Notes from the designer5 min read
Void Calendar vs Things 3
I like its simplicity, and need fuller notes
Void CalendarIf OmniFocus feels too complicated, you will probably consider Things 3. Both have excellent native interactions and their own philosophy of task management.
I like Things 3. My lightweight tasks still live there because it is simple enough to capture something the moment it comes to mind.
In short: If you want to capture lightweight tasks quickly across iPhone, iPad, and Mac, in an elegant app you buy once, Things 3 is hard to beat. If your tasks need full notes, you need to know whether the day actually has room for them, and you want AI to place them into free time on your calendar, Void Calendar is the better fit.
At a glance
| Void Calendar | Things 3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Platforms | macOS (Apple silicon), public beta | Mac, iPhone, iPad, Watch, Vision Pro |
| Price | Free with every feature; Pro sync not on sale yet | One-time purchase per platform, no subscription |
| AI scheduling | Your own model and API key; fits tasks into free time | No built-in AI; extend via Shortcuts and more |
| Calendar connections | Apple Calendar and Reminders, Google, iCloud; Outlook planned | Shows Apple Calendar events, read-only |
| Tasks & notes | Every task has a note with [[ ]] links | Lists and tags; Markdown notes without images |
| Where data lives | On your Mac; no company cloud copy | On each device, free sync via Things Cloud |
Competitor details checked October 8, 2026; see their official sites. Void Calendar is in public beta.
Simplicity is why I like it
Put something in Inbox, add tags, and decide whether it belongs in Anytime or Someday. Actionable work goes in Anytime, uncertain future ideas in Someday, and today’s priorities in Today.
Buying a book, replying to a message, or remembering something for later feels comfortable in Things 3. These tasks rarely need much context. See Things scheduling.
Official Things Today example. Source: default lists guide.
Some tasks need more than a few lines of notes
A school assignment might need the teacher’s instructions, a diagram, references, and an explanation of your own reasoning.
Things 3 has task notes with Markdown formatting, but does not support images or attachments. You can link to an external file, but cannot keep the image inside the task. For me, describing everything in text sometimes loses too much. See Things notes and images.
I want more than a short instruction. The teacher’s reasoning, my own interpretation, and the problems encountered all need somewhere to stay. A complete note feels more useful to me than scattered links.
Void Calendar aims to preserve that elegant, simple feeling while giving tasks a complete space for notes. Each task has a corresponding note with the same name. Record your thinking, what you tried, and the mistakes you learned from.
AI can organize those records. When a similar task comes up, it can use earlier experience during planning to remind you what to watch out for. The lessons you record can help the next task, instead of ending with a completed checkbox.
I also need planning beyond a list
Things 3 can display Apple Calendar events in Today and Upcoming. Its primary interface remains a task list, rather than a full calendar grid for task durations or a Kanban board. See Things calendar connections.
When classes, assignments, and everyday commitments collide, I need to know whether the day has room for the work and how its steps fit together.
Void Calendar can use AI to break goals into smaller tasks and reserve time around existing events. Choose an AI client you already use, such as Claude Code or Codex, or connect your own model.
Things 3 supports automation through Shortcuts, its URL scheme, and AppleScript, with Apple AI features and third-party tools offering further possibilities. It does not have an in-app installable plugin system or an official direct connection to those AI clients. See Things and third-party AI tools and automation options.
Void Calendar’s plugins can continue the handoff to AI: break down work, arrange time, and delegate suitable parts for execution. Working notes and results remain in the workspace so you can continue.
I still like Things 3 and use it for lightweight tasks. I also need a more capable tool to help manage my messy life, keeping notes, tasks, and time together.
Void Calendar is my answer.
Which one fits
Choose Things 3 if:
- You need native apps on iPhone, iPad, or Apple Watch today.
- Most of your tasks are quick to-dos that don’t need long notes or images.
- You prefer paying once over a subscription, and a list is all the planning you need.
Choose Void Calendar if:
- You mostly work on an Apple silicon Mac.
- You want time boxes laid out next to your events, not only a list for today.
- You want a full note behind every task, and AI that uses your own model to arrange time.
Open the Void Calendar web app.
Sources checked October 8, 2026: Things purchase information, calendar connections, and Things and third-party AI tools.