beorg vs OmniFocus

beorg

• Emacs Org mode users who want their files on iPhone and iPad
• People who want tasks kept in plain text files they control
• Choosing where data is stored: iCloud, Dropbox or WebDAV

OmniFocus

• People managing many projects on Apple devices
• Workflows built around defer dates, tags and regular project reviews
• Buyers who want to choose between a one-time license and a subscription

beorg

• It is offered for iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch only. On a computer the files are edited in another Org mode editor such as Emacs, and the vendor points Android users to Orgzly.
• Encryption, Box sync, saved searches, task timers, properties and UI themes are paid extensions, and the free version allows 2 task templates.
• Premium is a subscription, $1.49 monthly or $9.99 annually on the US App Store; single extensions are separate in-app purchases.

OmniFocus

• Native apps are for Apple devices only. Web access comes with the subscription or costs $4.99 a month on top of a license.
• Custom perspectives, Focus mode and automation are Pro features and are not in the $74.99 Standard license.
• There is no free plan; after the 14-day trial the app falls back to a viewer mode.
• Education discounts do not apply to subscriptions or to purchases made through the App Store.

beorg

Plain-text Org mode files

Tasks, projects and notes are saved as plain text in Org mode syntax, so the files can be viewed and edited in Emacs and other editors on macOS, Windows and Linux.

Sync through storage you choose

Files sync through iCloud, Dropbox, WebDAV or a folder from another file provider app. Box sync is a paid extension.

Weekly agenda and notifications

A weekly agenda shows scheduled items and deadlines next to events from iOS calendars, and notifications warn of upcoming items. The agenda is also available on Apple Watch.

Tasks and outliner

Tasks take custom states, priorities, tags, notes, and scheduled, deadline and repeating dates. The outliner folds sections, rearranges items and supports subtasks.

Quick capture

New tasks go to an inbox or straight to a file, and the share extension adds text and links from other apps to the inbox.

Scripting, PDF export and backups

A built-in Scheme scripting language creates custom task filters and customizes the editor. Outlines export to PDF, and the app keeps up to 7 days of file backups.

OmniFocus

Projects, folders and tags

Actions are grouped into projects and folders and labeled with tags, flags, due dates and defer dates. Repeat schedules handle recurring work.

Forecast

Shows upcoming actions together with calendar events. Calendar integration is available in the native apps but not in the web version.

Review

A review mode steps through projects at a regular interval, such as once a week, so that projects and goals stay current.

Custom perspectives and Focus (Pro)

Pro adds custom perspectives, which are saved views built from filtering and grouping rules in a perspective editor, along with Focus mode.

Automation (Pro)

Pro runs Omni Automation plug-ins and, on Mac, AppleScripts.

Encrypted sync

Syncing through the free Omni Sync Server or a server of your own is described by the vendor as end-to-end encrypted. The web version requires Omni Sync Server.

beorg

• Free$0

  Unlimited files, tasks, weekly agenda, search, 2 task templates, and iCloud, Dropbox, WebDAV or folder sync.

• Individual extensions$0.99 - $2.99

  per extension, in-app purchase; period not labelled

  Extensions bought one at a time. The US App Store lists Dark Mode at $0.99, Properties at $1.99, and Saved Searches, Templates and Task Timers at $2.99 each.

• beorg Premium - Monthly$1.49

  per month

  Unlocks every extension, including encryption, Box sync, saved searches, task timers, properties, UI themes and unlimited task templates.

• beorg Premium - Annual$9.99

  per year

  The same Premium subscription with every extension unlocked, billed once a year.

OmniFocus

• OmniFocus for the Web Subscription$4.99

  per month, or $49.99 per year

  Browser access as an add-on. Requires an existing OmniFocus setup on Mac, iPad, iPhone or Apple Vision Pro.

• v4 Standard License$74.99

  one-time purchase

  Version 4 with all 4.x updates on Mac, iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch and Apple Vision Pro, with the standard feature set.

• OmniFocus Subscription$99.99

  per year

  The latest Pro version on Mac, iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch and Apple Vision Pro plus web access, with no charge for major version upgrades.

• v4 Pro License$149.99

  one-time purchase

  Version 4 with all 4.x updates, plus the Pro features: custom perspectives, Focus mode and automation.

beorg

• Annual discount

  Annual Premium costs about 44% less

  The US App Store lists beorg Premium at $1.49 monthly or $9.99 annually, so a year on the annual plan costs about 44% less than twelve monthly payments.

OmniFocus

• Lifetime license

  One-time v4 license instead of a subscription

  A v4 Standard ($74.99) or Pro ($149.99) license is bought once and kept, with all 4.x updates included, as an alternative to the $99.99 yearly subscription.

• Education

  Education pricing on licenses

  Staff, faculty and students of accredited educational organizations can buy discounted licenses from Omni's Educational Store. Subscriptions and App Store purchases are excluded.

• Other savings

  Quantity discount on perpetual licenses

  Each license beyond the first in the same transaction takes a further 5% off the whole order, up to 30%. The discount is not available on subscriptions.

• Other savings

  Family sharing through an Omni Account

  A personal license or subscription can unlock the apps for immediate family members living in the same household. OmniFocus for the Web access cannot be shared.

• Other savings

  Upgrade pricing for owners of versions 1 to 3

  The purchase page says upgrade discounts are available. The App Store listing shows upgrades from v1-v3 at $37.49 for v4 Standard and $74.99 for v4 Pro, half the full license prices.