OmniOutliner 3 Negative Reviews

OmniOutliner 3 App Complaints & User Negative Comments 2024

OmniOutliner 3 app received 38 complaints, negative comments and reviews by users. Have you ever had a bad experience using OmniOutliner 3? Can you share your negative thoughts about omnioutliner 3?

OmniOutliner 3 for Negative User Reviews

✓ Sub-par for a 10+ year customerClunky in terms of file storage/management (guessing that’s why they have their own syncing system, but if your life is in Dropbox, beware). Worst: if you have Pro on Mac (I do), working on your phone will require Pro - BIG ONE HERE — I bought the “essentials” version so I could jot notes here, but THEN YOU CAN’T OPEN IT ON YOUR MAC. Why? Turns out “essentials” is v2 (not 3), and is viewed as out of date and unsafe. (Imagine Word not being able to open an older version of a doc). Result? Two totally diff docs and your phone/Mac are not compatible together unless you also buy Pro in the phone — which means it’s 40 bucks to make a single edit. Two stars because I’m a long time fan, but I just wasted ten bucks for the iOS version..ValuesleuthVersion: 3.1

✓ Pretty cool UI, I li-... F*** me, it costs how much?!Yeah, I think my review's title says it all.... I really like the design and am pretty sure I would use it frequently for brainstorming and general org of my work notes. But it's only useful to me with the column functions, which costs... $40!! I would've given you up to $7, maybe even $10 if I was feeling frisky, but you priced yourselves right out of a customer here..Fx1085Version: 3.1

✓ Struggling to justify upgrade costHave used Omnigroup apps for a few years and have dutifully upgraded every time. They are good, reliable apps... and I really don’t mind paying for app’s ... but Omnigroup have got this wrong - £20 to upgrade is just too much when I’ve upgraded on the Mac for this app and OmniGraffle which I use almost daily. Stopped using OmniFocus and Omniplan mainly because of cost. One more upgrade at £20 and this one will go too...won’t bother with this one%.LooneyTunesLoverVersion: 3.0.1

✓ Keeps crashingLove this app for its clean simplicity but I can’t trust it now as it keeps crashing on my iPad..Ax 22Version: 3.10

✓ Data lossDo not use in mission critical situations. I made last minute edits to a speech outline and slept the screen for 5 minutes while I got set up. Came back to it at the podium and it had lost the edits altogether. Offline, no other apps active. Not “professional.”.AlsosalientVersion: 3.5

✓ BuggyTons of bugs since update including the search feature erasing text on its own..Jamral86Version: 3.4.2

✓ Just OKIt’s an outliner. And if your expectations are for a simple document that may be enough. Does (now after paying an upgrade fee) allow you to access files through iCloud. But: 1) it remains an expensive upgrade for not a lot of obvious benefit 2) remains a poor cousin to its macOS version which is terrible in its own right. 3). It feels like Omni just keep re releasing the same software each year or two with a new number next to it. Sort out efficient 64bit. Use multiple cores so the thing doesn’t grind to a halt if you change a font across the document. If the file size needs to be limited or if we shouldn’t import opml files in a certain format - then release it as a beta and tell us so so we don’t waste hours and hours and days to figure out that it’s yet another bait and switch app developer on the take. Because that’s how it feels on the end of hours of wasted time with this software which I wish I could bill Omni for. It’s pretty dishonest. As for the “we support iCloud now” comment below - so you should!? It should have been supported in 4. It shouldn’t have required an expensive upgrade just to access something that should have been made available free anyway as a core API. This effort again as for the desktop version (which is already like pulling teeth using it at “pro” level) - makes me miss circus ponies Notebook all the more. It surprises me how much I find myself hating this software which is only exacerbated by feedback from Omni on this review which adds to my impression that they have no insight at all. (But “thank you for taking he time to make a response...” It's expensive. It struggles a lot with what should be it’s basic boring bread and butter - changing themes and fonts in a moderate sized document. It can and does hang for literally hours a lot of the time. It was like this in OO 2/3/4. It’s almost like no one has actually addressed these issues and some genius in marketing just thought he’d fleece us all again. So over this kind of unethical behaviour from app developers. And please don't put a response from some random Omni employee saying to email them for assistance. Assistance would be provided by fixing something that’s been not fit for purpose for several iterations despite the hange in version number. It's just not adequate. Maybe it could be used for a local tennis club's outliner needs but then - you might as well use Airtable or Excel. It would be reasonable value as a bundled extra bit of cheap and cheerful 5c software. Please start again. Buy circusponies Notebook and rebadge it as Omnioutliner. Wish I could get the hours of wasted time I have spent on this garbage. Spare yourself the pain. If you need to use it at pro level - you’re in for lots and lots of pain. Keep looking.1 star less for the annoying response from Omni. Just fix the software..UK.ItunesVersion: 3.0.1

✓ Do Not Like The New UpdateI’d just got to a point where OmniOutliner 3 was workable. The Oct Update isn’t as workable now. The file browser that was built into OmniOutliner was much better, as I could see the thumbnail preview for the folders. Now, no thumbnail view is visible for my folders. This was a very bad move in my view. I also used OmniOutliner quite a lot with OmniFocus, but now find it is harder to find and see the files I want to use. The app is great, just don’t like how the Apple Files manager is now being used..Pro BookkeeperVersion: 3.4

✓ Why do I have to create an account?I have subscriptions to several Mac and iOS apps that I bought on the App Store, all of which have a free trial period before I was charged the subscription fee. While no other app asked me to create an account, OmniOutliner would not me go past the launch page without first creating an account with Omni or just use the free “viewer” (like I need it if I never used Outliner). One of the reasons most off use buy apps ONLY form Apple’s App Stores is that we do not want to create accounts for every app we purchase. I hope the OmniGroup follow the example of other developers and let users try and purchase an use this app without having to create a separate account with Omni, especially since now it appears that we can sync with iCloud instead of Omni’s own sync server..SBCppVersion: 3.8

✓ Can’t find a way to cancel free trialPoor UI. Scammy feeling to be trapped into buying something. I don’t want to buy it..MbsundVersion: 3.7.2

✓ Terrible sync, badly thought-out, not up to OmniGrouo standardsThis app is a functional outliner but has a bunch of really annoying flaws. First, sync is terrible. You have to create a whole separate Omni sync server account (or use a separate WebDAV thing, which nobody uses anymore), and half the time it doesn't sync up. I just had to delete and reinstall to get a document to show up from my iPad. (Also, why do you have to test server compatibility when you log in? It's your own server!!) For Mac, that requires installing a whole separate omnipresence program and keeping it running. It's 2018, almost 2019, why not use iCloud or at least Dropbox, like every other app on earth? Or at least make OmniOutliner sync seamless like OmniFocus is. Also, it's unclear how to actually generate a sync on iOS. Sometimes tapping (or repeatedly hammering) on the little cloud icon does it, sometimes it doesn't, there's very little feedback, no pull to sync. It's just terrible. Second, the outliner itself has a bunch of stupid features. The most obnoxious is that if you start an outline with one of the built in themes, it comes with the filler text shown in that theme, and there's no way to delete it all at once in the iOS app. When I emailed support to ask about this, they essentially said "buy pro and make your own theme without the filler text." So you have to spend thirty bucks to delete filler text. OmniFocus is amazing, it clearly gets a lot more love as a product than OmniOutliner does. Almost like they're from two different companies. I regret spending money for this app..PaultopiaVersion: 3.3.2

✓ Not anywhere near worthy of a new versionIt is laughable how anyone thought the tiny additions to this version merited a major update to v3. It is exactly the same app as v2 but we are being asked to pay an upgrade price of £20. Deleting this (and v2!)..MalllowmanVersion: 3.0.1

✓ Do not buyZero stars. Five black holes. Was an Omni fan (Ten years, outliner, graffle, sketch, upgrades etc. all on Mac) I decided to try Outliner on my iPad (essentials version). Couldn’t even copy and paste some text from a webpage into the outliner. Copy and paste folks! Copy and paste? (Ran tests eg: selected text pasted into other applications just fine eg gmail; opened new outliner files etc). Clearly a bug because on a few occasions when first using app I could copy and paste. Huh?.AndrewR of SydneyVersion: 3.1

✓ Very useful, not that userfriendlyI find this app extremely useful. Great for brainstorming, lists, and working out project strategies. Unfortunately, it is not as easy to use as it could be. Just to change styles is difficult to figure out. The OS version is even worse. Strange that they can't seem to have figured out a way to make things more intuitively..TgjazzVersion: 3.4.4

✓ No ios 10 support?It's a good app but only supporting iOS 11? Really guys? That's quite disappointing..B............Version: 3.0.1

✓ Avoid for nowAlthough the Mac app is a solid outliner that I highly recommend, I would avoid the iOS version for now. It is very buggy, and the sync function is weak. On the bug side, even though I paid for the pro subscription, the text of your outline bleeds off the screen, so that you’re forced to endlessly scroll horizontally to read your outline. This is a known bug that Omni needs to fix before the software becomes truly usable. Sync is also messed up and constantly forces you to choose from duplicate versions after you use both the iOS and Mac versions, even though you’re only using the iOS version to view your outline, not edit it. Very frustrating and not consistent with Omni’s usual high quality of product. For sure don’t waste your $50 on a pro subscription until the app is updated to address the bugs. I’ve removed the iOS version from my devices. Instead, I cut and paste my outlines into a Craft note and access them there. (BTW, Craft is a solid outliner with 80% of OmniOutliner’s functionality if you don’t need the most powerful though flawed outline ecosystem.) Sorry to be critical, Omni developers, because I love the Mac app, but the iOS version really disappointed me..Red.planetVersion: 3.10

✓ Poorly ConceivedUsable, but so poorly organized that it’s all but impossible to find the feature you want. The designers do not understand the importance of and the basic concepts of Apple user interfaces..FhuirfjkuffVersion: 3.3.2

✓ Missed the boatI feel that the Omni folks have missed the boat when it comes to what is happening in this space. Modern outlining apps get out of your way, but even this new version of OO is still cumbersome to use and makes poor use of screen space by comparison..LuhmannVersion: 3.0.1

✓ Powerful, but weak user supportPremium app with a premium price tag. Interesting JavaScript-based automation support on MacOS and iOS. Alas, the user forums are essentially dead, and it’s difficult (impossible) to get a response on their Slack channel or even Twitter..SumnergVersion: 3.7.2

✓ Why force to pay for free versionAn unusual way of starting a free trial....SamerpikVersion: 3.3.2

✓ Huh? another useless app that trips over its own shoelaces? it can’t be!?Dog-sh having it merely installed completely prevents me from opening ‘.txt’ files in the normal iOS viewing format; upon tapping a ‘.txt’ file the app takes over and says “you actually want to open this in me, don’t you; i’ll go ahead and open this text in a fresh ‘omnioutliner’ doc for you”; app doesn’t even need to be open for this to happen, merely installed is enough; reinstalling the app doesn't even fix it! can’t format text in any way whatsoever that’s been pasted into a document using the app’s text-formatting options. frequently fails to recognise selected rows in the ‘inspector’ and so displays “nothing to inspect” when the ‘inspector’ is selected. text input is laggy. the point about it overriding iOS’s basic file-viewing systems makes it completely unusable as having the app merely installed completely disables an essential function of the iPad thank you for wasting my time you lazy money-craving worthless degenerates.GhsjtuhstrhhrsVersion: 3.10

✓ Lazy designersI’m attempting to import v2 documents into v3, but there’s no import function other than each document separately. To make things worse, they didn’t bother to change the icon or the app title from v2 to v3 so when trying to use the Files app to bypass their “import” function I have no idea which version I am copying to. When I do bring a file into v3, whenever I tap the back button to grab another document I have to tap it a second time because all the first tap did was clear the “last edited” banner. Finally, after I bring a document into v3 it’s never “on my device,” only in Recent documents. When and how does a document become “on my device.” Maddening!!! I’m getting ready to delete both versions and be done with Omni, but maybe a future version can fix some of these frustrations..OttermanVersion: 3.3.3

✓ Great Features, really buggy since iOS13Since the upgrade, it isn’t working properly. Freezes completely Sometimes it works, but doesn’t recognize the Enter button for instance, which renders it unusable. While I’m an avid user of the omnisuite, on both my Mac and iPad, I really am considering alternatives now because it’s simply unreliable..Apple123criticappVersion: 3.4

✓ Disappointingly unreliable for expensive appThe app has enhanced features at a very expensive price. Happy to pay for it if it works but the app continually crashes and hangs with the wheel of death. Only resolution is to shut all apps, shutdown the iPad and reboot it. Takes me back to the darkest days of Windows. Needs an update and a fix. Wait until that happens and then consider whether you want to part with $62 for an outliner..AOC2012Version: 3.0.1

✓ Buggy and crashes on the iPhoneUpgraded OO again. Crashes in landscape and does not differentiate between the icons on the bottom right od the screen. Adds nice functionality but the user i/f design seems to have a lot of friction. Agree with other comments about developer approach documentation - painful to use. Smart folks creating high functioning application. Wish they put as much effort and skill into providing a clean frictionless user experience as the do to incorporating cool programming. I have used their products for a number of years because they they provide useful tools - but never to the fullest extent because of the friction Involved..ZeppoVAVersion: 3.0.1

✓ Initial impressionsAs always, OmniOutliner offers lots of formatting options. On the downside, and also consistent with my experiences with them, simple usability issues get in the way. There is no longer any obvious way to change the order of columns. More noticeable still, if you set up a document, but try to use it in tandem with another app next to it, the window does not change it's text size or layout. Why have extensive formatting options but such inflexibility in the interface? The app does seem to work faster, and I must applaud OmniGroup for offering a real trial period. I cannot speak to the automation features..Mark StonemanVersion: 3.2

✓ Nice, but buggy- forgets about listening to attached keyboard; requiring force quit. Having the keyboard break on a regular basis isn't something that should exist on a $50 app..TorsdayVersion: 3.4

✓ Expensive and buggyDon’t become dependent on this app. For the last few years I’ve dished out money for each upgrade which was supposedly optimized for the latest iOS and hardware. But each new version has gotten buggier and more unstable. My usage is very simple: public speaking outlines. No fancy stuff. Nevertheless, the most basic functions of the app are frustratingly slow and unintuitive. Several bugs come to the fore during split screen mode. Additional bugs exist in frequently used UI elements, requiring a lot of patience. It’s like the developers don’t actually test the app in the real world. Unfortunately, there is nothing close to this app that I’ve found yet. So I’m dependent on it..Cookie MarksterVersion: 3.7.2

✓ Out of touchI’ve had OmniOutliner for a long, long time. It was one of the first apps I really loved on my first Mac. It pains me to say this, but I’ve stopped using it. The features it has gained over the years are no longer what I need or want. I want a flexible outliner that I can get information into and out of quickly and easily. Anything modern is buried under the crushing weight of an interface that looks and feels like macs a decade ago and rewards only regular devotion to its mysteries. I want to get URL’s, png’s and text into it using share sheets. I want an emphasis on content and utility over formatting. The last thing I used OmniOutliner for was course syllabi, and I switched to Markdown two years ago..Quark Gluon PlasmaVersion: 3.3.3

✓ I’m looking for a replacementBugs don’t get fixed. Support is minimal. The user interface is horrible. The major advantage is integration between iOS and macOS, however it gets confused about which version is current..Mutunus TutunusVersion: 3.10

✓ Is it really worth the upgrade?If I were a new user - yes I would pay for the full version as I do like the app. But, as an upgrade from v2 ... ??? I’ve opened this and the previous version side by side, with the same document, and really can’t see enough changes to justify the upgrade price. The changes are really more inline with an incremental upgrade. I’ve got the two week trial to see if I will change my mind, but I think I’ll be keeping my money..CogunnVersion: 3.1

✓ Feature complete, powerful automation, but unstableIn general, OO Pro is a great outlining app with features developed over many years. The Omni Automation is very powerful for writing custom “shortcuts”/plug-ins, as long as you wish to dive in writing some javascript. But the app is not very stable and tends to crash quite a bit on latest iPadOS. There’re some issues I noticed including: 1. Long press a row has a significant delay before showing the menu. 2. Inspector shows “Nothing to inspect”. 3. “Add Column” in inspector is partially/totally cut off. 4. Stuck at loading more rows in large files. I hope OO on iPad can get some serious maintenance updates..TaxyovioVersion: 3.4.6

✓ Search and Paste BrokenSo they halfway fixed search that has a bug so wouldn't work on single hit results, which is no longer "search" anyway but "filter" that won't anymore just find an entry and scroll down to it in normal context so I can see it's neighbors. In fact now there's two search icon buttons, one having two tabs so really three search panels none of which search down to an entry. The filter panel three is so slow as to be nearly unusable. However now that filter panel one works in its odd way, filtering out single entries out of context, pasting of text copied from most browser pages fails. You have to first paste it into filter panel one and select and copy it back out to get it to paste into an outline. Clearly the developers despite being a serious software corporation lacks a tester, so this program can suddenly break for weeks or months or even years, as was the case for their infuriating scrolling bugs that when finally fixed broke scrolling on search. It also recently undid years of bold emphasis in my major notebook that I just happened to backup the day before otherwise the quick summary readability of it would have been lost forever since an old backup would be too hard to sync with all the new scattered notes. It likes to turn off entry numbering too, so I worry in general about using such buggy software at all for my career. If I knew how to export into EverNote I would flee this bloatware with its big new programming API that I imagine few want developers focusing on. Ah, wait, filter pane one isn't fixed, no it still won't scroll down to single selected hits, and the paste bug happened the week I updated to iOS 11.3. There's weird formatting ending up in the clipboard using the Dolphin browser. Yet it pastes into other apps just fine..MrPebiusVersion: 3.1

✓ ConvolutedI first encountered OmniOutliner on my first MacBook in 2006. Loved the simplicity and format. Now I give up. This is a case of a company piling on features simply to charge more money and to force everyone to continue to pay for updates that most app developers simply include. And trying to find licenses, and old versions, and to open old file versions seems far too complex. I just wasted an hour trying to sort it all out so I could open an old .003 file. Convoluted processes and explanations. Again: I give up. Don’t waste your money. Go with apps that update as a matter of course, not as a matter to charge more. Too bad. The first version really the best. P.S. You cannot even export documents (outlines) as PDF files..JCASEAVersion: 3.3.3

✓ Another Omni app with minimal import capabilitiesBasically, for import OmniOutliner supports text files with tab separated columns (TSV’s), RTF’s (ok?) and OPML. The text file import doesn’t support headers (I guess the developer didn’t have all afternoon). There’s no support for importing CSV’s or any other tabular format..Aspiring TunaVersion: 3.7.2

✓ Stay with OO2. Way too buggyThe short of it: I don't trust this app with my data. I want to love it, but it is so buggy, I find myself unconsciously choosing to use excel if the data I enter is important because I fear the data will disappear. I've got upgrader's remorse. I paid a lot of money for an app that works nowhere near as reliably as version 2. I have written them 4 times already, and they are very helpful. But this version is just way too buggy. Large paragraphs regularly crash the app. So does turning the phone to landscape mode. Some data disappeared when updgrading to OO3 (an entire years worth of data). Save your money and data. Look elsewhere, at least until these bugs get fixed..AlmostArchieVersion: 3.1

✓ Useful but -What the hell have you done with the file manager? Totally spoilt it - sort it out please. You have gone from hero to zero in one update. Well it’s back to carbonfin for me as I absolutely hate the update. This is an overpriced app at best now it’s in my ‘not used’ folder..Zxcgggggbg55554Version: 3.7.3

✓ Don't likeP[ease discontinue subscription.Kpod1952Version: 3.5

OmniOutliner 3 works most of the time. If it is not working for you, we recommend you excersise some patience and retry later or contact OmniOutliner 3.