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Things 3 vs Totem: Pricing and Ratings Compared (2026)

Entry prices and free plans as read on each vendor's pricing page, and user ratings as published on review sites, for Things 3 and Totem side by side. This page compares data; it is not a hands-on review.

On the data: On the data below, Totem leads on a free plan. We do not name an overall winner for this pair.

Data comparison compiled by Toolradar, not hand-reviewed Methodology
Data comparison 29 user reviews compared Pricing checked Oct 2, 2026

Short on time? Here's the quick answer

Based on published vendor pricing and features and on public review data, here's who should pick what:

Things 3

Award-winning task manager for Apple

Best for you if:

  • • You want beautiful design (Apple)

Totem

Effortless task management for Apple users

Best for you if:

  • • You want a free tier before you commit
At a glance: Things 3 vs Totem
At a Glance
Things 3 Things 3
Totem Totem
Starts at
Not published
Free plan
Category
Productivity Task Management
Task Management Productivity
Rating
4.4/5 G2 4.4 29 reviews n/a
Free plan
No Yes
Watch out for
No web app means you cannot access your tasks from a Windows PC, Chromebook, or any non-Apple device. If you switch platforms, your investment is lost. n/a

Choose Things 3 or Totem?

Things 3

Choose Things 3 if

  • You want beautiful design (Apple)
  • You want powerful organization
  • You work in productivity, not task management
Totem

Choose Totem if

  • You want a free tier before you commit
  • You want extremely simple and intuitive interface
  • You want fast performance with minimal lag
  • You work in task management, not productivity

In-Depth Analysis

Things 3 Things 3

Award-winning task manager for Apple

Great value

Things 3 is a rare premium app that respects your wallet: one-time purchases of $49.99 (Mac), $19.99 (iPad), and $9.99 (iPhone) with zero subscription fees.

Watch out

No web app means you cannot access your tasks from a Windows PC, Chromebook, or any non-Apple device. If you switch platforms, your investment is lost.

Strengths

  • Pro: Beautiful design (Apple)
  • Pro: Powerful organization
  • Pro: One-time purchase
  • Pro: Good keyboard shortcuts
  • Pro: Fast and reliable

Weaknesses

  • Con: Apple only (no Windows/Android)
  • Con: Significant upfront cost
  • Con: No collaboration
  • Con: No web version
  • Con: Limited integrations

Key features

Task management Projects Areas Tags Calendar integration Apple design

Totem Totem

Effortless task management for Apple users

Strengths

  • Pro: Extremely simple and intuitive interface
  • Pro: Fast performance with minimal lag
  • Pro: Great for users who want a no-frills task manager

Weaknesses

  • Con: Limited advanced features like subtasks or tags
  • Con: Only available on Apple devices

Key features

Create and manage multiple lists Set due dates and reminders Focus mode to hide completed tasks Natural language input for quick task entry Cross-device sync via iCloud Widget support for quick glance at tasks

Plans and prices: Things 3 vs Totem

Plans and prices of Things 3 and Totem, as read on each vendor's pricing page. Each plan keeps its own billing unit.
Tool Plans and prices Source
Things 3
  • Mac: Usage-based, one-time or minimum-commitment pricing
  • iPhone: Usage-based, one-time or minimum-commitment pricing
  • iPad: Usage-based, one-time or minimum-commitment pricing
culturedcode.com/things/pricing read Oct 2, 2026
Totem No plan prices on file totemapp.com/pricing read Sep 29, 2026

Prices as read on each vendor's own pricing page on the date shown. Plans are listed per tool and are not matched against the other tool's plans: a plan name or price in one column says nothing about the same row in the other. Details on Things 3 pricing and Totem pricing.

Key Takeaways

Things 3

  • Choose if you want award-winning task manager for Apple

Totem

  • Has a free plan

What the data shows

On the data below, Totem leads on a free plan. We do not name an overall winner for this pair.

  • Only Things 3 has a published user rating (4.4/5 from 29 reviews); Totem has none we can show.
  • Only Totem has a free plan.

Criteria: user rating (only above 20 reviews on both sides, gap of 0.2 or more), entry price (only on the same billing basis), free plan. How we rate

Frequently Asked Questions

How do Things 3 and Totem compare in 2026?

On the data below, Totem leads on a free plan. We do not name an overall winner for this pair. Only Things 3 has a published user rating (4.4/5 from 29 reviews); Totem has none we can show. Only Totem has a free plan.

What are Things 3 and Totem used for?

Things 3: Award-winning task manager for Apple. Totem: Effortless task management for Apple users.

What does Things 3 cost vs Totem?

Things 3 has no public paid-plan price on file. Totem has no public paid-plan price on file. Prices read on the vendors' pricing pages, latest check Oct 2, 2026.

What's the main difference between Things 3 and Totem?

Things 3's main strength: beautiful design (Apple). Totem's main strength: extremely simple and intuitive interface.

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