Softwr

Software · head to head

Obsidian vs OmniFocus 3

Obsidian logo

Obsidian

Software

A powerful knowledge base on top of a local folder of plain text Markdown files

From
Free
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

  • Only Obsidian has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Obsidian sync is a paid add-on at $4 per month billed annually rather than part of the app; 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: Obsidian covers Bidirectional linking, OmniFocus 3 covers GTD-based task organization.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Obsidian and OmniFocus 3 differ
AttributeObsidianOmniFocus 3
Starting priceFree$39.99/year
Pricing modelUnknownsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, AndroidMacOS, IOS, IPadOS, Web
Founded20201993

Identical on both: 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 Obsidian

  • Bidirectional linking
  • Graph view visualization
  • Markdown support
  • Local file storage
  • Plugin ecosystem
  • Custom CSS themes
  • Templates
  • Search and tags

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.

Obsidian

  • Local-first markdown note taking with no account requirednot OmniFocus 3
  • Linking notes into a personal knowledge graphnot OmniFocus 3
  • Syncing a vault across devices with end-to-end encryption on the paid add-onnot OmniFocus 3
  • Publishing a public site from a vaultnot OmniFocus 3
  • Extending the editor with community pluginsnot OmniFocus 3

OmniFocus 3

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

Where each one falls short

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

Obsidian

  • Sync is a paid add-on at $4 per month billed annually rather than part of the app
  • Publishing to the web is a further $8 per month per site
  • Commercial use asks for a $50 per user per year licence, though the vendor states it is not required
  • Collaboration is limited compared with a hosted notes tool, since the vault is local files first

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

Obsidian

Free
  • Obsidian Sync$4/month
    • Sync notes across devices
  • Obsidian Publish$8/month
    • Turn notes into a website

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 Obsidian if

  • You need bidirectional linking.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android.
  • You also want graph view visualization.
Obsidian 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 Obsidian or OmniFocus 3 better?
Neither clearly leads. Obsidian 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, Obsidian or OmniFocus 3?
Obsidian has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Obsidian and $39.99/year for OmniFocus 3.
Does Obsidian or OmniFocus 3 run on more platforms?
Obsidian runs on Web, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android. OmniFocus 3 runs on MacOS, IOS, IPadOS, Web.
Can I use Obsidian for free?
Yes. Obsidian has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. OmniFocus 3 starts at $39.99/year.
What is Obsidian best used for?
Obsidian is most often used for local-first markdown note taking with no account required, linking notes into a personal knowledge graph, syncing a vault across devices with end-to-end encryption on the paid add-on, publishing a public site from a vault. Of those, local-first markdown note taking with no account required and linking notes into a personal knowledge graph are not what OmniFocus 3 is typically brought in for.
What can Obsidian do that OmniFocus 3 cannot?
Obsidian covers Bidirectional linking, Graph view visualization, Markdown support, Local file storage. OmniFocus 3 covers GTD-based task organization, Projects and subprojects, Contexts and tags, Custom perspectives.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Obsidian: Is Obsidian free?

Yes. The core Obsidian application is 100% free for personal and commercial use with no limitations. You can use unlimited vaults and every core feature without payment.

Source
Obsidian: What file format does Obsidian use?

Obsidian stores every note as a plain Markdown file. Because it uses standard Markdown instead of a proprietary format, your notes remain portable and can be edited with many other Markdown editors.

Source
Obsidian: Can I collaborate with others in Obsidian?

The core application does not include built-in team collaboration features. However, Obsidian offers optional add-ons and can be used with version control systems or cloud storage for collaboration.

Source
ShareXLinkedInRedditWhatsAppEmail

Related pages

More on Obsidian

More on OmniFocus 3

Keep looking

Other head to heads