OmniFocus vs Things

Updated October 2026 · AppBreakup editorial

OmniFocus

A deep GTD-style task manager for Apple devices, with perspectives, reviews and a web version.

Paid

Visit OmniFocus OmniFocus profile

Things

Cultured Code's design-led personal task manager for Mac, iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch and Vision Pro.

Paid

Visit Things Things profile

The short answer

Both are Apple-focused personal task managers. Pick Things if you want a simple, elegant list you buy once and can learn in an afternoon. Pick OmniFocus if you follow Getting Things Done closely and want defer dates, sequential projects, scheduled reviews and custom views. The biggest difference is depth versus ease: OmniFocus offers far more control, Things is far quicker to use.

OmniFocus or Things: our take

Things keeps planning simple: an Inbox, Today, This Evening, Upcoming and Someday, with projects and headings grouped into areas of responsibility. Calendar events appear above your Today list. Its design has won the Apple Design Award twice, and Quick Entry, tags, checklists and a URL scheme with JSON commands give power users room without cluttering the interface. OmniFocus is built for people who want the system to decide what surfaces when. Projects can be parallel or sequential, tasks can have defer, planned and due dates, tags act as contexts, a Forecast view merges due items with your calendar, and a Review mode walks through every project on a schedule. Pro adds custom perspectives, focus mode and Omni Automation scripting. That depth comes with a steep learning curve.

Things is a one-time App Store purchase per device type, with Mac, iPhone and iPad versions sold separately and sync through the free Things Cloud. OmniFocus can be bought outright or by subscription, and the subscription includes OmniFocus for the Web. There is a 14-day free trial. OmniFocus is generally pricier than most personal task apps.

The web version matters for people who are not all-Apple: it is the only way to use OmniFocus on Windows or Android, while Things has no web or non-Apple option at all. OmniFocus sync is end-to-end encrypted, or you can use your own WebDAV server. Neither app is built for sharing tasks with others.

If you want a to-do list that stays out of the way and you rarely need more than dates and projects, Things is the better daily companion. If you run a full GTD practice with many projects and contexts, or occasionally need browser access on a non-Apple computer, OmniFocus is worth the extra effort.

Choose OmniFocus if…

GTD practitioners on Apple devices who want maximum control over how tasks surface
You need Web, which Things doesn't list
Defer dates, sequential projects and reviews suit GTD closely
Custom perspectives build almost any view

Choose Things if…

Apple-only users who want a beautiful personal to-do list without a subscription
Clean, fast interface that is pleasant to use daily
One-time purchases instead of a subscription

What is OmniFocus?

OmniFocus, from The Omni Group, is the heavyweight of Apple task managers and a favourite of people who follow David Allen's Getting Things Done method closely. Projects can be parallel or sequential, tasks can have defer, planned and due dates, tags work as contexts, and a Forecast view combines due items with your calendar. A built-in Review mode walks you through every project on a schedule, and Pro features add custom perspectives (saved views with their own rules), focus mode and Omni Automation scripting. Sync goes through Omni's free service with end-to-end encryption, or your own WebDAV server. The learning curve is real, and the depth is overkill for simple lists. You can buy it outright or subscribe; the subscription also includes OmniFocus for the Web, which is the only option on Windows and Android. Native apps cover Mac, iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch and Vision Pro, and there is a free 14-day trial.

What is Things?

Things is a task manager made only for Apple devices, known for a calm, carefully designed interface that many people find easier to keep using than busier apps. You collect to-dos in an Inbox, plan them into Today, This Evening, Upcoming or Someday, and group them into projects with headings that sit inside broader areas of your life. Your calendar events appear above the Today list so the whole day is visible in one place, and a Quick Entry window, tags, checklists inside to-dos and deep Shortcuts and URL-scheme support cover power-user needs. What it deliberately lacks: there is no web app, no Windows or Android version, no task sharing or collaboration, and no file attachments. Instead of a subscription, each app is a one-time App Store purchase, with Mac, iPhone (including Watch) and iPad versions sold separately, and sync through the free Things Cloud. It has won the Apple Design Award twice.

Side by side

Attribute	OmniFocus	Things
Pricing	Paid	Paid
Open source	No	No
Self-hostable	No	No
Platforms	macOS, iOS, Web	macOS, iOS
Best for	GTD practitioners on Apple devices who want maximum control over how tasks surface	Apple-only users who want a beautiful personal to-do list without a subscription
Status	Active	Active