Productivity · head to head
Things 3 vs OmniFocus
Things 3
Productivity
The award-winning personal task manager
- From
- $9.99/one-time
- Rated
- -
OmniFocus
Calendar & Time Management
Professional-grade task management for power users
- From
- $99.99/year
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Things 3 no team collaboration, task sharing, or task assignment features; OmniFocus exclusive to Apple ecosystem with no Windows or Android support
- They diverge on capability: Things 3 covers Today view, OmniFocus covers Custom perspectives.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Things 3 and OmniFocus actually diverge.
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 Things 3
- Today view
- Projects and areas
- Quick entry
- Calendar integration
- Watchos support
Only in OmniFocus
- Custom perspectives
- Review mode
- Forecast view
- Automation
- OmniPlan
- Web 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.
Things 3
- 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.
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
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
Things 3
$9.99/one-time- iPhone/Watch$9.99/one-time
- iPad$19.99/one-time
- Mac$49.99/one-time
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 Things 3 if
- You need today view.
- You work on macOS, iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, visionOS.
- You also want projects and areas.
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 Things 3 or OmniFocus better?
- Neither clearly leads. Things 3 starts at $9.99/one-time and OmniFocus at $99.99/year, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Things 3 or OmniFocus?
- Things 3 starts at $9.99/one-time and OmniFocus at $99.99/year.
- Does Things 3 or OmniFocus run on more platforms?
- Things 3 runs on macOS, iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, visionOS. OmniFocus runs on macOS, iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, visionOS, Web.
- What is Things 3 best used for?
- Things 3 is most often used for scheduling, appointment booking, time tracking, resource management.
- What can Things 3 do that OmniFocus cannot?
- Things 3 covers Today view, Projects and areas, Quick entry, Calendar integration. OmniFocus covers Custom perspectives, Review mode, Forecast view, Automation. Both handle Tags, Apple Calendar, Siri, Shortcuts.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
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.
SourceOmniFocus: 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).
SourceThings 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.
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.
SourceThings 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.
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.
SourceThings 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.
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.
SourceThings 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.
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