Podomodo vs Things 3: a Things 3 alternative with a built-in focus timer

If you want a Things 3 alternative with a timer, here's the core difference: Things 3 is an elegant, Apple-only task manager built for planning projects and scheduling to-dos, and it does not include a focus timer. Podomodo is a lighter to-do list for iPhone and the web where AI groups your tasks, and a built-in focus timer runs on the tasks you pick. Things 3 is better for structured planning; Podomodo is better for capturing fast and getting into focus quickly.

Quick verdict

• Choose Things 3 if you plan projects with headings, deadlines and scheduled dates, you use a Mac, iPad or Apple Watch, and you prefer one-time purchases over subscriptions.
• Choose Podomodo if you want a focus timer built into your task list, you'd rather have AI organize tasks than file them yourself, or you need access from a non-Apple computer through a browser.

Podomodo vs Things 3 at a glance

Things 3 facts come from the official Things website and its App Store listings.

The main differences

Planning system vs capture-and-focus

Things 3 gives you a calm, thoughtful structure. To-dos live in projects, projects can be split with headings, and everything sits in areas like Work, Family or Finance. Smart lists like Today, Upcoming and This Evening show what's scheduled, and deadlines, reminders and repeating to-dos keep plans on track. It also supports Markdown notes, tags, widgets, Shortcuts and forwarding emails into tasks. If you enjoy designing your system, Things 3 rewards that care.

Podomodo removes the filing step. There's one "What's on your mind?" input: type, press enter, done. AI groups tasks into categories and orders them, and you can rename groups or tap "Reorder" any time. You can also tap the mic and speak a task instead of typing it. It's built for people who want their list organized without organizing it. See how brain-dump capture works.

The timer

Things 3 doesn't advertise a focus timer, so Things users who like Pomodoro usually run a separate timer app. Podomodo builds it in. You pick tasks into a "focus order," set the length on a rainbow dial (1 minute to 10 hours, 30 minutes by default), and start. The screen stays awake, a mini timer bar follows you around the app, a notification fires when time is up, and you check off tasks as you finish them. Podomodo does not run automatic break cycles or keep session history charts. Read more about the Podomodo focus timer.

Priorities and habits

In Things 3, you prioritize mostly by deciding what goes into Today and by ordering it yourself. Podomodo has a dedicated gold PRIORITY group: long-press tasks, multi-select, tap "Prioritize", and they stay pinned at the top even when AI reorders the rest. Podomodo Pro also adds a habit tracker with one-tap check-ins and a dot history per habit; Things 3 has repeating to-dos but no habit tracker.

Platforms and sync

Things 3 covers the Apple ecosystem thoroughly: Mac, iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch and Vision Pro, synced with Things Cloud. Podomodo has fewer native apps (iPhone only) but adds a web app, and tasks sync in real time between iPhone and web. If you use a Windows PC at work, Podomodo's browser access is the practical advantage. If you live on a Mac and iPad, Things 3 fits better.

Pricing

Things 3 uses one-time purchases per platform. On the US App Store, the iPhone app is $9.99 and the Mac app is $49.99 (as of October 2026); the iPad and Vision Pro apps are sold separately, so check their site for current pricing. A free trial is offered for the Mac version. Podomodo has a 1-month free trial, then $3.99/month or $29.99/year (USD, varies by country), or $79.99 once for lifetime access. See Podomodo pricing.

Who should choose Things 3

• People who plan projects with deadlines, scheduled dates and repeating to-dos.
• Mac, iPad and Apple Watch users who want native apps everywhere.
• Anyone who prefers paying once over subscriptions.
• People who enjoy building and maintaining a personal system, or who use Shortcuts.
• Anyone who already has a timer they like and only needs a task manager.

Who should choose Podomodo

• People who want a focus timer inside their to-do list.
• Anyone who abandons task managers because filing tasks feels like work.
• People who need to reach their list from a non-Apple computer in a browser.
• Anyone who wants habit tracking and an AI read of their tasks in the same app.
• People whose day is less about scheduled projects and more about clearing what's on their mind.

How a typical day looks in each app

A Things 3 day usually starts in Today. To-dos you scheduled earlier appear on their own, calendar events sit at the top, and This Evening holds what can wait until later. You work down the list, and new ideas go into the Inbox to be filed into projects or areas later.

A Podomodo day starts with the input field. You type everything you're carrying around, and AI drops each task into a group in a sensible order. You long-press the few that matter today and tap "Prioritize." Then you open the timer, add those tasks to the focus order, set the dial and start, checking tasks off as you go.

The difference is where the effort goes. Things 3 asks for a little planning up front and pays you back with a clear, scheduled view. Podomodo skips the planning and puts that effort into focused time instead.

If you like both styles, ask which one you actually keep up. A system you maintain for months beats a better one you abandon after two weeks, so pick the app whose daily routine feels lightest to you.

Planning vs doing

Things 3 shines when you plan; Podomodo is designed for the moment you need to start. If your trouble is not knowing when things are due, Things 3 is the better choice. If your trouble is sitting down and actually focusing, a timer next to your tasks helps more. For more on structuring work time, see Pomodoro vs timeboxing.