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EnglishWhat Is the Difference Between OmniFocus, OmniPlan, OmniGraffle, and OmniOutliner?
Updated
The Omni Group makes four Mac, iPad, and iPhone apps that are often grouped together as the "Omni Productivity Suite," but they solve different problems. OmniFocus manages tasks and execution, OmniPlan manages complex projects and teams, OmniGraffle handles diagrams, rapid prototypes, and visual design, and OmniOutliner organizes and restructures information. If you only need to decide which one fits your work, the fastest test is to ask what your output is: a finished task list (OmniFocus), a coordinated project schedule (OmniPlan), a visual diagram or prototype (OmniGraffle), or a structured document (OmniOutliner).
The four products at a glance
| Product | Primary job | Typical output | Best fit when… |
|---|---|---|---|
| OmniFocus | Task management for busy professionals | A prioritized, actionable task system | You need to focus on the right tasks at the right time |
| OmniPlan | Managing complex projects and coordinating teams | A project plan and schedule | You need to coordinate people and continuously improve processes |
| OmniGraffle | Diagramming, rapid prototyping, and design | A diagram, wireframe, or visual layout | You need to organize or communicate something visually |
| OmniOutliner | Organizing and reorganizing information | A structured outline or document | You need to see the full picture and structure information effortlessly |
How to choose between them
Choose OmniFocus if your problem is execution
OmniFocus is described as powerful task management software for busy professionals, with tools to help tame the chaos so you can focus on the right tasks at the right time. Pick it when the bottleneck is not planning the work but actually doing it — capturing commitments, deciding what matters now, and working through tasks.
Choose OmniPlan if your problem is coordination
OmniPlan gives you the power to manage complex projects, coordinate teams, and continuously improve your processes. Pick it when multiple people, dependencies, or timelines have to line up, and when the plan itself needs to be maintained and improved over time.
Choose OmniGraffle if your problem is visual communication
OmniGraffle has the power to diagram, rapid-prototype, and design, and was made for professionals who need to organize or communicate visually. Pick it when a list or a schedule is not enough and you need a diagram, a prototype, or a designed layout to make your point.
Choose OmniOutliner if your problem is structure
OmniOutliner is a powerful tool for organizing (and reorganizing) information, so you can see the full picture and structure your information effortlessly. Pick it when your raw material is ideas, notes, or content that needs shape before it becomes anything else.
Where the categories overlap
The suite is organized around four verbs — execute, plan, design, and organize — which is a useful way to separate them, but real work often crosses those lines. A project plan may start as an outline in OmniOutliner before it becomes a schedule in OmniPlan. A task list in OmniFocus may depend on a diagram produced in OmniGraffle. The distinction is not which app can technically hold the information, but which one is built around the job you are doing most.
Practical next steps
The Omni Group's site provides product pages, downloads, support, a blog, videos, and a newsletter, so you can review each app's description before committing. If you are still unsure, start from the verb that matches your current bottleneck — execute, plan, design, or organize — and read that product's page first.