OmniFocus vs Sorted³ (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 12, 2026, OmniFocus and Sorted³ share a 2.4 GPA, and only Sorted³ has a free plan.
Checked Oct 4, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 · graded Oct 10, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 by ToolGPA
OmniFocus grades higher on features and platforms. Sorted³ grades higher on value for money. They get the same grade on the free plan and ease of use.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
OmniFocus
Project-based task manager for Apple devices, with a web companion
Sorted³
Day planner that puts tasks, events and notes on one timeline
Which one is for you
Pick OmniFocus if
- Fits if you juggle dozens of projects and review them every week
- Works for people who'd rather buy a licence once than subscribe
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you use Windows or Android, as the native apps are Apple only
- Pricey if you want custom perspectives, Focus or automation, since those need the $149.99 Pro licence
- Not for you if you just want a simple list, because there's a lot to learn here
- Watch out: there's no free plan, and after the 14-day trial the app turns into a viewer
- Watch out: web access is $4.99 a month on top of a licence, and education discounts skip subscriptions and App Store buys
Pick Sorted³ if
- Fits if you use only Apple devices and want tasks placed on a timeline
- Works for people who like to plan each day by time blocks
Look elsewhere if
- Not for you if you use Windows or Android, as it is Apple only
- Pricey if you want both devices, as iOS and Mac PRO are separate purchases
- Watch out: the pages do not spell out which features are free and which need PRO
- Watch out: sync is through iCloud, so it does not reach non-Apple devices
How we grade them
| 2.4GPAOmniFocusFair | 2.4GPASorted³Fair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | CThe $74.99 Standard licence is under two years of this category's middle subscription. The rest isn't: custom perspectives and automation mean the $149.99 Pro licence, the subscription is $99.99 a year, and browser access is $4.99 a month on top of a licence. | APRO is $14.99 once on iOS or $24.99 on Mac, under a year of the to-do middle subscription ($48). |
| Free plan and trial | CNo free plan. You get 14 days with no automatic charge if you start the trial from an Omni Account, and then the app becomes a viewer: your tasks are still there to look at, and that's all. | CThe core app is free with no subscription and PRO can be previewed for 14 days, but the pages do not say which features need PRO. |
| Features | BIt covers the whole job: projects, folders, tags, flags, due and defer dates, repeats, a Forecast that shows calendar events beside actions, and Review that walks your projects on a schedule. Custom perspectives, Focus and automation are Pro only. | CTimeline, auto scheduling, lists, repeat rules and widgets, but sync goes through iCloud only. |
| Ease of use | C4.02 from 342 App Store ratings, in the middle band for this category. And there's a lot to hold in your head: perspectives, defer dates, review cycles, tags against projects. Expect more than a week before it's routine. | CNo store rating on record. There is a timeline and scheduling method to learn first. |
| Platforms and integrations | BMac, iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch and Vision Pro cover phone and computer, and there's a browser version, though it needs an Apple setup first and loses calendar integration. No Windows or Android, and Apple Calendar is the only integration listed. | CiPhone, iPad and Mac only, with no Windows, Android or web version. |
| Best for | running lots of projects on Apple devices | auto-scheduling tasks on a day timeline for Apple devices |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: OmniFocus and Sorted³. How we grade
Where they differ
- OmniFocus is end-to-end encrypted, according to its own site.
- Sorted³ also covers natural-language input, time blocking and auto-scheduling.
At a glance
| OmniFocus | Sorted³ | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free trial | Free plan |
| Starts at | $74.99 one-time for a v4 Standard license, or $99.99 per year by subscription | $14.99 one-time for PRO on iOS ($24.99 on macOS) |
| Free plan | None | The core app is free with no subscription, and the App Store listing says PRO features can be tried for 14 days. |
| Free trial | 14-day free trial with no automatic charge when started from an Omni Account; afterwards the app is a free viewer. | 14-day preview of PRO features, per the App Store listing |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| iOS | ||
| Made by | The Omni Group | StaySorted Limited |
| Price read from | omnigroup.com | sortedapp.com |
| Checked | Oct 4, 2026 | Nov 12, 2026 |
Worth knowing
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.
Sorted³
- Runs on iPhone, iPad and Mac only; the vendor's pages list no Windows, Android or web version.
- iOS and macOS PRO are separate purchases, so using both costs more than either alone.
- The vendor's text does not spell out which features are free and which need PRO.
- Sync goes through iCloud, so it does not reach non-Apple devices.
Key features
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.
Sorted³
- Unified timeline
- Tasks, calendar events and notes sit together on one timeline for the day, with formatted notes and attachments on both.
- Auto Schedule
- Fits your tasks into the open time in a day so you can see what is realistic to finish.
- Time Ruler and Magic Select
- Gestures to shift, merge or split tasks and push the rest of the day around when plans change.
- Folders, lists and tags
- Organize larger work into folders, lists and tags, and split big tasks into smaller ones.
- Natural language and repeat rules
- The App Store listing names natural language entry, repeat rules, Siri integration and a URL scheme.
- iCloud sync and widgets
- Syncs through iCloud and offers widgets for iOS and macOS.
Plans
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.
Sorted³
Free$0
Core app on iOS and macOS; the vendor calls it free forever.
PRO for iOS$14.99
one-time, iOS only
Unlocks the full app on iPhone and iPad; shown on the vendor's pricing section with a hidden note about a limited-time community promo.
PRO for macOS$24.99
one-time, macOS only
Unlocks the full app on Mac. iOS and macOS PRO are separate purchases, and the App Store says a bundle is also sold.
Ways to pay less
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.
Sorted³
No public discounts listed.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, OmniFocus or Sorted³?
As of Nov 12, 2026, OmniFocus starts at $74.99 one-time for a v4 Standard license, or $99.99 per year by subscription, and Sorted³ starts at $14.99 one-time for PRO on iOS ($24.99 on macOS).
Which has a free plan, OmniFocus or Sorted³?
As of Nov 12, 2026, only Sorted³ has a free plan. OmniFocus does not, though it has a free trial.
Which platforms do OmniFocus and Sorted³ run on?
As of Nov 12, 2026, only OmniFocus lists a web app. Both list macOS and iOS apps. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.