A Things 3 alternative with a board.
Things 3 is the gold standard of Apple-native task apps — beautifully designed, deeply considered, well-loved. Zoro is its sharper sibling: one $59.99 purchase covers iPhone and Mac — the same money as Things' two apps, every future version included — or $19.99 a year, and it adds a kanban board and S/M/L effort sizing the original doesn't have.
The short version
Same family. Different angle.
Both apps are single-player, Apple-only, opinionated, and built to stay out of your way. Things 3 is the polished classic; if you already own it and love it, you're not the one this page is for. Zoro is for everyone who missed having a board view, wants S/M/L sizing on every task, or would rather start free and decide later. Same philosophy, different shape.
When to pick what
Both are honest answers.
Use Things 3 if…
- You're a GTD practitioner — its Today / Upcoming / Anytime / Someday structure is unmatched.
- You need recurring tasks and due-date reminders today (Zoro skips both in v1).
- You prefer lists and projects to a board.
- You're happy buying per device — $9.99 for iPhone, $49.99 for Mac.
- You want a tool with ten years of polish behind it.
Use Zoro if…
- You want a kanban board next to your list — same tasks, two views.
- You want effort sizing (S/M/L) built in, not implied by tags.
- You want one purchase to cover iPhone and Mac — with a $19.99/year option Things doesn't offer.
- You want a free tier to start with — Things has no free version.
- You like sharp corners more than rounded ones.
Feature comparison
Side by side.
| Feature | Zoro | Things 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Apple-native (iPhone + Mac) | Yes | Yes |
| Free tier to try | Yes (unlimited tasks) | No (15-day Mac trial only) |
| List view | Yes | Yes (the strength) |
| Kanban board | Built in | No |
| Three priorities (P1/P2/P3) | Native | Flags + tags only |
| S/M/L effort sizing | Native | No |
| Subtasks | One level Pro | Checklist items |
| Areas + Projects hierarchy | Spaces + Projects | Yes (deeper) |
| Today / Upcoming / Anytime views | Focus view | Yes (signature) |
| Recurring tasks | Not in v1 | Yes |
| Reminders / due dates | Not in v1 | Yes |
| Natural language dates | No | Yes |
| Sync | CloudKit free | Things Cloud (free) |
| Where your data lives | Your iCloud | Cultured Code's cloud |
| Pricing (iPhone + Mac) | $0, $19.99/yr or $59.99 once for both | $59.98 once, per device |
Pricing
Same money. More coverage.
Things 3 is genuinely a one-time purchase — but it's priced per device. iPhone is $9.99, iPad is $19.99, Mac is $49.99. If you want it on iPhone and Mac (most people do), you're paying $59.98. Zoro Pro lifetime is $59.99 — the same money — but one purchase covers both platforms and includes every future version. There's a $19.99 a year option Things doesn't offer, and a free tier so you can decide first.
Zoro
- Unlimited tasks & projects
- List + kanban, P1/P2/P3, S/M/L
- iCloud sync (iPhone + Mac)
- Weekly review + reflection
- Weekly Review insight cards
- History & Trends — every week kept
- Stats dashboard
- Subtasks, custom statuses
Things 3
- 15-day free trial on Mac only
- Things Cloud sync (free)
- No free tier on iOS
- ~$60 for iPhone + Mac
What's actually different
Sibling apps with different defaults.
A board, not just lists.
Things 3 is list-first by design — that's its whole personality. Zoro adds a three-column kanban as a first-class view of the same tasks. Drag a card from To do to Done; the list reflects it. Lists for capture, board for working.
Effort is a feature, not a tag.
In Things, "Small / Medium / Large" is a tag you'd add yourself if you cared. In Zoro it's a native field with its own UI affordance and (Pro) shows up in stats. Two named axes — priority and effort — instead of one.
One price, two devices.
Things 3 is well worth its money, but it's priced per device — $59.98 for the iPhone and Mac pair — and historically, each major new version of Things has been a new purchase. Zoro Pro is $59.99 once across iPhone and Mac, every future version included — or $19.99 a year. And the free tier stays $0 forever, with no task cap.
Your iCloud, not theirs.
Things uses Cultured Code's own sync service (Things Cloud, free). Zoro uses CloudKit — your own iCloud Private Database, on Apple's infrastructure. Functionally similar; philosophically different. If the maker disappears, your data is exactly where it already was.
FAQ
Things 3 vs Zoro, answered.
Is Things 3 worth it for one person?
Yes — it's one of the best-designed task managers for an individual on Apple devices, and a one-time purchase. The limits for some solo users: no kanban board, no built-in effort sizing, and you buy it separately for iPhone, iPad, and Mac.
How much does Things 3 cost?
It's a one-time purchase bought separately per Apple platform (iPhone, iPad, Mac) — roughly $60 across all three. Zoro covers iPhone and Mac for $59.99 once — the same money, but one purchase with every future version included — or $19.99 a year.
Does Things 3 have a kanban board?
No — Things 3 is list- and GTD-based with no board view. If you want a board for one person on Apple devices, Zoro offers list and kanban with P1/P2/P3 and S/M/L sizing.
What's a good Things 3 alternative?
For Apple users: Zoro (adds a board and sizing, iPhone + Mac for one price), Apple Reminders (free, built in), or Todoist/TickTick if you need to go beyond Apple.
Cut the day into pieces.
Zoro opens in summer 2026 on iPhone and Mac. Join the waitlist for the App Store link on launch day, plus a code for half off Pro for life — $29.99 once, not $59.99.
Join the waitlist →