Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Things VS SmartNote

Compare Things VS SmartNote and see what are their differences

Things logo Things

Things is an easy to use task manager.

SmartNote logo SmartNote

AI assistant that writes notes & summaries for your meetings
  • Things Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-01-17
  • SmartNote Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-05-03

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.

SmartNote features and specs

  • AI-Powered Note-Taking
    SmartNote utilizes artificial intelligence to streamline the note-taking process, offering features like automatic transcription and summarization which can save time and enhance productivity.
  • Cloud Integration
    The platform integrates with major cloud services, allowing users to easily sync and access their notes across multiple devices, providing convenience and flexibility.
  • User-Friendly Interface
    SmartNote boasts an intuitive and easy-to-use interface, making it accessible for users of varying technical expertise, and facilitating a seamless user experience.
  • Collaboration Features
    The platform supports real-time collaboration, enabling users to share notes with others and work together efficiently, which is highly beneficial for team projects and group studies.
  • Multi-Platform Support
    SmartNote is available on various platforms including web, iOS, and Android, ensuring that users can create and access their notes from different devices.

Possible disadvantages of SmartNote

  • Subscription Cost
    SmartNote operates on a subscription model, which may be a drawback for users looking for a free service or with budget constraints.
  • Privacy Concerns
    As with any cloud-based service, there may be concerns regarding the privacy and security of users' data, especially with sensitive information.
  • Learning Curve
    While generally user-friendly, new users might encounter a learning curve when getting accustomed to SmartNoteโ€™s array of features, which can impact initial productivity.
  • Limited Offline Functionality
    SmartNote's offline capabilities might be limited compared to its online features, potentially hindering productivity in areas with poor internet connectivity.
  • Feature Overload
    Some users might find the abundance of features overwhelming, which could complicate the note-taking process and distract from its core purpose.

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 SmartNote

Overall verdict

  • SmartNote is a solid AI-powered note-taking tool that streamlines capturing, organizing, and summarizing information, making it a strong choice for users seeking to boost productivity, though prospective users should verify current features and pricing directly on the official site.

Why this product is good

  • AI-driven summarization helps condense lengthy notes and meetings into digestible insights
  • Smart organization and tagging make it easy to search and retrieve information quickly
  • Integration with common productivity tools streamlines workflows
  • Automatic transcription capabilities save time during meetings and lectures
  • Clean, intuitive interface lowers the learning curve for new users

Recommended for

  • Students taking lecture notes and organizing study material
  • Professionals managing meeting notes and action items
  • Researchers gathering and synthesizing large amounts of information
  • Teams looking to centralize and share knowledge
  • Anyone seeking to improve personal productivity and note organization

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?

SmartNote videos

No SmartNote videos yet. You could help us improve this page by suggesting one.

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Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Things and SmartNote)
Task Management
100 100%
0% 0
AI
0 0%
100% 100
Project Management
100 100%
0% 0
Note Taking
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 SmartNote

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.

SmartNote Reviews

We have no reviews of SmartNote yet.
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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 / over 1 year 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
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SmartNote mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of SmartNote yet. Tracking of SmartNote recommendations started around May 2023.

What are some alternatives?

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

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

Fireflies.ai - Record, transcribe and search your calls

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

Otter.ai - Your AI meeting assistant that takes live notes and generates summaries and other insights using Meeting GenAI.

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

AI-Powered Notes Taker - Capture Your Thoughts with AI-Powered Precision