Things

Things is a personal task management app made by Cultured Code, a software studio based in Stuttgart, Germany. It first launched in 2007 and has grown into one of the most awarded productivity apps on Apple platforms. Things solves the problem of scattered, unmanaged tasks by giving users a clean, structured system to plan and act every day.

Features

• Projects and Areas: Users can group to-dos inside Projects, then nest Projects inside Areas like Work or Finance. This two-tier structure keeps large and small tasks clearly separated.
• Things Cloud Sync: A proprietary sync service keeps all data updated across Mac, iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, and Vision Pro. The backend was fully rebuilt in Swift in 2025, delivering a fourfold speed boost.
• Siri and Shortcuts Integration: Users can speak tasks aloud to Siri or build automated workflows using Apple's Shortcuts app. Mail to Things also converts forwarded emails into inbox to-dos automatically.
• Markdown and Apple Writing Tools: Notes inside to-dos support full Markdown formatting. Apple's AI-powered Writing Tools let users proofread, rewrite, or summarize notes directly inside the app.
• Today and Upcoming Lists: The Today view merges calendar events with to-dos in one screen. An Upcoming list lets users plan and review tasks scheduled days or weeks ahead.

Use Cases

• For Solo Professionals: Manage client deadlines, recurring tasks, and daily priorities in one Apple-native workspace without switching between tools.
• For Students: Organize assignments by subject using Areas and Projects, with deadline tracking and reminders to stay on schedule.
• For Apple Power Users: Automate task capture via Shortcuts, Siri, and Mail to Things, reducing manual entry across Mac, iPhone, Watch, and Vision Pro.
• For Goal-Oriented Individuals: Use the Logbook and structured project views to track long-term goals and review completed milestones over time.

Things is a polished, Apple-exclusive task manager with strong design, reliable sync, and deep system integration across all Apple devices. It suits individual users well but lacks collaboration features and charges separate one-time fees per platform.