Students managing coursework, research, and study sessionsneed tools that keep up with their workflow. Here's how Melo and Things 3 compare for this specific use case.
What students need from a productivity tool
Students deal with coursework, research, and study sessions daily. The ideal tool for this workflow needs to be fast (no waiting for pages to load), flexible (different projects require different layouts), and smart (AI that understands your specific context). Privacy matters too — students often handle sensitive information.
Bouncing between five apps to manage lectures, assignments, and research
Losing context when switching from browser to notes to ChatGPT
No single view of everything due this week
Privacy concerns with cloud-synced study notes and personal reflections
Things 3 for students
Award-winning task manager for Apple devices. While Things 3 is a capable tool, students often find it limiting when they need to work with multiple content types simultaneously. Things 3's approach works for generic use cases, but the specific demands of coursework, research, and study sessions require more flexibility.
Melo
Things 3
Scope
Full spatial workspace — notes, tasks, AI, web, calendar
Pure task management — todos, projects, areas
AI
Workspace-aware AI that helps prioritize and plan
No AI features
Content
Rich content tiles — web embeds, notes, clipboard alongside tasks
Task entries with basic notes and checklists
Organization
Spatial canvas — see everything in visual context
List-based — areas, projects, headings
Data
Local-first with AI integration
Local with iCloud sync
Why students pick Melo
Melo lets you tile lecture notes, research papers, an assignment tracker, and AI chat on one spatial board. Your entire semester is visible at a glance, and everything stays local on your Mac.
For studentsspecifically, Melo's spatial canvas means you can design a workspace that mirrors how you think about coursework, research, and study sessions. Tile your key documents, tasks, web references, and AI chat on one board. Switch between project contexts by switching boards. Everything stays local, fast, and private.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do students use Melo differently?
Students typically create boards organized around their coursework, research, and study sessions. They tile relevant documents, tasks, web references, and AI chat specific to their workflow. The spatial layout lets them design a workspace that matches how they naturally think about their work.
Is Melo more expensive than Things 3?
Melo is a one-time $29.99 lifetime license — no subscription. Many competitors charge $10–15/month with no ownership option. Over a year or two, Melo typically costs less, and the lifetime license means zero recurring fees.
Is Melo good for students?
Yes. Melo's spatial canvas is particularly well-suited for students who need to manage coursework, research, and study sessions. The ability to tile multiple content types on one board means you can see everything relevant to your work without switching apps.
How is Melo different from a regular note-taking app?
Melo isn't just a note app — it's a spatial workspace. You can tile notes alongside web pages, AI chat, calendar, todos, and clipboard history on one canvas. It replaces multiple apps with a single visual environment.
Is Melo free?
Melo is a one-time lifetime license ($29.99). There's no free tier and no subscription — you pay once and get full access to everything from day one, no feature gating, all future updates included.