OmniFocus alternative
The OmniFocus alternative that works on every device
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You love OmniFocus. You just can't use it everywhere. SingleFocus brings defer dates, sequential projects, custom perspectives, and a built-in weekly review to any browser — Windows, Android, Linux, Chromebook, or your locked-down work laptop.
The cross-platform problem OmniFocus won't solve
OmniFocus is the most powerful GTD implementation ever built. That's not disputed. But it only works on Apple devices — and while its web app does support basic task management (including defer dates and sequential projects), it lacks search, review mode, the ability to create or edit custom perspectives, and mobile optimization.
Ken Case, Omni Group's CEO, said it plainly: “Developing new features isn't the top priority of our web team. Our web team's top priority is to keep the service running efficiently and reliably.”
If you use a Windows PC at work, carry an Android phone, or occasionally need to check tasks on a borrowed computer, you're stuck. The workarounds OmniFocus users have tried tell the story:
- Propping an iPad next to a Windows PC at their desk
- Renting a virtual Mac via Remote Desktop ($25+/month)
- Emailing tasks through Mail Drop and processing them later on a Mac
- Running two separate task systems — one for work, one for home
As one user on the Omni Group forums put it: “Thousands of people having to run two separate to-do list manager systems is what marketing experts call 'an important but unmet customer need.'”
This breaks GTD's most fundamental principle: ubiquitous capture. If your system isn't available everywhere, it isn't your trusted system. (For a deeper look at why this matters, see how defer dates work and our full GTD app comparison.)
What OmniFocus users miss most when they switch
Every OmniFocus user who's switched to Todoist, TickTick, or Things 3 reports the same frustrations. The features that made OmniFocus irreplaceable simply don't exist elsewhere:
Defer dates
The ability to hide a task until it becomes actionable. Todoist still doesn't have this after years of user requests. Without it, your task list becomes a wall of things you can't act on yet — visual clutter that defeats the purpose of GTD.
Sequential projects
When a project is sequential, only the next action is visible. This is core GTD — you shouldn't see “Record podcast” when you haven't finished “Write podcast script” yet. Only OmniFocus and Nirvana support this natively.
Custom perspectives
Saved filtered views that let you see exactly the tasks relevant to your current context. OmniFocus's killer feature — and one that can't even be created or edited on its own web version.
Review mode
A dedicated workflow for the GTD weekly review that walks through each project. No other cross-platform app offers this. Not Todoist. Not TickTick. Not even OmniFocus's web app.
SingleFocus: OmniFocus-level GTD, in any browser
SingleFocus was built specifically for people who need OmniFocus's power but can't live inside Apple's ecosystem. Every feature that makes OmniFocus great for GTD — available on any device with a browser.
| Feature | OmniFocus | OF Web | SingleFocus |
|---|---|---|---|
| Defer/start dates | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Sequential & parallel projects | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Custom perspectives (create & edit) | ✓ | View only | ✓ |
| Weekly review mode | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ |
| Full-text search | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ |
| Repeating tasks (create & edit) | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ |
| Windows / Android / Linux | ✗ | Limited | ✓ |
| ML-powered “What should I do next?” | ~* | ✗ | ✓ |
| Calendar integration (iCal) | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ |
| REST API | Omni Automation | ✗ | ✓ |
* OmniFocus 4.8+ supports Apple Intelligence plug-ins (opt-in, macOS Tahoe/iOS 26) for AI-assisted planning — not built-in ML analysis or automatic priority suggestions.
Features OmniFocus doesn't have
SingleFocus isn't just an OmniFocus clone on the web. It adds capabilities that OmniFocus has never offered:
Why not Todoist, TickTick, or Nirvana?
Most OmniFocus refugees end up on Todoist, TickTick, or Nirvana. Each involves real trade-offs:
Todoist has 30 million users and the best natural language input, but no start dates, no sequential projects, and no review mode. You'll spend your time building workarounds for features OmniFocus had built in. The December 2025 price hike to $60/year made it less compelling.
TickTick is the best value at $36/year with a Pomodoro timer and habit tracker built in, but its start dates require an end date (not true defer dates), it has no sequential projects, and sync reliability is a persistent concern.
Nirvana is the closest GTD match with sequential projects and defer dates, but lacks custom perspectives, has no review mode, and has a utilitarian interface. It's still actively maintained as of 2026, though feature development has been gradual.
SingleFocus is the only cross-platform app that combines defer dates, sequential projects, custom perspectives, and a built-in weekly review. The full GTD toolkit, on any device. For a detailed comparison with Todoist specifically, see Todoist vs SingleFocus.
Your data stays yours
OmniFocus users trust their system with their entire professional lives. Switching to a new tool — especially from a solo developer — raises fair questions. Here's how SingleFocus addresses them:
Related guides
OmniFocus for Windows: the alternatives
OmniFocus doesn’t run on Windows. Here’s what actually works for GTD on a PC.
Best GTD app in 2026
Which apps actually support GTD? Honest comparison of every option with the features that matter.
The case for defer dates
Why defer dates are the most underrated feature in task management and which apps have them.
Ready to stop running two systems?
SingleFocus is free during early access. Sign up, import your tasks, and run your full GTD workflow from any device — in under 5 minutes.
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