, personal task manager without a subscription
iPhone and iPad users who want a quick, private notepad with handwriting
Score by score
The details
| Feature | Things 3 | Jotter |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Productivity & Notes | Productivity & Notes |
| Category rank | #5 of 10 | #8 of 10 |
| Developer | Cultured Code | The Big Head |
| Pricing | Paid | Free |
| Usable for free | No | Yes |
| iPhone & iPad | ✓ | ✓ |
| Mac | ✓ | — |
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
Things 3 is the most pleasant task manager on Apple devices. Every screen is calm and clear, and features like Today, This Evening, Areas and headings make planning feel easy rather than fiddly. It syncs reliably through Things Cloud and works well with Shortcuts and widgets. The catch: there are no Windows, Android or web apps, no sharing with other people, and you buy each platform separately.
Full Things 3 review
Jotter
- No titles, folders or save buttons to slow you down
- Handwriting and voice notes are searchable on the device
- Free, no account, synced through your own iCloud
- Apple devices only, with no Mac or web app
- No backlinks, plugins or collaboration
Jotter is built around one idea: open it and start typing. The first line names the note and it saves as you go. Checklists, Apple Pencil handwriting, scans and voice notes live in the same note, and search reads the text inside pictures and handwriting on the device. It lacks the linking and plugins of Obsidian, but as a free, private everyday notepad it is quick and pleasant.
Full Jotter review
