Comparison

First Light vs Things 3

Things 3 is beloved for its beautiful design and native Apple experience. First Light takes a different approach — AI-first task management with MCP integration, letting your AI assistant plan your day directly.

Last updated: June 2026

Feature

First Light

Things 3

AI task planning

✅ Built-in

❌ None

MCP integration

✅ Native

❌ None

Telegram bot

✅ Yes

❌ No

Eisenhower matrix

✅ Built-in

❌ No

Focus timer

✅ Built-in

❌ No

Habit tracking

✅ Built-in

❌ No

Native Apple apps

❌ Web/PWA

✅ Mac, iPhone, iPad, Watch

Offline support

⚠️ PWA cache

✅ Full offline

One-time purchase

❌ Subscription

✅ $49.99 Mac + $9.99 iOS

Cross-platform

✅ Any browser

❌ Apple only

Areas & projects

✅ Projects

✅ Areas + Projects

Quick entry

✅ AI + Telegram

✅ Quick Entry + Mail to Things

When to choose First Light

✓You want your AI assistant to manage tasks via MCP
✓You need cross-platform access (Windows, Android, Linux)
✓You want focus timer, habits, and Eisenhower matrix built in
✓You prefer AI-powered daily planning

When to choose Things 3

✓You live in the Apple ecosystem and want polished native apps
✓You prefer one-time purchase over subscription
✓You want full offline support with no internet required
✓Design polish is your #1 priority

Try First Light free

AI-native task management with MCP, Telegram, and smart daily planning.

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