Mindwtr vs OmniFocus

Mindwtr

• People who follow Getting Things Done and want the method built in
• Keeping tasks on your own devices with no account
• Linux users who want the same app on desktop and phone
• Syncing through Dropbox, WebDAV, iCloud or a server you run

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

Mindwtr

• It is built for one person: the site says it is not designed for shared workspaces, task assignments or team discussion.
• There is no hosted web app. The browser version (PWA) has to be self-hosted, stores data in localStorage and lacks some desktop features.
• The maker runs no sync service of its own, so syncing depends on iCloud, Dropbox, WebDAV, a shared folder or a server you host.
• It is maintained by one developer and funded by donations through Ko-fi and GitHub Sponsors.

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.

Mindwtr

Guided GTD workflow

Inbox, Next, Waiting For and Someday lists with projects, areas and contexts. Inbox processing is guided and applies the two-minute rule, and wizards walk through daily and weekly reviews.

Focus, calendar and board views

Focus shows a time-based agenda next to the next actions. A calendar plans dated tasks and subscribes to external calendars and ICS feeds, and a Kanban board moves tasks between status lists.

Quick capture

Tasks are added by a global hotkey, the tray, the share sheet, a widget or voice, and the quick-add line reads contexts and due dates as you type. Spoken tasks are transcribed into the Inbox.

Local data with sync you choose

Tasks are stored as SQLite and JSON on the device. Sync is optional and runs through iCloud, Dropbox, a folder, WebDAV or a self-hosted server, and a JSON export serves as a backup.

Import from other task apps

Importers bring in tasks from Todoist, TickTick, DGT GTD and OmniFocus, and the desktop app can import an Obsidian vault with links back to the source notes.

Optional AI, local API and MCP

An AI assistant is off by default and uses your own provider key or a local model. The desktop app has a token-authenticated localhost REST API, and an MCP server lets AI tools manage tasks.

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.

Mindwtr

• Free$0

  All features on every platform, including sync through a service you choose, import, backup, the local API and the MCP server.

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.

Mindwtr

No public discounts listed.

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.