Plainlist
Love Things.
Want the file, not the database.
Things 3 is a beautiful, pay-once Mac app — no argument there. But your tasks live inside a proprietary database, so you can only reach them through Things itself. Plainlist keeps everything in one plain-text file you own — so you can open, back up, diff, or edit your tasks outside the app — synced through whatever cloud folder you already use.
Free trial · no account · pay once · macOS 12+
Mac-only today, with Windows, iOS, and Android coming soon. Things still wins on iPhone, iPad, and Watch until then.
Today: - finish the pitch deck @me 10:00 - call the accountant @due(Jul 17) Upcoming: - renew the domain - quarterly review prep # No lock-in — open this file in any editor
Who this is for
The reason people leave Things is rarely the app itself.
Things 3 is genuinely one of the best-designed task managers on the Mac, and it's pay-once, so this isn't a “save money” pitch — it's about ownership. Your to-dos sit in Cultured Code's own database format, and the only sanctioned way to move them between devices is Things Cloud. That's a fine trade until the day you want to script your tasks, diff them in Git, read them on a machine without Things installed, or simply feel certain the data is yours. A closed database is the wrong shape for any of that.
Plainlist is for the Things user who loves the calm and the structure but wants the tasks stored as a file they can open in any editor, back up themselves, and sync through the cloud folder they already trust. The whole page is organised around that spine: first what ownership actually buys you, then the honest migration path, and only then a feature-by-feature table — including the rows where Things clearly wins.
What ownership buys you
Three things a file gives you that a database can't.
Not “we're better” — specific capabilities you gain the moment your tasks stop being a closed store.
Your tasks outlive the app
Where Things keeps a proprietary database, Plainlist keeps a single .todo file. Open it in Vim, VS Code, or TextEdit; if the app ever disappears, your plan still opens anywhere.
Sync your own way
Things routes through Things Cloud. Plainlist watches a file in whatever folder you choose — iCloud, Dropbox, Nextcloud, or a Git repo you control — with no account in between.
Scriptable and diffable
Because it's text, you can grep it, version it, or generate it. A closed database makes those everyday-for-power-users moves awkward or impossible.
Moving over
Migration is manual — and we won't pretend otherwise.
Because Things stores tasks in its own database, there's no one-click import. You copy or export your lists and reshape them into the plain-text outline. A small active list may take minutes; a mature Things setup is a manual cleanup project. Start with today's active projects, not your whole database.
Practical path
- Copy one active Things list's text.
- Paste into a new
.todofile. - Add
-bullets and any @tags you want.
Then plan
- Give today's tasks a
@start. - Switch to Focus for the next action.
- Let Done become your log.
# Pasted from Things, then lightly reshaped Website relaunch: - write new home copy @start(2026-07-18) @est(2h) - pick hero screenshot @est(20m) - review with designer @due(Jul 22) Personal: - renew passport @every(10 years)
Supporting detail
Plainlist vs Things 3, feature by feature.
Checked July 2026 (Things 3 is a one-time purchase, sold per platform; Things Cloud sync is free). Re-check current pricing on Cultured Code's site before deciding.
@every) or weekly quota (@quota), with streak and history.@due, @est, @p1), slash commands.Which one is you
Plainlist is the right call if…
The switch makes sense for a specific kind of Things user. If this is you, the ownership trade is worth it.
Pick Plainlist if
- You already keep notes, code, or drafts as plain text and want tasks in the same kind of file.
- You want to own your data in a format that opens in any editor and outlives the app.
- You type fast and want to capture a whole day, with subtasks and inline detail, without clicking through fields.
- You want day planning, a today-only Focus view, habits, and goals in one file.
- You'd rather sync through the cloud folder you already use than a single built-in cloud.
The honest trade-off
Things is more app; Plainlist is more file. Things gives you more platforms, more polish, and mobile and Watch today. Plainlist gives you your day as a plain-text document you own, with a fast planner on top, on macOS for now. If mobile is a hard requirement right now, Things wins. The full “stay with Things” list is right below.
Honest cons
You should NOT switch if…
Things does several things better than Plainlist. If any of these matter to you, staying is the right call — and that's fine.
Stay with Things 3 if…
Does Plainlist work on iPhone, iPad, or Apple Watch?
Not yet, but Windows, iOS, and Android are all coming soon. Things has excellent native apps across Apple devices today; Plainlist is Mac-only for now.
Is Plainlist as polished as Things 3?
No — Things' interface polish is genuinely best-in-class. Plainlist is a plain-text file with two extra views (Plan and Focus); it will feel plainer.
Does Plainlist sync as easily as Things Cloud?
Not out of the box. Things Cloud just works with zero setup. Plainlist syncs through whatever cloud folder you choose — iCloud, Dropbox, or Git — so you pick and manage the folder yourself.
Can I import my existing Things 3 tasks automatically?
No, there's no importer. Moving an established Things setup takes manual copy-and-tidy work into the plain-text outline.
Does Plainlist send reminders or support shared lists?
No. Plainlist is single-user, file-first, and doesn't push notifications or support list sharing.