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Productivity · head to head

Fastmail vs OmniFocus 3

Fastmail logo

Fastmail

Productivity

Paid email hosting with custom domains, calendar and contacts, run without ad-based revenue

From
$3/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
OmniFocus 3 logo

OmniFocus 3

Productivity

Professional task management for complex workflows

From
$74.99/mo
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Fastmail it does not provide end-to-end encryption by default, so users specifically wanting zero-knowledge mail should compare it against Proton Mail or Tuta rather than assume parity.; 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: Fastmail covers Custom domain hosting, OmniFocus 3 covers GTD-based task organization.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Fastmail and OmniFocus 3 differ
AttributeFastmailOmniFocus 3
Starting price$3/month$74.99/mo
Pricing modelPer user per monthone-time
PlatformsWeb, iOS, Android, macOS, WindowsMacOS, IOS, IPadOS, Web
FoundedUnknown1993

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

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 Fastmail

  • Custom domain hosting
  • Masked email
  • Unlimited aliases
  • Integrated calendar and contacts
  • Migration tools
  • JMAP support

Only in OmniFocus 3

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

What people use each for

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

Fastmail

  • Someone who wants their email address tied to a domain they own rather than a free provider they do notnot OmniFocus 3
  • A small business wanting hosted mail on its own domain without running mail server infrastructurenot OmniFocus 3
  • A person leaving Gmail specifically to stop an ad-funded provider processing their mailnot OmniFocus 3
  • A household migrating several accounts to one paid provider with shared billingnot OmniFocus 3

OmniFocus 3

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

Where each one falls short

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

Fastmail

  • It does not provide end-to-end encryption by default, so users specifically wanting zero-knowledge mail should compare it against Proton Mail or Tuta rather than assume parity.
  • Moving to Fastmail is a real migration with DNS changes for a custom domain, unlike installing a client such as Spark or Bluemail over an existing account.
  • There is no free tier at all, so a user just wanting to try it commits to a paid trial rather than a permanently free option.
  • Storage limits on the entry Basic plan are modest next to the free allowance Gmail gives, and heavy attachment users will need Standard or above.
  • Being based in Australia means it falls under Australian data access law, which some privacy-focused buyers weigh differently from Swiss or German jurisdictions used by Proton Mail and Tuta.

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

Fastmail

$3/month
  • Basic$3/month
    • 6GB storage
    • No custom domain support
    • Core mail, calendar and contacts
  • Standard$5/month
    • 60GB storage
    • Custom domain support
    • Masked email and aliases
  • Professional$9/month
    • 150GB storage
    • Multiple custom domains
    • Priority support

OmniFocus 3

$74.99/mo
  • Standard License$74.99/mo
    • Mac, iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Apple Vision Pro access
    • All 4.x updates included
    • 30-day money-back guarantee
  • Pro License$149.99/mo
    • Mac, iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Apple Vision Pro access
    • All 4.x updates included
    • 30-day money-back guarantee
  • Subscription (all platforms + web)$99.99/year
    • Mac, iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Apple Vision Pro, web access
    • All Pro features
  • Web-only Subscription$4.99/month
    • Web access only

Which should you pick?

Choose Fastmail if

  • You need custom domain hosting.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android, macOS, Windows.
  • You also want masked email.
Fastmail 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 Fastmail or OmniFocus 3 better?
Neither clearly leads. Fastmail starts at $3/month and OmniFocus 3 at $74.99/mo, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Fastmail or OmniFocus 3?
Fastmail starts at $3/month and OmniFocus 3 at $74.99/mo.
Does Fastmail or OmniFocus 3 run on more platforms?
Fastmail runs on Web, iOS, Android, macOS, Windows. OmniFocus 3 runs on MacOS, IOS, IPadOS, Web.
What is Fastmail best used for?
Fastmail is most often used for someone who wants their email address tied to a domain they own rather than a free provider they do not, a small business wanting hosted mail on its own domain without running mail server infrastructure, a person leaving gmail specifically to stop an ad-funded provider processing their mail, a household migrating several accounts to one paid provider with shared billing. Of those, someone who wants their email address tied to a domain they own rather than a free provider they do not and a small business wanting hosted mail on its own domain without running mail server infrastructure are not what OmniFocus 3 is typically brought in for.
What can Fastmail do that OmniFocus 3 cannot?
Fastmail covers Custom domain hosting, Masked email, Unlimited aliases, Integrated calendar and contacts. OmniFocus 3 covers GTD-based task organization, Projects and subprojects, Contexts and tags, Custom perspectives.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Fastmail: Is Fastmail a client like Spark, or does it host my email?

It hosts the mailbox itself; there is no separate provider underneath it the way Spark sits over Gmail.

OmniFocus 3: How much does OmniFocus cost?

OmniFocus offers perpetual licenses at $74.99 (Standard) or $149.99 (Pro) for one-time purchase, or subscriptions at $99.99/year for all platforms plus web, or $4.99/month for web-only access.

Source
Fastmail: Does Fastmail offer end-to-end encryption?

Not by default in the way Proton Mail or Tuta do; its privacy position rests on being subscription-funded rather than ad-funded.

OmniFocus 3: Does OmniFocus offer a free trial?

OmniFocus includes a 14-day free trial for download, and a 30-day money-back guarantee applies to perpetual licenses.

Source
Fastmail: Can I use my own domain?

Yes, from the Standard plan up, with full alias and masked email support.

OmniFocus 3: What platforms does a single OmniFocus license cover?

A single OmniFocus perpetual license includes access across Mac, iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, and Apple Vision Pro.

Source
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