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Airtable vs OmniFocus 3

Airtable logo

Airtable

All industries

Create apps that perfectly fit your team's needs

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
OmniFocus 3 logo

OmniFocus 3

Productivity

Professional task management for complex workflows

From
$39.99/year
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Airtable has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Airtable hitting a plan limit blocks adding records or attachments entirely until you upgrade, rather than degrading gracefully; OmniFocus 3 apple platforms only apart from the web client: macOS 14, iOS or iPadOS 17, watchOS 10 or visionOS 2 and newer are required, with no Windows or Android app
  • They diverge on capability: Airtable covers Spreadsheet-database hybrid, OmniFocus 3 covers GTD-based task organization.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Airtable and OmniFocus 3 actually diverge.

Attributes where Airtable and OmniFocus 3 differ
AttributeAirtableOmniFocus 3
Starting priceFree$39.99/year
Pricing modelUnknownsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, iOS, Android, DesktopMacOS, IOS, IPadOS, Web
CategoryAll industriesProductivity
Founded20121993

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated).

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 Airtable

  • Spreadsheet-database hybrid
  • Custom views
  • Forms
  • Integrations
  • Mobile apps
  • Real-time collaboration
  • API access
  • Slack

Only in OmniFocus 3

  • GTD-based task organization
  • Projects and subprojects
  • Contexts and tags
  • Custom perspectives
  • Quick entry
  • Sync across devices
  • Deferred and due dates

Both cover

  • Automation

What people use each for

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

Airtable

  • Structured team databases with grid, calendar and kanban viewsnot OmniFocus 3
  • Lightweight internal tools built on shared recordsnot OmniFocus 3
  • Automations between Airtable and other systemsnot OmniFocus 3
  • Sharing read-only views with collaborators, who are not chargednot OmniFocus 3
  • Collecting submissions through forms without paying for a seatnot OmniFocus 3

OmniFocus 3

  • Getting Things Done style task and project management on Apple devicesnot Airtable
  • Capturing tasks with contexts, defer dates and review cyclesnot Airtable
  • Syncing a personal task database across Mac, iPhone, iPad and Watchnot Airtable

Where each one falls short

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

Airtable

  • Hitting a plan limit blocks adding records or attachments entirely until you upgrade, rather than degrading gracefully
  • Team is $20 per user per month and Business $45, both at the annual rate
  • Automation and API usage are capped by plan
  • Enterprise Scale pricing is not published

OmniFocus 3

  • Apple platforms only apart from the web client: macOS 14, iOS or iPadOS 17, watchOS 10 or visionOS 2 and newer are required, with no Windows or Android app
  • Web access is not included with a perpetual licence and costs an extra $4.99 per month or $49.99 per year
  • The Pro perpetual licence costs $149.99 against $74.99 for Standard
  • Future major upgrades are a paid discount rather than free for perpetual licence holders
  • The $99.99 per year subscription is the only option that bundles Pro plus web access

Pricing, plan by plan

Airtable

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Unlimited bases
    • 1,000 records per base
    • Up to 5 editors
  • Team$20/month per editor annual
    • 50,000 records per base
    • Unlimited automations
    • API access
  • Business$45/month per editor annual
    • 125,000 records per base
    • Advanced permissions
    • Priority support
  • Enterprise Scale$null/custom
    • 500,000+ records per base
    • Custom SLA
    • Dedicated support

OmniFocus 3

$39.99/year
  • Standard$39.99/year
    • Mac and iOS apps
    • Cloud sync
    • Core features
  • Pro$99.99/year
    • Everything in Standard
    • Advanced automation
    • Perspective management

Which should you pick?

Choose Airtable if

  • You need spreadsheet-database hybrid.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android, Desktop.
  • You also want custom views.
Airtable review

Choose OmniFocus 3 if

  • You need gtd-based task organization.
  • You work on MacOS, IOS, IPadOS, Web.
  • You also want projects and subprojects.
OmniFocus 3 review

Questions people ask

Is Airtable or OmniFocus 3 better?
Neither clearly leads. Airtable starts at Free and OmniFocus 3 at $39.99/year, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Airtable or OmniFocus 3?
Airtable has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Airtable and $39.99/year for OmniFocus 3.
Does Airtable or OmniFocus 3 run on more platforms?
Airtable runs on Web, iOS, Android, Desktop. OmniFocus 3 runs on MacOS, IOS, IPadOS, Web.
Can I use Airtable for free?
Yes. Airtable has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. OmniFocus 3 starts at $39.99/year.
What is Airtable best used for?
Airtable is most often used for structured team databases with grid, calendar and kanban views, lightweight internal tools built on shared records, automations between airtable and other systems, sharing read-only views with collaborators, who are not charged. Of those, structured team databases with grid, calendar and kanban views and lightweight internal tools built on shared records are not what OmniFocus 3 is typically brought in for.
What can Airtable do that OmniFocus 3 cannot?
Airtable covers Spreadsheet-database hybrid, Custom views, Forms, Integrations. OmniFocus 3 covers GTD-based task organization, Projects and subprojects, Contexts and tags, Custom perspectives. Both handle Automation.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Airtable: Is there a free Airtable plan and what does it include?

Yes, Airtable's Free plan is indefinite with unlimited bases, 1,000 records per base, up to 5 editors, 1 GB storage per base, 100 automation runs per month, and core features like Interface Designer and mobile apps.

Source
Airtable: How does Airtable handle permissions and viewers?

Airtable charges per editor only. Read-only viewers, form submitters, and people accessing share links are free on every plan, making it cost-effective for large viewing audiences.

Source
Airtable: What are Airtable's record limits?

Free plan has 1,000 records per base, Team plan has 50,000, Business plan has 125,000, and Enterprise Scale has 500,000+ records. Performance degrades past 100,000 records in a single base.

Source
Airtable: Can Airtable integrate with other tools like Slack?

Yes, Airtable integrates with Slack via Zapier or Make.com, allowing automation like sending Slack messages when records are created or updated. Airtable also has a native API for direct integrations.

Source
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Related pages

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