Things 3 vs Routine: Choosing the Right Productivity Tool for You

What is Things 3

Things 3, a distinguished entrant in the productivity tools arena, is acclaimed for its elegant design and powerful organizational capabilities. It’s a task management app that combines simplicity with a rich set of features, making it a favorite among users who appreciate both aesthetics and functionality. With its intuitive interface, Things 3 allows for effortless management of to-dos, reminders, and projects, all within a visually pleasing environment. The tool stands out for its unique task categorization approach and seamless synchronization across devices, ensuring users can stay organized wherever they go.

Key Features of Things 3

• Task Management: Organize your tasks easily with deadlines, priorities, and reminders.
• Project Organization: Group tasks into projects with subtasks and sections for better management.
• Calendar Integration: See your calendar events alongside your to-dos for effective planning.
• Quick Task Entry: Add tasks quickly while working in other apps, even using Siri for hands-free entry.
• Customizable Tags: Use tags for easy categorization and searching of tasks.
• Cross-Device Syncing: Keep your tasks updated across all your Apple devices with Things Cloud.

What is Routine

Routine is a productivity tool that sets itself apart with its all-in-one approach, combining elements of task management, note-taking, and calendar integration into a single platform. Designed to cater to the needs of busy professionals and individuals seeking to streamline their organizational process, Routine offers a comprehensive solution for managing daily tasks, appointments, and notes. Its unique selling point is the integration of these features within an intuitive and user-friendly interface, making it easier for users to track their to-dos, schedule their days, and store important information in one place. This level of integration is particularly useful for those who prefer a unified system to manage various aspects of their work and personal life.

Key Features of Routine

• Timeline Agenda: Offers a detailed view of the day’s plan with timestamps, including meeting and event reminders, with options to time-block tasks.
• Week Calendar: Provides a 5-day, week, and month view for task planning, integrating seamlessly with Google Calendar.
• Console Capture: A desktop feature for capturing events, notes, and tasks outside the application, ideal for GTD enthusiasts.
• Centralized Workspace: Combines tasks, notes, and calendar in one space.
• Organization: Utilizes categories and tags for better event and task management.
• Daily Plan: Helps in crafting focused daily tasks and important events.

Things 3 vs Routine: Features

Features	Things 3	Routine
Integrations	Zapier, including Slack, Gmail, Trello, Notion, Google Calendar, and Google Tasks	Syncs with multiple calendar services and task managers like Todoist and Google Tasks.
Calendar	No built-in calendar	Google Calendar, Notion, Slack, Zapier, Siri, Gmail
Platforms	Available only on iOS platforms (iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, and Mac).	macOS, Windows, iOS, Android, Web
Task Management	Offers labels, tags, and recurring tasks	No
Natural Language Processing	No	Offers task creation with date assignment via drag-and-drop
Time Blocking	Not Available	Available
Analytics	No	No
Meeting Scheduler	Yes	No
Time Zones	No	Yes
Reminders	Yes	Yes
Customer Support	Good	Average
1:1 User Onboarding	No	No
Pricing	One Time Payment at $50	$12 per month, annually.

Things 3 vs Routine: Pricing

Things 3 Pricing

Things 3 requires purchasing separate applications for different Apple devices: $49.99 for macOS, $9.99 for iPhone and Apple Watch, and $19.99 for iPad, totaling around $80 for the full suite.

Routine Pricing

(i) Free Version: Available for students and hobbyists, though with limited features.

(ii) Professional Plan: Priced at $12 per month.

(iii) Business Plan: Costs $15 per user per month.

(iv) Believer Plan: Priced at $10 monthly or $8 per month for an annual commitment, totaling around $96 annually

Things 3 vs Routine: Reviews

Things 3 Review

Things 3 is acclaimed for its visually appealing design and efficient personal project management tools, appealing to GTD enthusiasts with features like task filtering via tags. However, its high upfront cost for Apple devices and uncertainty about shifting to a subscription model are downsides. Despite its excellent design and one-time purchase model, the lack of collaboration tools, absence of location-based reminders, and incompatibility with non-Apple products are notable limitations. These factors could be crucial in determining whether Things 3 is the right task management tool for individual needs.

Routine Review

Routine stands out for its exceptional design, skillfully combining elements of daily planning, note-taking, and journaling into a user-friendly interface. The application’s free version is especially popular among students and individuals using it for personal or hobbyist projects, making it a preferred choice in these communities. Additionally, Routine’s smart planning and scheduling capabilities are highly valued by users who favor an automated, intelligent approach to organizing their tasks and appointments. However, a significant limitation of Routine, particularly in its free version, is the constrained number of integrations it offers. This restriction is frequently mentioned by users as a downside, as it may limit the app’s effectiveness in more integrated digital workflows.

Which One Should You Pick

Consider Things 3 if

1. You Appreciate Minimalism in Design: Things 3 might be suitable if you prefer a simple interface, though some users might find it too basic for complex task management.
2. You Need Basic Task Organization: It’s good for straightforward task organization but lacks advanced features like detailed time tracking or extensive integrations.
3. You Prefer a Non-Overwhelming Approach: Things 3 is a fit if you need a task manager that’s not too complex, though it may not satisfy those needing extensive productivity tools.

Consider Routine if

1. You Want a Balance Between Calendar and Task Management: Routine offers a mix of these features, but it might not be as comprehensive as some specialized apps in either category.
2. You Like Quick Task and Note Capturing: The app has convenient features for this, though it’s not a full-fledged note-taking application
   
3. You’re Looking for a Personal Planner: Routine is more suited to personal use and less technical users, but it might not meet all the needs of power users or large teams.

Best Things 3 and Routine Alternatives

1. Akiflow: Akiflow is a time management app offering time blocking, task scheduling, and integrations with various tools. It focuses on productivity and organization through a unified task and appointment interface.

• Akiflow Price: $19 per month, paid annually

2. TickTick: TickTick is an all-in-one task management and reminder app, offering features like task organization, habit tracking, and calendar views. It’s designed for personal and work use, facilitating productivity with its user-friendly interface and cross-platform compatibility. TickTick also includes collaboration tools for team projects.

• TickTick Price: $3 per month, paid annually

3. Todoist: Todoist is a task management tool. It enables users to manage tasks, set priorities, and track deadlines across various devices. Its features include task categorization, reminders, and project collaboration, making it suitable for both personal and team productivity.

• Todoist Price: Premium at $4 per month, paid annually