Best Things 3 Alternative in 2026
Premium GTD-inspired task manager exclusive to Apple devices
Things 3 is a masterclass in task manager design — clean, fast, and opinionated in the best way. But it is stuck in a manual, Apple-only world. There is no AI, no email integration, no cross-platform access, and no automation. Users who switch to Android, move to Windows, or simply want their task manager to do more than store GTD-style lists consistently look for alternatives that combine the simplicity of Things with the intelligence of modern AI.
Why people look for Things 3 alternatives
- −Apple-only: no Android, Windows, or Linux support
- −One-time purchase model means no ongoing updates without buying new versions
- −No AI features or automation of any kind
- −No email or calendar integration beyond basic system calendar sync
- −Beautiful but entirely manual — you manage your tasks, not an AI
How well does GAIA replace Things 3?
Honest fit score based on feature overlap
4/5
What GAIA replaces from Things 3
- ✔Cross-platform task management on any device or OS
- ✔Natural language task creation via conversation
- ✔Email-to-task automation replacing manual inbox processing
- ✔AI-driven prioritization replacing GTD-style manual area sorting
GAIA vs Things 3: Feature Comparison
| Feature | GAIA | Things 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Core approach | GTD outcomes without the overhead: capture, organization, and review assisted by AI across tools | Beautifully designed GTD task manager for manual capture, organization, and review |
| Platform | Windows, Linux, Android, and web alongside Apple devices, so no platform switch breaks the system | Apple ecosystem only: Mac, iPhone, and iPad. No web, Windows, Android, or Linux version |
| AI capabilities | Creation, organization, and review handled with AI across email and calendar, ending all-manual everything | No built-in AI. Task creation, organization, and review are entirely manual |
| Email integration | Inbox processed into triage, drafts, and tasks automatically, beyond a mail-to capture feature | No email integration. Tasks from emails must be created manually via the Things mail-to feature |
| Automation | Autonomous, AI-driven automation across tools, not scripted URL schemes and Shortcuts | URL scheme and Shortcuts support for scripted workflows, but no autonomous or AI-driven automation |
| Cross-tool integrations | Inbox, calendar, tasks, and chat connected natively, beyond Reminders, Calendar import, and mail-to | Limited to Apple Reminders, Calendar import, mail-to capture, and community-built Shortcuts |
| Calendar integration | Two-way calendar management with scheduling actions, not a read-only event display | Read-only display of calendar events alongside tasks in Today view. No two-way sync or scheduling actions |
| Source-available | Source-available and self-hostable for full data privacy | Proprietary closed-source application |
| Pricing model | Hosted: paid plan at $30/month; self-hosting free for non-commercial use (plus your own model API costs) | Paid plans only, no free tier; one-time purchase options. |
Where GAIA goes further
- +Works on Windows, Linux, Android, and web: not Apple-only
- +Proactive AI eliminates manual task triage and entry
- +Email integration connects inbox to task list automatically
- +Source-available and self-hostable for data privacy
- +No Apple-ecosystem purchase required
How to migrate from Things 3 to GAIA
- 1Export tasks from Things 3 via the File > Export menu
- 2Import tasks into GAIA's task manager or connected Todoist account
- 3Connect Gmail for automatic task creation from email
- 4Download GAIA apps on your non-Apple devices
Frequently Asked Questions
More Alternatives to Consider
People Also Consider
Guides in the Docs
Want a side-by-side feature comparison? See GAIA vs Things 3 →
