Softwr

Consulting · head to head

Harvest vs OmniFocus

Harvest logo

Harvest

Consulting

Time tracking software for teams that care about where their time goes

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
OmniFocus logo

OmniFocus

Calendar & Time Management

Professional-grade task management for power users

From
$99.99/year
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Harvest has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Harvest the free plan is one seat and two projects, so it suits a solo freelancer and nothing larger; OmniFocus exclusive to Apple ecosystem with no Windows or Android support
  • They diverge on capability: Harvest covers Time tracking, OmniFocus covers Custom perspectives.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Harvest and OmniFocus actually diverge.

Attributes where Harvest and OmniFocus differ
AttributeHarvestOmniFocus
Starting priceFree$99.99/year
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, macOS, Windows, iOS, AndroidmacOS, iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, visionOS, Web
CategoryConsultingCalendar & Time Management
Founded20061989

Identical on both: pricing model (Unknown), 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 Harvest

  • Time tracking
  • Expense tracking
  • Invoicing
  • Project budgets
  • Team capacity
  • Detailed reports
  • Mobile apps
  • Browser extension

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.

Harvest

  • Time tracking against projects and clientsnot OmniFocus
  • Turning tracked time into invoicesnot OmniFocus
  • Expense capture alongside billable hoursnot OmniFocus
  • Team capacity and utilisation reporting on the paid plansnot OmniFocus
  • Feeding billed time into QuickBooks or Xeronot OmniFocus

OmniFocus

  • Schedulingnot Harvest
  • Appointment bookingnot Harvest
  • Time trackingnot Harvest
  • Resource managementnot Harvest
  • Team coordinationnot Harvest

Where each one falls short

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

Harvest

  • The free plan is one seat and two projects, so it suits a solo freelancer and nothing larger
  • Team reporting and unlimited projects require the Teams plan at $9 per seat per month
  • Profitability reporting, timesheet approvals and custom reports need Enterprise at $14 per seat per month
  • SAML single sign-on is Enterprise only
  • QuickBooks, Xero and Stripe integrations are withheld from the free plan

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

Harvest

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Harvest 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 Harvest if

  • You need time tracking.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, macOS, Windows, iOS, Android.
  • You also want expense tracking.
Harvest review

Choose OmniFocus if

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

Questions people ask

Is Harvest or OmniFocus better?
Neither clearly leads. Harvest starts at Free and OmniFocus at $99.99/year, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Harvest or OmniFocus?
Harvest has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Harvest and $99.99/year for OmniFocus.
Does Harvest or OmniFocus run on more platforms?
Harvest runs on Web, macOS, Windows, iOS, Android. OmniFocus runs on macOS, iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, visionOS, Web.
Can I use Harvest for free?
Yes. Harvest has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. OmniFocus starts at $99.99/year.
What is Harvest best used for?
Harvest is most often used for time tracking against projects and clients, turning tracked time into invoices, expense capture alongside billable hours, team capacity and utilisation reporting on the paid plans. Of those, time tracking against projects and clients and turning tracked time into invoices are not what OmniFocus is typically brought in for.
What can Harvest do that OmniFocus cannot?
Harvest covers Time tracking, Expense tracking, Invoicing, Project budgets. 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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