Beeminder vs Things 3: Comprehensive Comparison
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Beeminder vs Things 3: Comprehensive Comparison
Beeminder uses financial penalties to enforce goal completion, while Things 3 offers elegant task management for Apple users. Both serve different productivity philosophies entirely.
Quick Summary
Feature | Beeminder | Things 3 |
|---|---|---|
Primary Focus | Goal tracking with financial penalties | Task management and project planning |
Best For | Quantified goals needing accountability | Personal productivity and organization |
Platforms | Web, iOS, Android | Apple devices only |
Pricing Model | Freemium + derailment fees | One-time purchase per platform |
What is Beeminder?
Charges real money ($5+) when you miss goals
Tracks quantified metrics with visual progress graphs
Integrates with fitness, habit, and productivity apps
Escalating pledge system up to $7,290 penalties
What is Things 3?
Award-winning task manager for Apple ecosystem
Projects, areas, and natural language scheduling
Calendar integration with Today/Upcoming views
Fast cross-device syncing via Things Cloud
Feature Comparison
Feature | Beeminder | Things 3 |
|---|---|---|
Task Management | Limited | Yes |
Goal Tracking | Yes | No |
Calendar Integration | No | Yes |
Financial Penalties | Yes | No |
Cross-Platform | Yes | No |
Project Management | No | Yes |
Third-Party Integrations | Yes | Limited |
Team Collaboration | No | No |
Pricing
Beeminder
Free: 3 goals
Premium: ~$8/month
Derailment fees: $5+ per failure
Things 3
iPhone/Apple Watch: $9.99
iPad: $19.99
Mac: $49.99
Key Considerations
Beeminder
Real money at risk with escalating charges
Best for automatic/repetitive goals, not creative work
Requires serious commitment and adjustment period
Things 3
Apple ecosystem only - no Windows/Android access
Separate purchase required per platform adds up
Personal use only - no team collaboration features
Verdict
Choose Beeminder if you need financial accountability for quantified goals and have tried other methods unsuccessfully. Choose Things 3 if you're in the Apple ecosystem and want the most polished personal task management experience available.
