Review Things 3: Things 3 is the most beautifully designed task management app on the Apple platform

Detailed Review

Things 3 is the flagship product of Cultured Code, a small software studio in Stuttgart founded by Martin Pilkington and Jürgen Schweizer in 2007. Cultured Code is a rare example of "indie software done right" — small, profitable, no VC backing, with a slow but exceptionally high-quality release cycle. Things 1 launched in 2007, Things 2 in 2009, and Things 3 in May 2017 — 10 years of careful, patient craftsmanship.

Things 3's design philosophy is "opinionated simplicity" — making decisions for the user rather than letting them configure everything. No custom colors, no unlimited views, no complex automation rules. Just Areas (life domains), Projects, Headings, Tasks, and Checklists — a hierarchy flexible enough without being overwhelming. Cultured Code refuses to add features based on requests because they believe "what NOT to build" matters more than what to build.

Magic Plus Button — the distinctive unique interaction in Things 3 — is a small but delightful innovation. Dragging the button downward reveals a quick entry mode, dragging it onto a task adds a checklist item, dragging it onto a project adds a task to it. Tactile interaction with haptic feedback creates the sensation of interacting with a physical object. This is the kind of interaction design that only comes from a team with an obsessive attention to detail.

Strengths

• The most beautiful interface of any task app — every pixel is carefully designed, nothing cluttered
• Magic Plus Button adds tasks with natural language date and time parsing that is remarkably accurate
• Quick Entry from any app on Mac/iPad/iPhone — never miss an idea or task again
• Today view with time blocks helps plan your workday by specific hours, visual and intuitive

Areas for Improvement

• Apple ecosystem only — no Android, web app, or Windows version, and no team collaboration features
• One-time purchases: Mac $49.99 + iPhone $9.99 + iPad $19.99 — nearly $80 total for the full set
• No team collaboration or shared task features — completely unsuitable for group work

Verdict

Things 3 is an excellent choice for anyone needing a powerful tool in the Mobile App category. Founded in 2007 by Martin Pilkington and Jürgen Schweizer at Cultured Code, this product has undergone years of development and continuous improvement. With a rating of 9.5/10, it ranks among the best in its segment. We encourage you to try the free version before deciding to upgrade.