# Calca vs Things 3

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Things 3 at none against Calca's 2. Things 3 also leads on update cadence (fortnightly vs every 5 months) and ratings volume (28K vs 153). On price, review sentiment, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Calca costs $9.99 and Things 3 $9.99 up front. Calca sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Things 3 asks for nothing beyond the download.

Things 3 holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Things 3 has 28K ratings behind it against 153, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 76% and 76% positive.

Calca ships an update every 5 months, Things 3 fortnightly. Both last shipped on September 25, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Calca | Things 3 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $9.99 | $9.99 |
| Rating | [4.5 (153 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/calca/id635757879/reviews) | **[4.8 (28K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/things-3/id904237743/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 153 | **28K** |
| Positive reviews | **76.5% of reviews** | 76.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Paid |
| Best chart rank | — | **#3** |
| Size | 78 MB | 118 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 16.4 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, Apple Watch |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Krueger Systems, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/299293363) | [Cultured Code GmbH & Co. KG](https://appshunter.io/developer/284971784) |

## What reviewers say

### Calca

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/calca/id635757879)

This app is an advanced symbolic calculator and text editor. It solves equations, simplifies expressions, and allows you to explain your work alongside calculations. Calculations update instantly as you type, and all data is stored as plain text for easy sharing and device syncing.

**Highlights:** Symbolic calculation, Equation solving, Expression simplification, Markdown text editor, Real-time updates, Unit and currency conversion, Matrix operations

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 6-Month Optional Patronage | $4.99 | one-time |
| 12-Month Optional Patronage | $7.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 💡 Unique blend of text editor and calculator
- 📝 Markdown support for documentation
- 🔄 Dynamic recalculation of all values
- ⚙️ Powerful mathematical and algebraic capabilities
- 📊 Unit conversion and unit-aware calculations

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Magic Keyboard input bugs on iPad
- ⚠️ Appears abandoned or poorly maintained
- 🐛 Text selection issues with external keyboards
- 📱 iPad landscape mode problems
- 🐛 Cursor jumping and screen jumping during editing

**Reported bugs**

- Magic Keyboard causes number input to overwrite instead of append
- Text selection before numbers triggers increment/decrement instead of selecting
- Cursor jumps forward and backward with external keyboards
- iPad Pro keyboard truncation in portrait mode
- Arrow key (=>) doesn't work in landscape mode

**Requested features**

- Files app and document browser integration
- Dropbox and Google Drive support
- Date calculation functionality
- Looping and iteration support
- User-defined function storage in separate files


### Things 3

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/things-3/id904237743)

**Currently charting:** #3 Top Paid · Productivity, #65 Top Paid (US App Store)

This app helps you organize your life by planning your day, managing projects, and tracking progress toward your goals. It offers a clean interface to manage tasks, projects, and life areas, making it easy to focus on what matters.

**Highlights:** To-Do management, Project organization, Area categorization, Daily planning, Reminders and repeaters, Calendar integration, Share extension

**Features:** Siri integration, Apple Watch app

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Smooth and fast
- 👍 Elegant and intuitive design
- 🔒 Secure and private
- 💡 Powerful organization features
- 🗓️ Great calendar integration

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Expensive for multiple devices
- 🌐 Lack of web/Windows app
- 🔀 Difficulty with task reordering
- 🔔 Lacking persistent notifications
- 📁 No file attachments

**Reported bugs**

- Sync issues between devices
- Occasional crashes or freezes

**Requested features**

- Ability to collapse headings and projects
- Location-based reminders
- Two-way calendar sync
- Shared task lists
- Customizable alert sounds


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Calca free?

Calca costs $9.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Is Things 3 free?

Things 3 costs $9.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Calca or Things 3?

Things 3 is rated higher. Calca averages 4.5 out of 5 from 153 ratings, while Things 3 averages 4.8 from 28K ratings.

### Do Calca or Things 3 have ads?

Neither Calca nor Things 3 shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Calca or Things 3?

Calca ships an update every 5 months, and Things 3 fortnightly. Most recently, Calca was updated on September 25, 2026 and Things 3 on September 25, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*