OmniFocus is the best task manager for Mac. But don’t take my word for it…

OmniFocus is an application I told myself I would not be buying.  After switching from one task manager to another trying to find the perfect app for my GTD system, I realized I had wasted enough time and decided to stick with what was already working just fine, Ethan Schoonover’s kGTD.

I saw the early screenshots of OmniFocus and thought it looked a lot like kGTD.  Ho-hum.  Comments on websites for popular free alternatives like iGTD were declaring OmniFocus obsolete before it reached beta, and I had to wonder whether it would have enough features to make it viable even as freeware.  Add to this the taunts about OmniFocus being vaporware - maybe it would never hit the market?

But it has.  And it kicks.

I’m not going to try to convert anyone who’s already using a task manager like iGTD, Actiontastic, or Life Balance (is anyone still using that?), but if you’re running kGTD or aren’t committed to an app yet, you owe it to yourself to check out the free download and watch the intro video (hi-def, 180MB; normal, 50MB). 

The developers are releasing an updated version almost every day, which means they’re still working on minor issues, but if you try OmniFocus now and decide to buy before the full release on January 8, you can save 50%, bringing the price to $39.95.  If you already bought OmniOutliner Pro to run kGTD, the price is $29.95.

I’m still learning the program, and often by trial and error since there isn’t a full user’s manual yet, but here are some of the things I’m really liking so far:

1. All projects are easily viewable at a glance in the sidebar, which makes weekly reviews much simpler.  Projects in kGTD weren’t so easily scannable.
2. No syncing required - changes are updated automatically.  kGTD users will appreciate this.
3. The user interface is incredibly intuitive.  Hitting ENTER after typing the name of a new project brings you to the pane where you’ll enter actions and hitting ENTER again puts the cursor in the field to start typing.  This is just one of many examples where keyboard commands do exactly what I expect them to.
4. Great “quick entry” capability for adding tasks and projects while using other apps.
5. Tons of filtering options.

OmniFocus has really exceeded my expectations and I’m having fun using it.  While it might be impossible to find the perfect app, OmniFocus is showing every sign it will be the premier task manager for the Mac whether you’re into GTD or not.