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Software · head to head

Acuity Scheduling vs OmniFocus

Acuity Scheduling logo

Acuity Scheduling

Software

Scheduling made simple

From
$16/month
Rated
-
OmniFocus logo

OmniFocus

Software

Professional-grade task management for power users

From
$99.99/year
Rated
-

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Acuity Scheduling starter tier limited to 1 calendar only; OmniFocus exclusive to Apple ecosystem with no Windows or Android support
  • They diverge on capability: Acuity Scheduling covers Online booking, OmniFocus covers Custom perspectives.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Acuity Scheduling and OmniFocus actually diverge.

Attributes where Acuity Scheduling and OmniFocus differ
AttributeAcuity SchedulingOmniFocus
Starting price$16/month$99.99/year
Pricing modelsubscriptionUnknown
PlatformsWebmacOS, iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, visionOS, Web
Founded20031989

Identical on both: free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Acuity Scheduling

  • Online booking
  • Appointment types
  • Calendar sync
  • Payment processing
  • Email reminders
  • Client self-scheduling
  • Packages & memberships
  • Timezone detection

Only in OmniFocus

  • Custom perspectives
  • Review mode
  • Forecast view
  • Tags
  • Automation
  • Apple Calendar
  • Siri
  • Shortcuts

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Acuity Scheduling

  • Client self-scheduling with automated time zone conversionnot OmniFocus
  • HIPAA-compliant scheduling for healthcare practitionersnot OmniFocus
  • Multi-location scheduling with multiple staff membersnot OmniFocus
  • Membership, package sales, and gift certificate managementnot OmniFocus

OmniFocus

  • Schedulingnot Acuity Scheduling
  • Appointment bookingnot Acuity Scheduling
  • Time trackingnot Acuity Scheduling
  • Resource managementnot Acuity Scheduling
  • Team coordinationnot Acuity Scheduling

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Acuity Scheduling

  • Starter tier limited to 1 calendar only
  • SMS/text reminders, memberships, and gift certificates require Standard or Premium tier
  • HIPAA compliance (BAA signature) exclusive to Premium tier at $49/month
  • Custom API and CSS access, and Acuity branding removal require Premium tier

OmniFocus

  • Exclusive to Apple ecosystem with no Windows or Android support
  • No collaboration features make it unsuitable for team task management or delegation
  • Setting up repeating tasks is cumbersome with multiple configuration options
  • Lacks AI-powered features for advanced project management, load balancing, or contextual awareness

Pricing, plan by plan

Acuity Scheduling

$16/month

No published plan breakdown. See the Acuity Scheduling review.

OmniFocus

$99.99/year
  • Subscription$99.99/year
    • All Pro features
    • Web access
    • Cloud sync
  • Standard (Perpetual)$74.99/one-time
    • Basic task management
    • Projects and contexts
    • Perspectives
  • Pro (Perpetual)$149.99/one-time
    • Custom perspectives
    • Advanced automation
    • Plugins support

Which should you pick?

Choose Acuity Scheduling if

  • You need online booking.
  • You also want appointment types.

Choose OmniFocus if

  • You need custom perspectives.
  • You work on macOS, iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, visionOS, Web.
  • You also want review mode.

Questions people ask

Is Acuity Scheduling or OmniFocus better?
Neither clearly leads. Acuity Scheduling starts at $16/month and OmniFocus at $99.99/year, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Acuity Scheduling or OmniFocus?
Acuity Scheduling starts at $16/month and OmniFocus at $99.99/year.
Does Acuity Scheduling or OmniFocus run on more platforms?
Acuity Scheduling runs on Web. OmniFocus runs on macOS, iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, visionOS, Web.
What is Acuity Scheduling best used for?
Acuity Scheduling is most often used for client self-scheduling with automated time zone conversion, hipaa-compliant scheduling for healthcare practitioners, multi-location scheduling with multiple staff members, membership, package sales, and gift certificate management. Of those, client self-scheduling with automated time zone conversion and hipaa-compliant scheduling for healthcare practitioners are not what OmniFocus is typically brought in for.
What can Acuity Scheduling do that OmniFocus cannot?
Acuity Scheduling covers Online booking, Appointment types, Calendar sync, Payment processing. OmniFocus covers Custom perspectives, Review mode, Forecast view, Tags.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

OmniFocus: Does OmniFocus offer a free tier?

No, OmniFocus does not offer a free tier. It requires purchase or subscription: $99.99/year subscription or one-time perpetual licenses at $74.99 (Standard) or $149.99 (Pro).

Source
OmniFocus: What is the free trial period for OmniFocus?

OmniFocus offers a 14-day free trial allowing full access to all features before requiring payment.

Source
OmniFocus: What platforms does OmniFocus support?

OmniFocus is exclusive to Apple ecosystem: Mac, iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Apple Vision Pro, and web access. Not available on Windows or Android.

Source
OmniFocus: Can teams collaborate in OmniFocus?

No, OmniFocus lacks collaboration features and is designed as a solo task management tool. Users cannot delegate tasks, share projects, or assign work to team members.

Source
OmniFocus: Does OmniFocus support Getting Things Done (GTD) methodology?

Yes, OmniFocus is built specifically to support GTD with projects, contexts (tags), folders, perspectives, and a focus view for prioritization. It includes weekly review support and automation features.

Source

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