Things 3 alternative

A Things 3 alternative when beautiful task lists are not enough.

Things 3 is known for polished personal task management. Loom keeps the personal iPhone focus but expands the system into purpose, fulfillment areas, goals, habits, capture, reflection, health signals, and LoomAI.

Things 3 alternativeThings 3 alternative for iPhoneapps like Things 3AI Things 3 alternativegoal planner instead of Things 3
Loom iPhone home screen
Loom brings purpose, fulfillment, goals, tasks, habits, capture, reflection, and LoomAI into one iPhone system.

Choose Loom if...

  • You want tasks tied to goals and life areas.
  • You want habits and reflection in the same system.
  • You want AI planning help without leaving your planner.
  • You want one iPhone place for purpose, capture, daily action, and review.

Things 3 may be better if...

  • You want a refined traditional GTD-style task manager.
  • You prefer separate one-time app purchases across Apple platforms.
  • You want a quieter task-only workflow with fewer life-planning layers.

Loom vs Things 3: feature-by-feature

This comparison focuses on officially presented capabilities and the workflows each app is built to make easy. Some competitor workflows can be recreated manually with templates, tags, recurring tasks, or databases.

What mattersLoomThings 3
Core jobLoomPersonal life manager with tasks, goals, habits, reflection, and AI.Things 3Polished personal task manager for projects, areas, and next actions.
GoalsLoomGoals connect into Action Plans and Little Wins.Things 3Goals are typically modeled as projects, areas, or task groups.
HabitsLoomLittle Wins support repeatable progress inside the same life system.Things 3Recurring to-dos can represent routines, but habits are not the main product.
AILoomLoomAI can help plan, prioritize, rewrite, and get unstuck.Things 3Things 3 emphasizes manual, focused task management.
Best fitLoomPeople who want a wider personal growth system.Things 3People who want a clean, dedicated task manager.

Who should switch?

If you like Things 3 but your goals, habits, and priorities still feel scattered, Loom is designed for the gap that often sits outside Things 3's core workflow. Loom's advantage is the connection between why something matters, what goal it supports, what task comes next, and what repeat action keeps progress alive.

Loom is especially relevant for iPhone users who are managing ambition, responsibility, and multiple life areas at once. It gives everyday planning a clearer life-management layer.

Best use cases

  • Turning a vague goal into daily tasks and repeatable habits.
  • Checking whether your week balanced health, career, wealth, relationships, and personal priorities.
  • Capturing tasks quickly while keeping the bigger reason for the work visible.

Common signs you need a different system

People searching for a Things 3 alternative often still appreciate Things 3. The gap appears when a polished task list leaves goals, habits, health priorities, and reflection in separate places. Loom is built for the moment when organization alone is not enough and action needs clearer direction.

How to test Loom in one week

Start by adding one meaningful goal, three Action Plans, and two Little Wins. At the end of the week, use reflection to check whether the work moved the goal forward. If that loop feels clearer than maintaining separate task, habit, and notes apps, Loom is the stronger fit for that workflow.

What not to optimize for

Do not choose a productivity app only because it has the longest feature list. The better question is whether the app helps you decide what matters, act on it, repeat the right behaviors, and review progress without rebuilding your system every week.

Migration path from Things 3 to Loom

You do not need to move every old item on day one. Start with active goals, current commitments, and the repeat behaviors you care about most. Keep archived projects where they are, then use Loom for the forward-looking system: what matters now, what action comes next, and what small win should repeat. This avoids turning migration into another productivity project.

For many users, the practical switch is gradual: keep Things 3 available while Loom becomes the place for personal goals, habits, and weekly reflection. Once daily planning feels more coherent in Loom, retire the parts of the old workflow that are duplicative.

What Loom looks like in practice

Loom home screen with purpose, fulfillment, goals, and capture
Purpose, goals, tasks, habits, and capture stay connected.
Loom goals screen showing goal progress
Goals turn into practical plans and progress.
Loom Little Wins screen for repeatable habits
Little Wins keep repeatable actions tied to the bigger system.

Pricing and platform fit

Loom is currently focused on iPhone and links directly to the App Store. Its launch offer is positioned around Founding Member lifetime access, while competitors may use subscriptions, platform-specific purchases, or workspace pricing. Pricing can change, so use the official source links below before making a final decision.

Decision checklist

  • Do you want tasks, goals, and habits in one system?
  • Do you want personal purpose and life areas to guide priorities?
  • Do you want AI support inside the planning workflow?
  • Do you want an iPhone-first app instead of a workspace you need to build?

FAQ

Is Loom an app like Things 3?
Loom overlaps on personal task planning, but Loom also includes goals, habits, purpose, reflection, health signals, and AI planning.
Why choose Loom instead of Things 3?
Choose Loom when you want your tasks to connect to goals, habits, life areas, and reflection instead of living as a standalone task list.
Is Loom available for iPhone?
Yes. Loom is built for iPhone and is available through the App Store.
Is Loom affiliated with these other apps?
No. Loom is independent and is not affiliated with, sponsored by, or endorsed by any competitor mentioned on this page.

Try Loom on iPhone.

Choose Loom when you want purpose, goals, tasks, habits, capture, reflection, health signals, and LoomAI working together instead of scattered across separate tools.

Sources and notes

Last verified 2026-05-03. Features and pricing can change; these links point to official or platform pages reviewed for this comparison.

Loom is independent and is not affiliated with, sponsored by, or endorsed by Things 3, Apple, or any other competitor mentioned. Competitor names are used only for comparison.