Superlist vs Things 3: Which Mac Task Manager Is Right for You?
Mar 12, 2026
If you've spent any time in the Mac productivity space, you know Things 3 has a devoted following. It's beautiful, it's fast, and it's been refined over more than a decade. But a newer generation of task managers has entered the picture, and Superlist is one of the most compelling alternatives.
So which one should you be using? The answer depends on how you work, who you work with, and what you actually need from a task app. Let's break it down.
What Makes Things 3 Well-Loved
Things 3 from Cultured Code is a masterclass in focused design. It has one of the cleanest interfaces you'll find on any platform, with a layout that feels native to macOS and iOS in a way few apps manage to achieve. The app uses a classic GTD-inspired structure: Inbox, Today, Upcoming, Anytime, Someday, and Projects give you a clear mental model for capturing and organizing tasks.
What makes Things 3 stand out is its attention to detail. The quick entry window, natural language date input, and the fluid drag-and-drop between projects all feel considered. It's genuinely pleasant to use. Many long-time users report that the app reduces friction between thinking of a task and capturing it.
The trade-off is that Things 3 is built for solo use. There's no real-time collaboration, no shared lists with other users, and no way to assign tasks to teammates. It's a personal productivity tool, and it doesn't try to be anything else.
What Superlist Does Differently
Superlist approaches task management from a different direction. It's built for both personal and collaborative work, meaning you can use it as your private to-do list and as a shared workspace with colleagues or family. Lists can be kept private or shared with specific people, and tasks can be assigned with due dates and notes.
Beyond collaboration, Superlist brings a few features that feel genuinely modern. The integration with tools like Gmail, Google Calendar, Linear, and Slack means your tasks live alongside the context you need. Instead of copying information between apps, you can link tasks directly to conversations, issues, or calendar events.
Superlist also has a strong focus on "My Tasks" as a unified view. Instead of jumping between projects to find what's on your plate today, everything assigned to you surfaces in one place regardless of which list it belongs to.
Core Differences That Actually Matter
Platform availability. Things 3 is Apple-only: Mac, iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch. If you use an Android phone, a Windows machine, or need to share tasks with people on other platforms, Things 3 simply won't work for your team. Superlist is cross-platform and available on the web, which means it follows you wherever you are.
Collaboration. Things 3 has none. Superlist is built around it. If you ever need to share a list, delegate a task, or work on a project with even one other person, Things 3 creates an immediate bottleneck.
Pricing model. Things 3 is a one-time purchase ($49.99 for Mac, $9.99 for iOS). If you're a solo user who stays in the Apple ecosystem, this is genuinely good value. Superlist uses a freemium subscription model, with the free tier covering most personal use cases and paid plans unlocking deeper collaboration features.
Depth vs. simplicity. Things 3 wins on simplicity. There's a clear ceiling to what it does, and that constraint is part of its appeal. Superlist offers more surface area, which means more power but also a slightly steeper learning curve for some features.
Who Should Use Things 3
Things 3 is the right choice if you're a solo professional or creative who lives and breathes in the Apple ecosystem, values design above all, and doesn't need to share tasks with anyone else. If you manage your personal projects, freelance work, or life admin and want an app that feels polished and stays out of your way, Things 3 is hard to beat.
It's also a great fit if you prefer a one-time purchase and want to avoid subscription fatigue. You buy it once and it's yours.
Who Should Use Superlist
Superlist makes more sense if you work with other people, whether that's a small startup team, a family sharing household tasks, or a freelancer who collaborates with clients. If you need your task manager to fit into a broader toolkit of apps rather than sit in a silo, Superlist's integrations will save you real time.
It's also the better choice if you work across devices or platforms, or if you value having your personal and professional tasks in one place without maintaining two separate systems.
The Bottom Line
Things 3 and Superlist serve different needs, and the good news is there's a clear way to choose between them. Ask yourself: do you work alone or with others? Do you stay inside the Apple ecosystem or move between platforms? Do you prefer a focused, beautiful tool with a defined scope, or a more flexible system that can grow with your workflow?
If your answer points toward solo, Apple-only, and beautifully minimal, Things 3 is an excellent app. But if you're looking for a task manager that handles both your personal life and your collaborative work, Superlist is worth a serious look. It brings the clarity of a personal to-do list together with the structure a modern team actually needs.