Things 3 vs Microsoft OneNote
Which is better in 2026? Five scores, side by side.
Things 3 is the better app overall, scoring 8.8 to 8.1. Things 3 wins on 3 of the 5 scores, Microsoft OneNote on 2.
Apple users who want a calm, personal task manager without a subscription
Students and tablet users who take handwritten or mixed-media notes
Score by score
The details
| Feature | Things 3 | Microsoft OneNote |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Productivity & Notes | Productivity & Notes |
| Category rank | #5 of 10 | #9 of 10 |
| Developer | Cultured Code | Microsoft |
| Pricing | Paid | Free |
| Usable for free | No | Yes |
| iPhone & iPad | ✓ | ✓ |
| Android | — | ✓ |
| Mac | ✓ | ✓ |
| Windows | — | ✓ |
| Web | — | ✓ |
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
Microsoft OneNote
- Free on every major platform
- Excellent handwriting and stylus support
- Works well with Microsoft 365 and Teams
- Sync can be slow and occasionally conflicts
- Interface and organization feel dated
Microsoft OneNote works like a digital binder: notebooks, sections and pages where you can type, draw, paste and handwrite anywhere on the canvas. Pen support is excellent, it can search text inside images, and it is free on every major platform. Copilot features come with Microsoft 365. The downsides are a dated feel, occasional sync conflicts, and freeform pages that get messy. Ideal for students and pen-and-tablet users.
Full Microsoft OneNote review
