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Software · head to head

Motion vs OmniFocus 3

Motion logo

Motion

Software

Your intelligent calendar that prioritizes for you

From
$19/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
OmniFocus 3 logo

OmniFocus 3

Software

Professional task management for complex workflows

From
$39.99/year
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Motion no free plan; starts at $19/month per user; 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: Motion covers AI auto-scheduling, OmniFocus 3 covers GTD-based task organization.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Motion and OmniFocus 3 differ
AttributeMotionOmniFocus 3
Starting price$19/month$39.99/year
Pricing modelUnknownsubscription
PlatformsWeb, iOS, macOS, WindowsMacOS, IOS, IPadOS, Web
Founded20191993

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

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 Motion

  • AI auto-scheduling
  • Task prioritization
  • Project management
  • Meeting scheduler
  • Deadline tracking
  • Google Calendar
  • Outlook
  • Zoom

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.

Motion

  • Schedulingnot OmniFocus 3
  • Appointment bookingnot OmniFocus 3
  • Time trackingnot OmniFocus 3
  • Resource managementnot OmniFocus 3
  • Team coordinationnot OmniFocus 3

OmniFocus 3

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

Where each one falls short

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

Motion

  • No free plan; starts at $19/month per user
  • Mobile app is significantly less capable than desktop version
  • Requires adding deadlines, time estimates, and priorities to tasks to function effectively
  • Limited advanced project management features compared to dedicated PM tools like Asana or ClickUp
  • UI can feel cluttered and has a steep onboarding curve

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

Motion

$19/month
  • Pro AI$19/month
    • AI task scheduling
    • 7500 AI credits per month
  • Business AI$29/month
    • AI Employees for teams
    • 15000 AI credits per month

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 Motion if

  • You need ai auto-scheduling.
  • You work on Web, iOS, macOS, Windows.
  • You also want task prioritization.
Motion 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 Motion or OmniFocus 3 better?
Neither clearly leads. Motion starts at $19/month 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, Motion or OmniFocus 3?
Motion starts at $19/month and OmniFocus 3 at $39.99/year.
Does Motion or OmniFocus 3 run on more platforms?
Motion runs on Web, iOS, macOS, Windows. OmniFocus 3 runs on MacOS, IOS, IPadOS, Web.
What is Motion best used for?
Motion is most often used for scheduling, appointment booking, time tracking, resource management. Of those, scheduling and appointment booking are not what OmniFocus 3 is typically brought in for.
What can Motion do that OmniFocus 3 cannot?
Motion covers AI auto-scheduling, Task prioritization, Project management, Meeting scheduler. OmniFocus 3 covers GTD-based task organization, Projects and subprojects, Contexts and tags, Custom perspectives.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Motion: Does Motion work offline?

Motion is a cloud-based platform that requires internet connectivity to access and use its AI scheduling features. Offline functionality is not available.

Source
Motion: Is there a free trial for Motion?

Yes, Motion offers a 7-day free trial that can be canceled anytime. The free trial does not require credit card information upfront.

Source
Motion: What calendar services does Motion integrate with?

Motion integrates with Google Calendar, Outlook, and iCloud for calendar synchronization and automatic event scheduling.

Source
Motion: Is there a mobile app for Motion?

Motion offers iOS mobile app and desktop applications, though the mobile experience has been reported as less feature-rich than the web version.

Source
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