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Calendar & Time Management · head to head

OmniFocus vs Things 3

OmniFocus logo

OmniFocus

Calendar & Time Management

Professional-grade task management for power users

From
$99.99/year
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Things 3 logo

Things 3

Productivity

The award-winning personal task manager

From
$9.99/one-time
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: OmniFocus exclusive to Apple ecosystem with no Windows or Android support; Things 3 no team collaboration, task sharing, or task assignment features
  • They diverge on capability: OmniFocus covers Custom perspectives, Things 3 covers Today view.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where OmniFocus and Things 3 differ
AttributeOmniFocusThings 3
Starting price$99.99/year$9.99/one-time
PlatformsmacOS, iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, visionOS, WebmacOS, iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, visionOS
CategoryCalendar & Time ManagementProductivity
Founded19892004

Identical on both: pricing model (Unknown), free tier (No), 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 OmniFocus

  • Custom perspectives
  • Review mode
  • Forecast view
  • Automation
  • OmniPlan
  • Web support

Only in Things 3

  • Today view
  • Projects and areas
  • Quick entry
  • Calendar integration
  • Mail
  • Watchos support

Both cover

  • Tags
  • Apple Calendar
  • Siri
  • Shortcuts
  • Macos support
  • Ios support
  • Ipados support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

OmniFocus

  • Scheduling
  • Appointment booking
  • Time tracking
  • Resource management
  • Team coordination

Things 3

  • 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.

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

Things 3

  • No team collaboration, task sharing, or task assignment features
  • Apple ecosystem only, with no Windows, Android, or web version
  • No third-party app integrations beyond Apple's ecosystem
  • Cannot attach files or images to tasks, only text notes
  • No time blocking or calendar integration for scheduling tasks into specific time slots

Pricing, plan by plan

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

Things 3

$9.99/one-time
  • iPhone/Watch$9.99/one-time
  • iPad$19.99/one-time
  • Mac$49.99/one-time

Which should you pick?

Choose OmniFocus if

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

Choose Things 3 if

  • You need today view.
  • You work on macOS, iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, visionOS.
  • You also want projects and areas.
Things 3 review

Questions people ask

Is OmniFocus or Things 3 better?
Neither clearly leads. OmniFocus starts at $99.99/year and Things 3 at $9.99/one-time, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, OmniFocus or Things 3?
OmniFocus starts at $99.99/year and Things 3 at $9.99/one-time.
Does OmniFocus or Things 3 run on more platforms?
OmniFocus runs on macOS, iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, visionOS, Web. Things 3 runs on macOS, iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, visionOS.
What is OmniFocus best used for?
OmniFocus is most often used for scheduling, appointment booking, time tracking, resource management.
What can OmniFocus do that Things 3 cannot?
OmniFocus covers Custom perspectives, Review mode, Forecast view, Automation. Things 3 covers Today view, Projects and areas, Quick entry, Calendar integration. Both handle Tags, Apple Calendar, Siri, Shortcuts.

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
Things 3: Does Things 3 support team collaboration?

No. Things 3 is designed for individual use only with no task sharing, team workspaces, task assignment, or commenting features.

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
Things 3: What platforms does Things 3 run on?

Things 3 is exclusive to Apple devices: macOS, iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, and visionOS. There is no Windows, Android, or web version.

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
Things 3: How much does Things 3 cost?

Things 3 uses a one-time purchase model: $9.99 for iPhone/Watch, $19.99 for iPad, and $49.99 for Mac. Total cost for all platforms is approximately $80 with no subscription required.

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
Things 3: Does Things 3 sync across devices?

Yes. Things Cloud keeps your to-dos in sync across all your Apple devices automatically. There is no extra cost for cloud synchronization.

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
Things 3: Can you attach files or images to tasks in Things 3?

No. Things 3 does not support attachments. You can only add notes (text) to tasks.

Source
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Related pages

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