Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Things VS nvPY

Compare Things VS nvPY and see what are their differences

Things logo Things

Things is an easy to use task manager.

nvPY logo nvPY

nvPY is a note-taking tool inspired by Notational Velocity, nvALT and ResophNotes.
  • Things Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-01-17
  • nvPY Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-09-19

Things features and specs

  • User Experience
    Things is known for its clean, intuitive, and beautifully designed user interface, making it easy to use.
  • Integration with Apple Ecosystem
    Seamlessly integrates with macOS and iOS devices, offering features like Handoff and deep Apple Calendar integration.
  • Powerful Task Management
    Supports projects, areas, headings, and tags, providing a robust system for managing complex tasks and workflows.
  • Quick Entry
    Provides a quick entry function allowing users to capture tasks efficiently, which can later be categorized and detailed.
  • Updates and Support
    Regularly updated with new features and enhancements, backed by reliable customer support.
  • Keyboard Shortcuts
    Offers extensive keyboard shortcuts for power users to navigate and manage tasks quickly.
  • Natural Language Processing
    Allows users to input tasks using natural language, which is then intelligently parsed and scheduled.

Possible disadvantages of Things

  • Cost
    Things requires a one-time purchase for each platform (macOS, iOS), making it relatively expensive compared to some subscription-based competitors.
  • Platform Limitation
    Only available on Apple devices (macOS and iOS), making it inaccessible for users on Windows, Android, or other platforms.
  • No Collaboration Features
    Lacks built-in collaboration tools, which can be a drawback for teams looking to share and manage tasks collectively.
  • Learning Curve for Advanced Features
    While the basic interface is user-friendly, fully utilizing advanced features can require time and a deeper understanding.
  • Limited Automation
    Offers fewer automation options and integrations compared to some competitors like Todoist or Microsoft To Do.

nvPY features and specs

  • Cross-Platform Compatibility
    nvPY is designed to work on various operating systems, including Windows, MacOS, and Linux, providing flexibility and ease of use regardless of the user's platform.
  • Simplistic and Efficient Interface
    nvPY offers a minimalist user interface that focuses on simplicity and functionality, which can help users create and manage notes quickly and efficiently without unnecessary distractions.
  • Synchronization
    It provides synchronization capabilities with Simplenote, allowing users to keep their notes up-to-date across all devices seamlessly.
  • Open Source
    Being an open-source project, nvPY allows users to contribute to its development, customize the application to fit their needs, and ensure transparency in its functionality and security.
  • Lightweight
    nvPY is a lightweight application, which means it has low system resource requirements, making it ideal for users with older hardware or those who prefer applications with minimal overhead.

Possible disadvantages of nvPY

  • Limited Features
    Compared to more comprehensive note-taking applications, nvPY may lack advanced features such as rich text formatting, multimedia embedding, or complex organizational tools which some users might require.
  • Dependence on Simplenote
    While synchronization is a pro, the reliance on Simplenote could be considered a downside for users who prefer to store their data independently or use alternative cloud services.
  • User Interface
    The simplistic nature of the user interface might be too basic for users who prefer a more modern or visually appealing design in their software tools.
  • Potential Maintenance Issues
    As an open-source project, the continued maintenance and development depend on community contributions, which can lead to periods of slow updates or unresolved issues if the user base or contributor interest declines.
  • Learning Curve for Non-Technical Users
    Although nvPY is fairly straightforward, non-technical users might find the initial setup and some functionalities challenging, especially if they are not familiar with using Python-based applications.

Analysis of Things

Overall verdict

  • Things is widely regarded as an excellent productivity tool, especially for Apple ecosystem users. It combines elegance with functionality, making it a top choice for those who prefer a minimalist but powerful task manager.

Why this product is good

  • Things by Cultured Code is highly acclaimed for its clean, intuitive design and effective task management features. It provides a seamless user experience with its natural language input, powerful integration with macOS and iOS, and features like projects, areas, deadlines, and reminders that help users organize their tasks efficiently. The app is particularly praised for its focus on simplicity and ease of use, which allows users to focus on their tasks without being overwhelmed by features.

Recommended for

    Things is ideal for individuals who are deeply integrated into the Apple ecosystem and appreciate a minimalist design approach. It's perfect for users who prefer a straightforward, no-frills task management system that emphasizes ease of use, efficiency, and aesthetic appeal.

Things videos

Brandon's Cult Movie Reviews: THINGS

More videos:

  • Review - Things 3: Full Review (2019)
  • Review - OmniFocus vs. Things 3 review: which is best for you?

nvPY videos

nvpy inter-note linking

More videos:

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Things and nvPY)
Task Management
100 100%
0% 0
Note Taking
0 0%
100% 100
Project Management
100 100%
0% 0
Personal Notes
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Things and nvPY

Things Reviews

11 Ayanza Alternatives
Things 3 is a multi-award-winning personal task manager that assists you in keeping track of your tasks. The environment of the application is attractive with a fresh new look, delightful integrations, and powerful features. It has been completely effective to boost efficiency with easy to use and is attractive to the eye. The themes are a creative and powerful feature that...
Five of the Best To-Do Apps for iOS
Things 3 is one of the few to-do apps that's not subscription based, and it costs $9.99 to purchase. Things 3 is also available for Mac and iPad, though each app must be purchased individually.

nvPY Reviews

We have no reviews of nvPY yet.
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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Things seems to be a lot more popular than nvPY. While we know about 58 links to Things, we've tracked only 3 mentions of nvPY. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Things mentions (58)

  • We don't need startups, we need Digital-Mittelstand
    Correct: https://culturedcode.com/things/ Looks like the different apps (desktop, mobile, iPad) have different prices, but all are one-time payments of $10-$50. - Source: Hacker News / over 1 year ago
  • Essential Software for Mac Users: Three Recommended Efficient Tools
    Things 3is an award-winning task management application known for its clean, elegant interface and intuitive usability. It employs a minimalist design style, allowing users to easily add, organize, and view tasks, helping individuals efficiently manage daily affairs. While Things 3 does not support team collaboration features, it provides a smooth user experience on macOS as a personal task management tool. - Source: dev.to / almost 2 years ago
  • Show HN: I built a task manager that separates "Do" & "Due" dates
    How badly do Twos want to SEO rank on searches for Things? https://culturedcode.com/things/. - Source: Hacker News / almost 2 years ago
  • Ask HN: What macOS apps/programs do you use daily and recommend?
    Alfred - Productivity App for macOS [1] iTerm2 - macOS Terminal Replacement [2] Dropshare App - upload anything anywhere on macOS [3] Mimestream - A native macOS email client for Gmail [4] Things - To-Do List for Mac & iOS [5] [1] https://www.alfredapp.com [2] https://iterm2.com [3] https://dropshare.app [4] https://mimestream.com [5] https://culturedcode.com/things. - Source: Hacker News / about 2 years ago
  • Ready to advance from Evernote, looking at Obsidian
    Currently, I use Things (https://culturedcode.com/things/) for tasks and Evernote for notes, and experimented with Freeform (I love the visual aspect and simplicity). At work, I've used Notion, Mural, Miro, LucidChart, Quip, and many other collaboration-based knowledge systems. I never researched the best of personal knowledge systems until now. Source: almost 3 years ago
View more

nvPY mentions (3)

  • Siyuan: Privacy-first, self-hosted personal knowledge management software
    I use folders for my data. a-z. This is the basic directory structure. b->books->management for example. Does not solve the fundamental problem of a file system that you also could file this under m->management->books I use recoll to index and find things. https://www.recoll.org/ And yes, I have a 20 TB HDD. Quite a bit of data and media. If someone knows how to make an encrypte mirror of my drive with... - Source: Hacker News / over 1 year ago
  • nvALT 2
    One notable mention should also be nvPY: https://github.com/cpbotha/nvpy. - Source: Hacker News / almost 4 years ago
  • Note-taking software with synonym search?
    EDIT: Closest I've found (something like notational velocity) is https://github.com/cpbotha/nvpy. Source: over 4 years ago

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Things and nvPY, you can also consider the following products

Todoist - Todoist is a to-do list that helps you get organized, at work and in life.

Notational Velocity - Notational Velocity: modeless, mouseless Mac OS X note-taking application

TickTick - TickTickis a cross-platform to-do list app & task manager helps you to get all things done and make life well organized.

Hyperdraft - Turn your notes into a website

Remember The Milk - Remember The Milk is a task and time management application for mobile devices.

Quiver - Quiver is a notebook built for programmers.