TaskPaper vs Things 3
Both replace Todoist Pro, TickTick Premium and Any.do Premium.
| Fact |  TaskPaperPlain-text to-do lists in a real Mac app |  Things 3Calm, opinionated to-do app you buy once per platform |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $24.99 | $49.99 |
| Licence | This versionThe next major is a new purchase | This versionThe next major is a new purchase |
| The catch | No iPhone or iPad app — on mobile you edit the file in someone else's text editor | Each platform is a separate purchase — the iPhone app is another $9.99 |
| Against a subscription | 5 monthsAgainst Todoist Pro at $60 a year | 10 monthsAgainst Todoist Pro at $60 a year |
| Developer account | None needed | Optional |
| Works offline | Yes | Yes |
| Apple Silicon | Native | Native |
| Free trial | Yes | Yes |
| On Setapp | No | No |
| Buy on the App Store | Buy on the App Store |
Both prices read 22 Sep 2026, on the pages these buttons open. Seats, Minimum macOS and App Store rating are not established for either app, so those rows are left out.
In their own right
TaskPaper
A to-do app whose files are plain text you can open in any editor, with folding, tag queries and scripting layered on top. $24.99 once on the Mac App Store.
Things 3
A deliberately simple Mac task manager built around an inbox you empty, a Today list you can finish, and projects with headings. One $49.99 Mac App Store purchase, free Things Cloud sync, and no subscription anywhere in the app.