Software Alternatives & Startups

Things VS OnBoard

Compare Things VS OnBoard and see what are their differences

Note: These products don't have any matching categories. If you think this is a mistake, please edit the details of one of the products and suggest appropriate categories.

Things logo Things

Things is an easy to use task manager.

OnBoard logo OnBoard

Top-Ranked Software for Secure, Productive Board Meetings
  • Things Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-01-17
  • OnBoard Automated Minutes Powered by OnBoard AI
    Automated Minutes Powered by OnBoard AI //
    2025-04-21
  • OnBoard Action Options
    Action Options //
    2025-04-21
  • OnBoard In-App Messenger
    In-App Messenger //
    2025-04-21
  • OnBoard Meeting Calendar
    Meeting Calendar //
    2025-04-21
  • OnBoard Meeting View
    Meeting View //
    2025-04-21

OnBoard unites agendas, materials, minutes, votes, approvals, and actions in one secure record. No PDFs or version sprawl, so directors prepare faster, and leaders decide with confidence. Prep time drops when everyone opens the same book, sees what changed since the last draft, and walks in ready to decide.

Turn long board books into clear briefs with the AI Suite: draft minutes in minutes, summarize packets, highlight late edits, answer questions, and enter board meetings with full context - contained to your official record, not the open web. Directors review, annotate, and vote on any device, online or offline; chairs keep the discussion focused; committees move work forward between meetings.

Publish one final board book, absorb late edits without rebuilds, and keep an audit-ready history. Executives assign actions, track approvals, and align decisions to strategy without spreadsheet gymnastics. Integrated messaging, e-signatures, surveys, Microsoft 365, and Zoom integrations cut app-switching and turn busywork into decisions.

Keep sensitive work out of email with enterprise controls like SSO/MFA, role-based access, device and file permissions, and exportable audit logs. Data is hosted on Microsoft Azure with encryption in transit and at rest. Compliance frameworks include SOC 2 and ISO/IEC 27001; HIPAA-aligned controls support healthcare use cases; retention and legal hold policies protect books and records.

Support how boards actually meet, whether it is mobile, remote, or hybrid, so every member stays aligned on any device. Directors who prefer PDFs stay comfortable; those who choose dashboards get a simple, organized view built for every skill level.

Scale without complexity. Run multiple entities, committees, and calendars in parallel while maintaining least-privilege access and a single source of truth. Trusted by 6,000+ organizations worldwide, boards choose clarity, speed, ease of use, and defensible records in OnBoard.

Things

$ Details
-
Platforms
-
Release Date
-
Startup details
Country
Germany

OnBoard

$ Details
paid Free Trial
Platforms
Browser Android iOS Web Windows Mac OSX Google Chrome Firefox Safari iPhone Internet Explorer Windows Phone Linux Cross Platform Zoom Chrome OS Blackberry Kindle Fire Kindle
Release Date
2003 April
Startup details
Country
United States
State
Indiana
Founder(s)
Paroon Chadha
Employees
100 - 249

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.

OnBoard features and specs

  • Agenda Builder
  • Free Trial
  • Analytics and Reporting
  • File and Document Management
  • Easy to Set-up and use
  • Microsoft 365 Integration
  • Automated Minutes
  • Minutes Builder
  • Collaboration Tools
  • Zoom & Teams Video Conferencing
  • eSignatures
  • Data Import/Export
  • Intelligent Assistant
  • Surveys
  • Task Management
  • Meeting Analytics
  • Notes & Annotations
  • Secure Messenger
  • Secure Data Storage
  • Synchronization Management
  • Approval and Voting
  • Activity Dashboard
  • Automatic Notifications
  • Contact Database
  • Content Management
  • Data Synchronization
  • Document Distribution
  • Mobile apps
  • Document Storage
  • Committee Management & Multi Org Support
  • Message Board
  • Offline Access
  • Director & Office Questionnaires
  • SSL Security
  • Time & Attendance Tracking
  • Approval Process Control
  • Skills Tracking
  • Collaborative Workspace
  • Content Filtering
  • Content Repository
  • Digital Signature
  • Document Publishing
  • Drag & Drop Interface
  • Event Scheduling
  • Microsoft Outlook Integration
  • Permission Management
  • Search Functionality
  • Survey Management
  • Private and Group Messaging
  • Remote/Idle Wipe
  • Engagement Analytics
  • Office 365 Integration
  • Zoom Integration
  • Task management
  • Meeting minutes
  • Meeting Minutes
  • Agenda Builder
  • Board Assessement
  • Skills Tracking
  • AI Text Summarization
  • AI Assistant

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.

Analysis of OnBoard

Overall verdict

  • OnBoard is considered a strong option for organizations looking to streamline their board meetings and governance processes. Its feature-rich platform and user-centric design make it a popular choice among corporate boards, non-profits, and educational institutions.

Why this product is good

  • OnBoard is a comprehensive board management software designed to enhance board governance by simplifying the preparation, distribution, and review of board materials. It offers features such as intuitive meeting management, real-time updates, secure access to documents, and analytics to measure engagement. OnBoard's user-friendly interface and robust customer support make it a reliable choice for organizations seeking to improve board productivity and collaboration.

Recommended for

    OnBoard is recommended for board members, administrators, corporate secretaries, and executives in organizations of all sizes, particularly those in corporate, nonprofit, educational, and governmental sectors looking for efficient and secure ways to manage board activities and communication.

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?

OnBoard videos

Automated Minutes Powered by OnBoard AI

More videos:

  • Demo - OnBoard Board Intelligence Platform

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Things and OnBoard)
Task Management
100 100%
0% 0
Board Meeting Management
0 0%
100% 100
Project Management
95 95%
5% 5
Communication
0 0%
100% 100

Questions & Answers

As answered by people managing Things and OnBoard.

What makes your product unique?

OnBoard's answer:

OnBoard is a premier board management solution designed to streamline governance, enhance security, and boost board engagement. OnBoard outperforms competitors, consistently ranking higher on G2, Capterra and SoftwareReviews for user satisfaction and functionality. OnBoard’s intuitive design and robust security measures make it the preferred choice for effective and efficient board management. Trusted by over 6000 organizations worldwide, OnBoard offers features like agenda building and collaboration, shared annotation, board assessments, secure messaging, voting & approvals, D&O questionnaires, meeting analytics, minutes builder, skills tracking, and video conferencing integration.

How would you describe the primary audience of your product?

OnBoard's answer:

Board of directors, board administrators, executive administrators, C-level executives (CEO, President, CFO, CIO/CTO, COO, CMO), IT leaders, Corporate Secretaries.

Why should a person choose your product over its competitors?

OnBoard's answer:

OnBoard positions itself as a top-tier board management software by focusing on superior user experience, robust security, and seamless integration capabilities. OnBoard consistently ranks at the top in user satisfaction, ease of use, functionality, and customer support, as evidenced by its rankings on platforms like G2. It differentiates itself by offering an intuitive interface, cross-platform accessibility, advanced engagement analytics, and award-winning customer service, making it a preferred choice for organizations looking to enhance board governance and meeting efficiency.

What's the story behind your product?

OnBoard's answer:

Everything we do is centered on helping boards govern effectively. We understand that the board sets the pace for an organization's success, and our mission is to enhance every facet of their work. Our integrated solutions streamline agenda planning, simplify decision-making, and ensure seamless board member collaboration. This allows leaders to direct their full attention to strategic goals and drive their organizations toward lasting achievements.

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 OnBoard

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.

OnBoard Reviews

We have no reviews of OnBoard yet.
Be the first one to post

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Things seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 58 times since March 2021. 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 / over 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

OnBoard mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of OnBoard yet. Tracking of OnBoard recommendations started around Mar 2021.

What are some alternatives?

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

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

Boardable - Boardable is affordable, easy to use board management software built to help nonprofit boards schedule, meet, and communicate.

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

BoardEffect - BoardEffect is a board meeting software helps boards prepare for and hold the board meeting efficiently.

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

Mentimeter - a web-based polling tool for workshops, conferences & events