Productivity
Mac productivity workflows: six reviewed options
Compare six current directory apps across planning, notes, calendars, calculation, and quick-access workflows.
Direct answer
Which app fits which job?
These six reviewed apps split by job rather than rank. Things 3 covers personal task planning, NotePlan combines daily notes with tasks and calendar context, Craft centers on documents, Soulver keeps labelled calculations readable, Fantastical brings calendars together, and Facet provides a visual app launcher. Match the workflow first, then compare purchase model and Mac support.
This answer is limited to the reviewed members below. It is a workflow comparison, not a market-wide ranking.
Included in this review
Open any app page for its complete verified facts and official links.
Current membership
Reviewed apps at a glance
Craft
Productivity
Craft is a document and note workspace for people who want to write, arrange ideas, and share finished material without moving every project into a separate task board or database.
Fantastical
Calendar
Fantastical is a calendar application for people who need to see several schedules in one Mac workspace without manually switching among accounts.
NotePlan
Productivity
NotePlan brings daily notes, tasks, and calendar context into a single planning surface for people who prefer working from text instead of maintaining separate notebooks and task boards.
Soulver
Productivity
Soulver is a notepad-style calculator for people who would rather write a short line of reasoning than construct every calculation through a traditional keypad.
Things 3
Productivity
Things 3 is a task manager for people who want one place to capture commitments, turn them into projects, and decide what deserves attention today.
Facet
Productivity
Facet is a visual launcher for Mac users who miss browsing applications in a Launchpad-style grid instead of beginning every launch with a text search.
Reviewed facts
Workflow and buying comparison
Compare the first reviewed workflow and primary caution for every member. Open an app page for complete facts and verification sources.
| App | Workflow fit | Price and purchase | Minimum macOS | Apple Silicon | Intel | Primary caution |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Craft | Draft a document, use headings to create a sidebar table of contents, then return to a section without losing the wider outline. | Free plan with paid Plus, Family, and Team subscriptionsfreemium subscription | macOS 12.0 or later | Supported | Supported | The Free plan is capped at 1,500 blocks and 1 GB of storage; sustained document-heavy use may require a paid plan. |
Fantastical | Review work and personal calendars in a single view before committing to a new meeting or task block. | Free tier with paid Individual, Family, and Team subscriptionsfreemium subscription | macOS 12.4 or later | Supported | Supported | The current free tier includes a simple calendar using existing calendars, while Fantastical Scheduling and other premium features belong to paid Flexibits Premium plans. |
NotePlan | Start a day in one note, capture tasks beside calendar context, then schedule a focused work session with time blocking. | US $99 annually or US $12 monthly; VAT may applysubscription | macOS 12.0 or later | Supported | Supported | There is no free version: unlocking NotePlan requires a paid subscription after the trial, and prices may vary by location. |
Soulver | Keep a trip, project, or household estimate in one sheet by writing each amount with a label and checking the result as the assumptions change. | Paid one-time base purchase; Setapp is a separate subscriptionone time | macOS 14+ (direct); macOS 14.6+ (Mac App Store) | Supported | Supported | The current direct Soulver release requires macOS 14 or later, while the Mac App Store release requires macOS 14.6 or later; confirm the purchase channel and compatible version for your Mac. |
Things 3 | Capture an interruption with Quick Entry, add a start date or deadline, then return to it from Today or Upcoming when it becomes actionable. | US $49.99 for the Mac editionone time | macOS 13.3 or later | Supported | Supported | Things is a one-time purchase sold separately for Mac, iPad, iPhone, and Vision; it is not a single cross-platform subscription. |
Facet | Use the global shortcut to browse a familiar app grid, open a folder, and launch an installed application without moving through a text-only launcher. | Free tier; optional paid one-time Pro upgrade (check the official page for current price)freemium one time | macOS 14.0+ declared by Facet 1.0.25 Sparkle ZIP | Supported | Not supported | Facet Pro is a separate optional paid one-time upgrade. Its 14-day trial returns to the Free edition and keeps Pro preferences, but the compact mode and advanced controls are not part of Free; check the current official page for its price. |
Reading notes
How to use this comparison
Start with the job, not the label
The apps in this guide cover different jobs: task planning, linked notes, documents, calendars, contextual calculation, and quick app access. Compare the workflow guidance on each app page before treating any two as substitutes.
Compare the reviewed facts
Use the app cards and detail pages to compare pricing model, Mac compatibility, implementation, official distribution, and the specific workflows and cautions verified for each listing.
Scenario: plan a busy workday
Things 3 starts from personal action lists; NotePlan starts from daily notes with tasks and calendar context. Use the dedicated Things 3 vs NotePlan comparison linked below for the calendar, note, sync, and buying differences.
Scenario: prepare and share a client brief
Draft and structure the brief in Craft when document presentation and controlled sharing matter. Keep labelled estimates in Soulver, check schedules in Fantastical, and use Facet only if a visual launcher shortens access to the apps used repeatedly. This is a menu of roles, not a recommendation to install all four.
Scope of this guide
This is not a universal ranking. It contains only apps assigned to this guide in the current 26-app review, in the reviewed relation order. Broader candidates remain omitted until they meet the same publication standard.