Aging and expensive
At one time this app was considered the best for GTD. Now it’s dated in both its appearance, sync mechanism, and price. How long will people keep paying the price because of legacy software? If Omni wants to stay exclusive to Mac/iOS, then switch the sync over to iCloud, or hire coders who can develop cross platform and modernize your apps. The only reason to stay with this slow and dated sync system is to say you’re exclusive in some way and charge (exorbitantly) for web access. I remember when Blackberry insisted people still wanted physical keyboards on their devices despite all the evidence to the contrary. As a long time OF user as well as more recently Todoist, Things, and TickTick, you can really see how Omni is resting on their laurels and falling behind the competition quickly.
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Powerful App, Can Use Anywhere! (Runs on arms and a legs)
I love the app, but have a love/hate relationship because of the pricing and portability. They seem to be going the way of SaaS, which I think will drive away most people. It’s great that they can now differentiate themselves from many, not all, of the other ProdApps by supporting web-based access. But the pricing seems to just be getting worse. There’s a lot of loyal customers out here who have shelled out for the IOS and MacOS apps, upgrades, and now with the introduction of a subscription model for both the apps and webapp, I really don’t think I’d consider spending any more when there are totally free, totally portable options limited only by the number of simultaneous projects!
It’s hard not to feel milked as an OF customer. Of course, If there were other OS versions available, they would all each cost another $50.
Update: Thanks for responding, I’ve always had good experiences with sales and support. I understand that has been the official argument over the years, the problem is that this is something that your competition is able to do more and more often. The inability to meet customer needs, whether technical or financial, will not be met with endless loyalty when there are other, seemingly more hospitable options out there. I really want to see OF succeed, it’s a better product. But the validity of that argument is fading fast.
It’s hard not to feel milked as an OF customer. Of course, If there were other OS versions available, they would all each cost another $50.
Update: Thanks for responding, I’ve always had good experiences with sales and support. I understand that has been the official argument over the years, the problem is that this is something that your competition is able to do more and more often. The inability to meet customer needs, whether technical or financial, will not be met with endless loyalty when there are other, seemingly more hospitable options out there. I really want to see OF succeed, it’s a better product. But the validity of that argument is fading fast.
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Response from developer
Thanks for the kind words about OmniFocus, and sorry for the pricing frustration! As you've probably heard over the years, it's not a sustainable business model for us to offer free upgrades for life to those who pay once for OmniFocus—that's why we've released paid upgrades in the past, and will continue to do so for those who choose that model. We've added the OmniFocus Subscription for those who are interested in paying one price for OmniFocus everywhere, and the discounted Web Add-on (available from our website) for our existing customers that want to add web access (which we are similarly unable to give away in perpetuity). Whether you're paying a la cart or for the subscription, we stand by the value that OmniFocus offers those who make use of its advanced functionality—but we acknowledge that it's a tough transition for those who might have preferred the all-in-one model and feel locked into our a-la-carte model based on previous purchases. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to email sales@omnigroup.com so that we can help.
Keeps me sane
I have used Omnifocus for several years on the desktop and iOS. It keeps me sane and on top of what needs to get done. There is a lot of power here, so take the time to use the trial and see if it makes sense for you. I have come to appreciate its customizability and useful features, which allow me to stay on top of my tasks and review them when I need to using the “review” feature, and also view my data in different ways, using the “perspectives”, (saved searches) feature. I don’t mind paying for something if I think it will return value, and Omnifocus definitely does that for me.
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Apple-like...
...In that I don’t really enjoy using it, but since it’s the still best option, I will pay a large sum of money to get the job done.
Please consider rethinking the home screen layout, it just isn’t very useful and makes it hard to see what I need to at a glance. Get another UI person to come up with some ideas or something. I don’t know, I’m just an idea guy.
Please consider bringing over the colors/bolder fonts from the Mac app, that while aren’t perfect, still add a lot in terms of visual cohesion and the ability to make sense of things in a somewhat cluttered interface.
Please use more white space so it’s easier to tell items apart. It just looks like a cluttered mess of text most of the time.
This is still the best option, and really the only app out there that can scale with the volume and complexity of your projects. Also, review is great for gtd.
But please, pretty please, overhaul the interface with an emphasis on clarity, usability, and easy differentiation between items on the screen. This should have been the focus of the update, imo. What I’m paying for instead is iPhone XR screen size, the ability of the app to not crash constantly like OF2 does now, and tags. Which are great. Making great apps is a hard thing and you folks are trying your hardest, but I doubt I’m the only one who thinks the interface could be improved.
Thanks for reading.
Please consider rethinking the home screen layout, it just isn’t very useful and makes it hard to see what I need to at a glance. Get another UI person to come up with some ideas or something. I don’t know, I’m just an idea guy.
Please consider bringing over the colors/bolder fonts from the Mac app, that while aren’t perfect, still add a lot in terms of visual cohesion and the ability to make sense of things in a somewhat cluttered interface.
Please use more white space so it’s easier to tell items apart. It just looks like a cluttered mess of text most of the time.
This is still the best option, and really the only app out there that can scale with the volume and complexity of your projects. Also, review is great for gtd.
But please, pretty please, overhaul the interface with an emphasis on clarity, usability, and easy differentiation between items on the screen. This should have been the focus of the update, imo. What I’m paying for instead is iPhone XR screen size, the ability of the app to not crash constantly like OF2 does now, and tags. Which are great. Making great apps is a hard thing and you folks are trying your hardest, but I doubt I’m the only one who thinks the interface could be improved.
Thanks for reading.
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Irreplaceable
I use OmniFocus for deep project tracking, and it’s positively irreplaceable.
For a long time I thought I needed to pick one to-do manager for everything, and I tried to pick The Perfect One... and then try to shoehorn everything into it. I finally realized that the right tool for the task sometimes means similar tools - hey, I have 3 different sized needle-nosed pliers in my toolbox, why not the same idea in software?
I use OmniFocus for work projects; from overview to unlimited detail, I can see what I need when I need it. I can jot things quickly on my phone when they occur to me, and then organize them later on my Mac, and it all syncs perfectly and instantaneously. With the Pro purchase (well worth it to me), I use custom views and add client logos to their project views to make zeroing in on them easier. And to keep from being overwhelmed when actually working, I can easily use the Focus tools to see and stay in just the parts I’m working on today.
Overall, it’s a fantastic tool. There’s more complex elements that I just don’t care about (due dates, dependencies, stuff like that), but they’re easy to just ignore; OmniFocus doesn’t force me to work their way, they let me work my way.
Great company, great history, great tools. 5 stars.
For a long time I thought I needed to pick one to-do manager for everything, and I tried to pick The Perfect One... and then try to shoehorn everything into it. I finally realized that the right tool for the task sometimes means similar tools - hey, I have 3 different sized needle-nosed pliers in my toolbox, why not the same idea in software?
I use OmniFocus for work projects; from overview to unlimited detail, I can see what I need when I need it. I can jot things quickly on my phone when they occur to me, and then organize them later on my Mac, and it all syncs perfectly and instantaneously. With the Pro purchase (well worth it to me), I use custom views and add client logos to their project views to make zeroing in on them easier. And to keep from being overwhelmed when actually working, I can easily use the Focus tools to see and stay in just the parts I’m working on today.
Overall, it’s a fantastic tool. There’s more complex elements that I just don’t care about (due dates, dependencies, stuff like that), but they’re easy to just ignore; OmniFocus doesn’t force me to work their way, they let me work my way.
Great company, great history, great tools. 5 stars.
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Best to do app - I’d love better calendar integration
I’ve tried every single task management app that exists for iPhone or Mac. OmniFocus is the best, especially now that it supports tags. The ability to set start dates rather than (or in addition to) due dates also makes a big difference. You can also set reminders independently of whether and when you set a due date.
My only complaint is that the calendar integration is lacking. The app’s forecast view is really limited. There’s no way to way to view OF tasks in a calendar app.
My only complaint is that the calendar integration is lacking. The app’s forecast view is really limited. There’s no way to way to view OF tasks in a calendar app.
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A Must Have For Productivity!
I recently upgraded from OmniFocus 2 to OmniFocus 3. At first I was a bit disappointed. Stylistically the app doesn’t look much different than the previous version until after a few days later when I realized that there is so much under the hood. In fact it is a brand new an incredibly powerful productivity tool that has maintained the same familiarity that its users have grown accustomed to, while adding tremendous amount of power and flexibility, so much so that I would say whether you follow GTD or any other system, or you want to make your own OmniFocus can support that. The note field is absolutely incredible. You can add an email and it would display as if you are viewing it in your email client. Tags are incredibly powerful and easy. Custom perspectives can organize your data however you like to view it . While you can customize the app to such degree that it no longer looks like when you first got it, it is incredibly powerful and useful right out of the box. Another feature that I absolutely love is the Review Perspective which is so unique to OmniFocus and not offered by any other productivity app on the market. I can keep writing but all of this is a testament to the OmniGroup for their ability and understanding of how to make us more productive while enjoying the process. Many, many Thanks!!!
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Best there is
No app is perfect, regardless of what kind it is or what its purpose is. OmniFocus is no different. It’s got its things where I feel it could improve.
With that said, it’s still the best out there in my opinion. It’s a little too pricey I think, especially compared with competitors. I’m sure many people won’t even give it a try because of the price. But I bought it anyway, and I’m still satisfied with the product.
I tried Things 3, and although it’s a nice app, it just wasn’t as full featured as I needed. And something about it just didn’t lend itself toward helping to motivate me to be productive. OmniFocus, however, has done its todo job well, as well as helped motivate me.
Anyway, my suggestion, don’t purchase unless you’re committed to doing it. Try it for 2 weeks and give it a fair shake. If it works for you, congrats. It did for me.
With that said, it’s still the best out there in my opinion. It’s a little too pricey I think, especially compared with competitors. I’m sure many people won’t even give it a try because of the price. But I bought it anyway, and I’m still satisfied with the product.
I tried Things 3, and although it’s a nice app, it just wasn’t as full featured as I needed. And something about it just didn’t lend itself toward helping to motivate me to be productive. OmniFocus, however, has done its todo job well, as well as helped motivate me.
Anyway, my suggestion, don’t purchase unless you’re committed to doing it. Try it for 2 weeks and give it a fair shake. If it works for you, congrats. It did for me.
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Great Product Terrible Licensing Structure
Unfortunately I thought I found the app I’ve been looking for, with great features it was exactly what I wanted. I purchased the app after using it for a day. I assumed that I would be able to access my information from the app and my Mac however that’s not true. You will need to purchase the software twice to access the same information cross platform which will cost about 100$ that’s with a student discount. Do yourself a favor and skip this product, don’t allow companies to think it’s okay to license a product like this. You clearly need to be able to access this app cross platform to get any value from it. Don’t nickel and dime your customers, I would and unfortunately did tell everyone I know how great this app was it’s to bad that the business behind it isn’t. I will be sure to retract all of the positive things I told people regarding this app. Why pay full price for something twice...
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Long Time OmniFocus Sopporter
I have been an on and off Omni Focus user for years and spent hours attempting to navigate the steep learning curve. I actually believe the time spent is worth the effort because this is really a good program with one blaring issue.
This is supposed to be a scheduling program? The point is putting all this info in a program designed to keep track and keep you from missing deadlines is severely lacking in it’s ability to schedule.
Example: One of the things I keep track of repeats every third day after last competition. I’ve used 2Do, Things, etc and they can all do it...the only one that can’t is Omni Focus.
The most expensive and complicated of all the GTD programs. You see I need to put 3 days between the day of completion and the next event. This means if I’m late or earlier the next due date must change. (ie 3 days from completion of last event). In fact Omni Focus seems to only be able to handle the most simple of due, repeat or completion dates. So disappointing for the price.
I’m now back with Things although it’s really simplistic and I’d rather be with Omni Focus. If I had to chose I’d pick 2Do as the best it’s just really ugly. Really disappointed in Omni Focus and am not interested in using Reminders or some other program to prop up this expensive program.
This is supposed to be a scheduling program? The point is putting all this info in a program designed to keep track and keep you from missing deadlines is severely lacking in it’s ability to schedule.
Example: One of the things I keep track of repeats every third day after last competition. I’ve used 2Do, Things, etc and they can all do it...the only one that can’t is Omni Focus.
The most expensive and complicated of all the GTD programs. You see I need to put 3 days between the day of completion and the next event. This means if I’m late or earlier the next due date must change. (ie 3 days from completion of last event). In fact Omni Focus seems to only be able to handle the most simple of due, repeat or completion dates. So disappointing for the price.
I’m now back with Things although it’s really simplistic and I’d rather be with Omni Focus. If I had to chose I’d pick 2Do as the best it’s just really ugly. Really disappointed in Omni Focus and am not interested in using Reminders or some other program to prop up this expensive program.
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