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BetterKeeper vs Sorted 3

BetterKeeper vs Sorted 3: hyper-scheduling meets the full picture

BetterKeeper

Tasks, projects, notes, sharing, and time tracking in one native Apple app — one subscription covering iPhone, iPad, and Mac.

Sorted 3

A hyper-scheduling specialist. Auto Schedule rearranges your day around what fits, and Magic Select makes bulk edits fast. Deep on timing, light on everything else.

Side by Side

Feature comparison

BetterKeeper Sorted 3
Task management ✓ Yes ✓ Yes
Auto-scheduling the day ✗ Manual priorities & due dates ✓ Auto Schedule
Projects with progress ✓ Yes, with templates ✗ Lists and tags
Built-in notes ✓ Rich notes, standalone & attached ✗ Notes field per task
Time tracking ✓ Built-in timers ✗ Not available
Sharing & collaboration ✓ Shared projects with chat ✗ Single-user
iCloud sync ✓ Included Pro upgrade required
Platforms iPhone, iPad, Mac, CarPlay iPhone, iPad, Mac
Free tier ✗ 30-day free trial instead ✓ Basics free, no sync
Pricing $4.99/mo or $29.99/yr, all platforms One-time Pro: $14.99 iOS + $24.99 Mac
Deep Dive

Where they really differ

Scheduling the day vs. holding the work
BetterKeeper

Work lives in projects that persist for weeks — a client engagement, a renovation, a launch — each with its own tasks, notes, files, and progress. The Today view surfaces what's due; you decide the order.

Sorted 3

Auto Schedule is the star: give tasks a duration and Sorted lays the day out for you, reshuffling when things slip. It's the fastest way to fill a timeline. What it doesn't do is give long-running work a home beyond lists and tags.

What's behind the paywall
BetterKeeper

Everything is included — sync, attachments, sharing, time tracking, widgets, CarPlay. One price, one tier, all three platforms. Free for 30 days with no card, then $4.99/month or $29.99/year.

Sorted 3

The free version is a genuine try-before-you-buy, but iCloud sync, Auto Schedule, attachments, and backup all sit behind Pro — bought separately per platform at $14.99 on iOS and $24.99 on Mac. Pay once, though: no subscription.

Hours and invoices
BetterKeeper

Start a timer on any task with one tap. Sessions total up per task and per project, so a week's client work is already summarized when it's time to invoice.

Sorted 3

Sorted schedules how long you intend something to take, but doesn't record how long it actually took. There's no timer and no time log, so billable work needs a separate tracker alongside it.

Just you, or you and someone else
BetterKeeper

Share a project with a partner or a collaborator and everyone sees updates live, with chat attached to the project. The shopping list and the product launch use the same mechanism.

Sorted 3

Sorted is built around one person's schedule and has no sharing or collaboration. That keeps it focused, but nothing in it can be handed to a spouse or a teammate.

Verdict

Which one is right for you?

Choose BetterKeeper if…

You need one app for tasks, project notes, tracked hours, and shared lists — and you'd rather pay once a year for everything across iPhone, iPad, and Mac than unlock features per platform.

Choose Sorted 3 if…

Time-blocking is your whole method and you want the machine to do it. Auto Schedule has no real equivalent anywhere else, and the one-time price is attractive if you only need it on one platform.

FAQ

BetterKeeper vs Sorted 3: common questions

Is BetterKeeper a good Sorted 3 alternative?
Yes, if what you're missing is structure rather than scheduling. BetterKeeper adds projects, rich notes, sharing, and time tracking. If Auto Schedule is the reason you use Sorted, nothing in BetterKeeper replaces it.
Does BetterKeeper auto-schedule my tasks?
No. BetterKeeper sorts by due date and priority and leaves the ordering to you — a deliberately simpler model that suits people who find automatic rescheduling disorienting. It's part of why it works as an ADHD-friendly task manager.
Is Sorted 3 really a one-time purchase?
Yes, but per platform: Pro is $14.99 on iOS and $24.99 on macOS as separate in-app purchases. Using both costs about $40 up front versus $29.99/year for BetterKeeper across iPhone, iPad, and Mac.
Do both apps sync through iCloud?
Both use iCloud, but Sorted puts sync behind the Pro upgrade — the free tier is single-device. BetterKeeper syncs from the start and stores everything in your own iCloud account with no server of its own. Here's how iCloud sharing works.
Can I track time spent on client work in Sorted 3?
No — Sorted plans durations but doesn't record them. BetterKeeper's built-in timers log real sessions per task and per project, which is why it suits freelancers billing by the hour.
Get Started

Try BetterKeeper free in under a minute

1
Download — no signup
Uses your Apple ID. No BetterKeeper account, no password, no email confirmation.
2
Add your first task
Set a deadline, assign a project, attach a note. Start a timer when you start working.
3
30 days free, no card
Full access for 30 days. If it's not the right fit, no charge — no questions asked.