Mintofu vs Things 3
A focused to-do list, or tasks with your notes, PDFs and calendar?
Short answer
Things 3 is a beautifully designed, focused task manager for Apple devices, sold as separate one-time purchases — $79.97 to own it on iPhone, iPad and Mac. Mintofu is free to start and one Mintofu+ purchase ($49.99 lifetime) covers all three, but the bigger difference is scope: Mintofu adds notes, PDF markup, mind maps, a full calendar and on-device AI around your tasks. Choose Things for a pure, minimal to-do list; choose Mintofu if your tasks start life as notes, PDFs or ideas.
Side-by-side comparison
Competitor details verified on October 4, 2026 from official sources (listed below). Prices in US dollars.
| Feature | Mintofu | Things 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Price (USD) | Free; Mintofu+ $2.99/mo, $19.99/yr or $49.99 once | One-time per device: iPhone $9.99, iPad $19.99, Mac $49.99 ($79.97 for all three) |
| Free plan | Free forever: unlimited notes and task lists, full calendar; up to 2 notebooks, 3 mind maps, 3 PDFs and 2 AI uses a day | No free plan; 15-day trial on Mac only |
| Platforms | iPhone, iPad, Mac | iPhone, iPad, Mac |
| Notes | Yes | Partly |
| Tasks & reminders | Yes | Yes |
| PDF markup (highlight, draw, sign) | Yes | No |
| Mind maps | Yes | No |
| Calendar | Yes | Partly |
| Apple Pencil handwriting | Yes | Partly |
| Turn notes into tasks or mind maps | Yes | Partly |
| Where AI runs | On your device | No AI |
| Works offline | Yes | Yes |
| Separate sign-up required | No | No |
| One purchase covers iPhone, iPad & Mac | Yes | No |
| One-time purchase option | Yes | Yes |
Key differences
- One purchase vs three — Things is sold separately for iPhone ($9.99), iPad ($19.99) and Mac ($49.99); one Mintofu+ purchase covers all three, and Mintofu's free plan costs nothing.
- Beyond tasks — Mintofu includes notes, PDF markup, mind maps and a full calendar; Things focuses on to-dos, with a Markdown notes field on each task and Apple Calendar events in Today and Upcoming.
- AI — Mintofu has built-in on-device AI to generate, brainstorm and convert content; Things has no AI of its own and works with Apple's system features such as Writing Tools and Siri.
- Offline and private in both — both work offline with no sign-up; Things needs a free Things Cloud account only to sync, while Mintofu syncs through iCloud.
Choose Mintofu if…
- You want notes, PDFs, mind maps and a calendar next to your tasks
- You want one purchase for iPhone, iPad and Mac
- You want built-in AI that runs on your device
Choose Things 3 if…
- You want a minimal, task-only app that does one thing very well
- You like Things' Today, Upcoming, Anytime and Someday workflow
- You rely on its Apple Watch app
Common questions
Is Mintofu a good Things 3 alternative?
Yes, if you want more than a to-do list. Mintofu covers the task basics — priorities, due dates, subtasks, reminders, repeating tasks and Smart Lists — and adds notes, PDFs, mind maps and a calendar. If you only want tasks, Things' focused design is hard to beat.
Do I have to buy Mintofu separately for iPhone, iPad and Mac?
No. Mintofu is one universal app: the free plan works everywhere, and a single Mintofu+ subscription or $49.99 lifetime purchase unlocks it on iPhone, iPad and Mac with the same Apple Account. Things 3 is sold separately for each device.
Do both apps work offline?
Yes. Both keep your data on the device and sync when you're back online — Mintofu through iCloud, Things through its free Things Cloud account.
Sources
- culturedcode.com/things/support/articles/2803552
- apps.apple.com/us/app/things-3/id904237743
- apps.apple.com/us/app/things-3-for-ipad/id904244226
- apps.apple.com/us/app/things-3/id904280696
- apps.apple.com/us/app/things-3-for-vision/id6475688586
- culturedcode.com/things/releasenotes
Data verified on October 4, 2026 against Things 3's official pages. Prices are in US dollars and can change — check Things 3's website for current pricing.
Things 3 is a trademark of Cultured Code GmbH & Co. KG. Mintofu is not affiliated with, sponsored by, or endorsed by Cultured Code GmbH & Co. KG. Product names, prices and features belong to their respective owners and reflect publicly available information as of October 4, 2026.