Softwr

Consulting · head to head

Harvest vs OmniFocus 3

Harvest logo

Harvest

Consulting

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

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 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 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: Harvest covers Time tracking, OmniFocus 3 covers GTD-based task organization.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Harvest and OmniFocus 3 differ
AttributeHarvestOmniFocus 3
Starting priceFree$39.99/year
Pricing modelUnknownsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, macOS, Windows, iOS, AndroidMacOS, IOS, IPadOS, Web
CategoryConsultingProductivity
Founded20061993

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 Harvest

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

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.

Harvest

  • Time tracking against projects and clientsnot OmniFocus 3
  • Turning tracked time into invoicesnot OmniFocus 3
  • Expense capture alongside billable hoursnot OmniFocus 3
  • Team capacity and utilisation reporting on the paid plansnot OmniFocus 3
  • Feeding billed time into QuickBooks or Xeronot OmniFocus 3

OmniFocus 3

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

Harvest

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Harvest review.

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 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 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 Harvest or OmniFocus 3 better?
Neither clearly leads. Harvest 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, Harvest or OmniFocus 3?
Harvest has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Harvest and $39.99/year for OmniFocus 3.
Does Harvest or OmniFocus 3 run on more platforms?
Harvest runs on Web, macOS, Windows, iOS, Android. OmniFocus 3 runs on MacOS, IOS, IPadOS, Web.
Can I use Harvest for free?
Yes. Harvest has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. OmniFocus 3 starts at $39.99/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 3 is typically brought in for.
What can Harvest do that OmniFocus 3 cannot?
Harvest covers Time tracking, Expense tracking, Invoicing, Project budgets. OmniFocus 3 covers GTD-based task organization, Projects and subprojects, Contexts and tags, Custom perspectives.
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