Calendar & Time Management · head to head
Microsoft To Do vs OmniFocus
Microsoft To Do
Calendar & Time Management
Your personal task management app
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
OmniFocus
Calendar & Time Management
Professional-grade task management for power users
- From
- $99.99/year
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Only Microsoft To Do has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- They diverge on capability: Microsoft To Do covers My Day suggestions, OmniFocus covers Custom perspectives.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Microsoft To Do and OmniFocus actually diverge.
| Attribute | Microsoft To Do | OmniFocus |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Free | $99.99/year |
| Pricing model | free | Unknown |
| Free tier | Yes | No |
| Platforms | Web, Ios, Android, Windows, Macos | macOS, iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, visionOS, Web |
| Founded | 1975 | 1989 |
Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Calendar & Time Management).
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 Microsoft To Do
- My Day suggestions
- List sharing
- Steps
- Due dates
- Reminders
- Outlook
- Microsoft 365
- Microsoft Teams
Only in OmniFocus
- Custom perspectives
- Review mode
- Forecast view
- Tags
- Automation
- Apple Calendar
- Siri
- Shortcuts
Both cover
- Web support
- Ios support
- Macos support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Microsoft To Do
- Scheduling
- Appointment booking
- Time tracking
- Resource management
- Team coordination
OmniFocus
- Scheduling
- Appointment booking
- Time tracking
- Resource management
- Team coordination
Both are used for scheduling, appointment booking, time tracking, resource management, team coordination, on those jobs the choice comes down to price and fit rather than capability.
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Microsoft To Do
Nothing recorded yet. See the Microsoft To Do review.
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
Microsoft To Do
Free- FreeFree
- Unlimited tasks
- My Day
- List sharing
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 Microsoft To Do if
- You need my day suggestions.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, Ios, Android, Windows, Macos.
- You also want list sharing.
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 Microsoft To Do or OmniFocus better?
- Neither clearly leads. Microsoft To Do 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, Microsoft To Do or OmniFocus?
- Microsoft To Do has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Microsoft To Do and $99.99/year for OmniFocus.
- Does Microsoft To Do or OmniFocus run on more platforms?
- Microsoft To Do runs on Web, Ios, Android, Windows, Macos. OmniFocus runs on macOS, iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, visionOS, Web.
- Can I use Microsoft To Do for free?
- Yes. Microsoft To Do has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. OmniFocus starts at $99.99/year.
- What is Microsoft To Do best used for?
- Microsoft To Do is most often used for scheduling, appointment booking, time tracking, resource management.
- What can Microsoft To Do do that OmniFocus cannot?
- Microsoft To Do covers My Day suggestions, List sharing, Steps, Due dates. OmniFocus covers Custom perspectives, Review mode, Forecast view, Tags. Both handle Web support, Ios support, Macos support.
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).
SourceOmniFocus: What is the free trial period for OmniFocus?
OmniFocus offers a 14-day free trial allowing full access to all features before requiring payment.
SourceOmniFocus: 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.
SourceOmniFocus: 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.
SourceOmniFocus: 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