Irkless vs Things 3

Cross-platform web app vs beautiful Apple-only native. Both great—just different approaches.

Quick Decision Guide

Are you all-in on Apple devices?

✓ Yes, Mac/iPhone/iPad only

Things 3. It's gorgeous, feels native, and takes full advantage of Apple's ecosystem. Worth the premium.

→ No, I use Windows/Linux too

Irkless. We work on any platform with a browser. No lock-in to Apple's world.

How do you feel about pricing?

One-time purchase preferred

Things 3. $50 one-time for Mac, $10 for iPhone, $20 for iPad. No recurring fees.

Subscription is fine

Irkless. $5/month gets you everything on all devices. Cancel anytime.

What matters more to you?

Beautiful, polished design

Things 3. Cultured Code spent years perfecting the design. It shows.

Advanced features & flexibility

Irkless. Custom Collections, themeable interface, and features that update monthly.

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature Irkless Things 3
Pricing $5/month or $48/year $50 Mac + $10 iPhone + $20 iPad (one-time)
Platform Web (any device with browser) Apple only (Mac, iPhone, iPad)
Custom Collections ✅ Save custom filter views ❌ No saved filters
Review Workflow ✅ Dedicated Review view ⚠️ Manual
Quick Search ✅ Search everything (⌘K) ✅ Quick Find
Filtering ✅ Filter in every view ⚠️ Limited
Design Polish ⚠️ Good, getting better ✅✅ Industry-leading
Updates ✅ Monthly (web-first advantage) ⚠️ Slower (app store process)

Our Honest Take

Irkless might fit better if...

  • You use non-Apple devices and need cross-platform access
  • You want Custom Collections to save filtered views
  • Having filtering in every view helps you focus
  • You prefer subscription pricing over large upfront costs
  • Faster updates matter (web means no app store delays)

Things 3 might fit better if...

  • You're all-in on Apple ecosystem and want native apps
  • Beautiful, polished design is your top priority
  • You prefer one-time purchases over subscriptions
  • Deep macOS/iOS integration matters to you (widgets, shortcuts, etc.)
  • You value stability over frequent feature additions

Our honest take

Honestly? Things 3 is the most beautiful task manager ever made. Cultured Code has spent over a decade perfecting every detail. If you're an Apple user and design matters to you, it's absolutely worth it. We're not trying to compete on visual polish—we're web-first by design. But we do offer features Things doesn't have (Custom Collections, themeable interface, faster updates) and work on any platform you own.

All product names, logos, and brands are property of their respective owners. Use of these names does not imply endorsement.