OmniFocus — The Omni Group GTD task manager for Apple devices, built around projects, perspectives and a weekly review.
What it is
OmniFocus 4 is a personal task manager for Mac, iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch and Apple Vision Pro, built on GTD structure: inbox capture, projects, tags, forecasts, perspectives and a built-in review loop.
Editor's review
Long-form introduction by the BetterPicker editors · checked against the official site · Oct 30, 2026
OmniFocus rewards the people who run it like a system and punishes the ones who do not, and Peter Akkies says exactly that in his OmniFocus 4 setup guide (34,444 views): it is a high risk, high reward app that becomes a complex app you never open unless the structure earns your trust. His companion review (32,677 views) covers what version 4 changed and how it stacks up, while a Capterra walkthrough of switching to Things (9,105 views) documents the honest exit case. Around those videos sits a consistent picture from The Omni Group itself: OmniFocus 4 ships for Mac, iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch and Apple Vision Pro, with a free 14-day trial and a choice between a one-time purchase or a subscription. The design is pure GTD. Everything lands in the Inbox; tasks organize into projects, folders hold the big picture, tags cut across contexts, and the Forecast view merges calendar events with deadlines so the day has one honest shape. Perspectives save any filtered view as a first-class button, and the review process - the GTD habit most apps skip - is built in as a recurring workflow. Pro adds custom perspectives, deeper automation and richer scripting hooks for power workflows. Sync runs through Omni's own servers end to end, and the companion web service keeps a browser window in reach at the office. It is not a lightweight list, and that is the point.
What it does well
Structure that scales: projects, folders, tags and repeat rules hold everything from errands to multi-month client work, and Perspectives turn any saved filter into one tap.
The review habit is first-class: Forecast and the built-in review workflow keep the system trusted, which is the whole game with GTD.
Deep Apple integration: Shortcuts, Mail capture, Apple Watch complications and a native Vision Pro build keep capture friction low on every device you carry.
Who it's for
GTD practitioners on Apple hardware who want one trusted system rather than five half-used lists, consultants and freelancers juggling client projects, and anyone who has outgrown simpler apps and wants the depth to match. If you want a free-form notes canvas or team assignment, look elsewhere - this is a personal system by design.
Where it falls short
The setup cost is real: Akkies' own framing holds - without a deliberate weekly review and a trimmed structure, the app becomes overhead instead of an asset.
Apple only: there is no Windows, Android or web-native home, so mixed-platform households and teams are out of luck.
No native collaboration: tasks are yours alone; shared checklists live in other tools, and the pricing reflects professional software, not a freemium app.
Specs at a glance
Facts from the official site · not editorial opinion
| Latest version | OmniFocus 4 (App Store build 4.10 line), continuously updated |
|---|---|
| Price | Free 14-day trial; one-time purchase or subscription, Standard and Pro tiers (figures confirmed at checkout / omnigroup.com) |
| Platforms | Mac, iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Apple Vision Pro; sync via Omni Sync Server |
| Open source | No - proprietary, from The Omni Group |
| Core capability | Inbox capture, projects and folders, tags, Forecast with calendar merge, saved Perspectives, built-in review workflow, repeating tasks |
| Integrations | Apple Shortcuts and Mail, Apple Watch, Vision Pro, Mail drop, automation hooks; Pro adds custom perspectives and advanced automation |
| Best for | GTD practitioners fully on Apple hardware who want one deep personal system with a real review loop |
Frequently asked questions
▸Is OmniFocus free?
It has a free 14-day trial. After that you buy a license or subscribe, in Standard or Pro tiers; the Pro tier adds custom perspectives and deeper automation.
▸Does OmniFocus work on Windows or Android?
No. Native apps cover Mac, iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch and Apple Vision Pro. A companion web service reaches browsers, but the primary experience is Apple-only.
▸What is a Perspective in OmniFocus?
A saved, filtered view of your database - for example everything due today for one client - pinned as a single-click view in the sidebar. Pro allows custom ones; Standard includes a fixed set.
▸How does it compare to Things or Todoist?
OmniFocus is deeper and stiffer: full GTD with reviews and perspectives. Things is lighter and cheaper, Todoist is cross-platform. The comparison videos in this space mostly debate setup cost versus long-term structure.
Video reviews
2 review videos aggregated · praise and criticism included alike · click through to the original video
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