# PaperTrail: TaskPaper Client — A pocket full of TaskPaper > Plain text productivity app for TaskPaper format on iOS and iPadOS. (iPhone/iPad app by gingerbeardman.) - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/papertrail-taskpaper-client/id6751271083 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`) - Developer: [gingerbeardman](https://appshunter.io/developer/294611470) - Category: Productivity, Utilities - Price: $19.99 - Rating: 4.30/5 from 16 App Store ratings · 12 written reviews indexed - Age rating: 4+ - Requires: iOS 17.0 · 3 MB - Languages: American English - Released: 2026-04-10 - Data updated: 2026-08-24 - Monetization: paid - User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/papertrail-taskpaper-client/id6751271083/reviews.md ## What is PaperTrail? PaperTrail brings full TaskPaper editing to iOS and iPadOS. TaskPaper is plain text productivity—simple, fast, flexible. Projects, tasks, notes, and tags. Filter, search, and archive. All in plain text files you can sync via iCloud and edit in TaskPaper on your Mac. FEATURES • Full TaskPaper format support (.taskpaper, .todo, .txt, .md) • Open Bike (.bike) and OPML (.opml) outlines, with clear warnings when an import can't carry everything across • OPML and Bike-style export, so tags and done state round-trip back into Bike • Fold and focus into any subtree for distraction-free editing • Full query language with text, tag, boolean, and semantic search • Tag system with dates, progress tracking, and cost aggregation • Tag autocomplete ranked by how often you use each tag • Smart filters with edge-swipe gestures and an iPad side-by-side sidebar • Colour lines by priority, depth, or due date proximity • Natural date parsing and two-way iOS Reminders integration—import a Reminders list as a project • Quick capture: append tasks, notes, clipboard text, or web links to your most recent document • Planning shortcuts: Open in Today, Random Next Task, and Morning Brief • Shortcuts, Siri, Action Button, and Spotlight integration via App Intents • Find & update documents from Shortcuts: run queries, mark done, set tags, append tasks • Command palette for projects, searches, tags, and every editor command • iPadOS menu bar with Item, Tag, Outline, View, and Palette menus • Export documents as interactive HTML slide presentations or as OPML outlines • Built-in and custom document templates • 50+ keyboard shortcuts for power workflow • Native Swift app—tiny install size, built for speed • Dynamic Type, VoiceOver, and dark mode support ## Key features - Full TaskPaper format support - OPML import - Distraction-free editing - Full query language search - Tag system with progress tracking - iOS Reminders integration - Shortcuts and Siri integration ## Recent user reviews (10 of 12) All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/papertrail-taskpaper-client/id6751271083/reviews.md ### 5/5 — TaskPaper on iOS, done well *2026-08-12* The iOS companion for TaskPaper I’ve been waiting for. It’s clean, fast, flexible, and makes even fairly complex outlines easy to use on a phone screen. The developer is unusually responsive too. I suggested a small typography option, and it showed up in the very next release. Really thoughtful software. Recommended. ### 5/5 — Solid, thoughtful, lots of potential *2026-06-18* It is great to have a new TaskPaper client for iOS! This one seems (at least since v1.2 when I started using it) to be solid with excellent fundamentals and a ton of potential. Little things that I already love: Customizable “tool belt” (extra row of buttons above the keyboard which you can order as you please). Some tool belt buttons allow long-tap to reveal more options, which is very smooth and well-implemented. So many ways to navigate a document: tool belt buttons to focus in/out and to “Go to…” any project/tag/search; gestures to focus in/out or trigger the “Go to…” window; and a tappable breadcrumb trail that appears when focused in. Everything that should be tappable and draggable seems to be tappable and draggable. The search feature offers advanced syntax, and searches can be saved. The Command bar offers many functions and can be searched. There are good styling options, including for due status, progress, and priority. Give it a try! (And search the Command bar for support options if needed!) ### 5/5 — A good TaskPaper app for iOS *2026-06-09* I used to keep most of my lists in Apple Notes and Reminders. That was fine for a while, but once I started using more AI and agent-based workflows, I needed my tasks to live in plain text again. It is just easier to move things around, edit them anywhere, and not depend on one app’s database. PaperTrail does the job well. It understands the TaskPaper format, stays out of the way, and is fast enough that I actually use it every day. The app also is maintained. I reported a bug and got a quick response, which matters a lot for this kind of tool. Simple, useful, fairly priced for me. ### 4/5 — Has potential *2026-06-02* Potentially great app that's currently near unusable due to minor bugs. Main one I'm experiencing is having to enter every task twice, because when I hit "enter" the app adds a double letter to first word of line. Eg "Read" becomes "Rread" unless I either backspace to it or shake/undo, then I'm left with the first letter and when I finish it the second time and hit enter, it works. Have to do this for every line. Weird and funny bug, but unless you are zen enough to accept ~every line prominently featuring an apparent typo, it makes entry too inefficient for use. Look forward to trying if/when functional! But wait till then to pay the very high price, unless you want to support creator out of generosity; it's currently worth $0. **Developer response:** Hi, this is the first report of the double first letter bug, so thank you! I've not seen that myself through my daily use of the app, nor in the automated testing that runs on each code change of the app. I narrowed it down to an issue with Autocorrect on iOS 26 (but not iOS 18) and so it will be resolved in 1.2. In future, you may want to reach out through the in-app Support options (search Command Palette to find them). Thanks! ### 5/5 — PaperTrail is the TaskPaper client I didn’t know I needed. *2026-05-13* TaskPaper is one of those formats you don’t fully appreciate until it clicks. This app makes that click happen faster and look better doing it. The UI is beautiful on phone and strikes the right balance of customization without being overwhelming (I love Obsidian and use it daily, but if you know, you know). Everything feels intentional. The long-press tooltips on the extended keyboard icons are something I’ve never seen in another app – genuinely clever and I hope it catches on. The built-in guide note and starter templates are a nice touch for newcomers who want to tinker without starting from zero. Bonus: it opens .md files natively, so I can take notes in my Obsidian vault and swap over to PaperTrail when I want to project plan. A few things that would take this from great to daily driver: The toolbelt concept is solid, but some items (like hide keyboard) aren’t movable, so I end up scrolling back and forth on the extended keyboard. On mobile, dismissing the keyboard feels clunky. Something like single-tap to drop into view mode and double-tap to edit could be more intuitive. Search: the guide mentions pull-down-from-top to search, but I couldn’t get that gesture to work on iPhone 17 Pro. Completed/strikethrough items get hard to read in bulk. Would love an option to dim them and apply font color (or maybe pulling from the priority color palette to stay on-theme). Templates are great for onboarding, but they could do more. Adding some advanced search query examples at the bottom would make them useful for experienced TaskPaper users too, not just beginners. Minor stuff. The core experience is excellent and clearly built by someone who actually uses TaskPaper. **Developer response:** Thanks for the kind words, I'm glad the thought put into the app resonates with you and I hope it continues to make your life easier. The app supports the iOS-standard long-swipe-down to dismiss keyboard, and since 1.1 there's a tool button to dismiss the keyboard which you can position anywhere you like on the tool belt. 1.1 also brought the ability to select multiple lines and work on all contained items (like mark them all as @done). Swipe down to search was removed so I'll revisit that or worse case remove the mention from the guide. Please reach out through the app Support option (search command palette to find it) with more info on the dim/color suggestion and I'll implement it. Thanks for using PaperTrail! ### 1/5 — Has potential *2026-05-10* Potentially great app that's currently near unusable due to minor bugs. Main one I'm experiencing is having to enter every task twice, because when I hit "enter" the app adds a double letter to first word of line. Eg "Read" becomes "Rread" unless I either backspace to it or shake/undo, then I'm left with the first letter and when I finish it the second time and hit enter, it works. Have to do this for every line. Weird and funny bug, but unless you are zen enough to accept ~every line prominently featuring an apparent typo, it makes entry too inefficient for use. Look forward to trying if/when functional! But wait till then to pay the very high price, unless you want to support creator out of generosity; it's currently worth $0. **Developer response:** Hi, this is the first report of the double first letter bug, so thank you! I've not seen that myself through my daily use of the app, nor in the automated testing that runs on each code change of the app. I narrowed it down to an issue with Autocorrect on iOS 26 (but not iOS 18) and so it will be resolved in 1.2. In future, you may want to reach out through the in-app Support options (search Command Palette to find them). Thanks! ### 1/5 — Shows promise, several bugs… *2026-05-04* The app shows a lot of promise, and I purchased on the strength of using TaskPaper, and happy to support independent devs. However there are several UI bugs that keep me from making proper use of it. Happy to report them and provide feedback, but the only way to do that is via social media. No email address or proper reporting system in place. Heck, even a GitHub issue tracker would be worlds better. I’m not going to futz around with reporting on social media. If that changes, I’m happy to change my rating. **Developer response:** Hello! I'd love to hear about the bugs you are encountering. The easiest way to get in touch is through the app itself: bring up the Command Palette and scroll/search for PaperTrail Support, which will open the GitHub issue tracker, report bugs, and follow progress for next update (this feature has been there since launch, the issue tracker has been open since Aug 2025). Or you can just web search "PaperTrail gingerbeardman github". Alternatively you can email me through the address listed on the Support website (the email address has always been there, but I just added it to even more support pages to make it more visible). Version 1.2 will do a better job of surfacing Support options in the app. Looking forward to hearing from you. ### 5/5 — Best Taskpaper-Client for iOS *2026-05-01* This new app for TaskPaper files offers almost all the features available in TaskPaper for macOS: tagging, folding, focusing, searching, saved searches, etc. Everything is based on a future-proof plain text format (files can be stored locally or in the cloud at any time and opened or edited with any text editor). There are still a few minor areas for improvement, but the developer is very responsive and actively working on optimizing the app. A clear recommendation for anyone who likes TaskPaper and the minimalism of plain text. ### 1/5 — Excited but disappointed *2026-04-22* I got an email from Jesse Grosjean and immediately bought PaperTrail. I’ve been looking for a decent TaskPaper app for iOS since he discontinued the official one. I am having issues with the one main document that I use with this. Works fine in the macOS TaskPaper app, and also in Taskmator for that matter. I am wanting to reach out to the developer but the only avenues are Twitter, Bluesky and Mastodon. I shouldn’t have to use social media to reach out to the guy. Developer, if you are reading this, put an email address or a support form on your website. Please. **Developer response:** Hi! My email is on the app support website, and I just added it to more pages so that it is hopefully more visible. Please refresh the support page just in case it is cached. There is also a support option in the app itself (find it in Command Palette search for "Support"; 1.2 adds more options and will do better at making them more obvious). I look forward to hearing from you. ### 5/5 — Lots to love about Paper Trail! *2026-04-22* Great UX and UI, many great features, easy to use. Great for project and task management. The developer has been highly receptive and responsive to beta testers feedback. I totally recommend Paper Trail, especially if you use TaskPaper for MacOS! ## Frequently asked questions about PaperTrail ### What is PaperTrail? PaperTrail is a mobile application that brings the full TaskPaper editing experience to iOS and iPadOS. It allows users to manage projects, tasks, and notes using plain text files that can be synced via iCloud. ### What devices does PaperTrail support? PaperTrail is designed for both iPhone and iPad devices, offering a native experience on both platforms. ### How much does PaperTrail cost? PaperTrail is a paid application, priced at $19.99. There are no in-app purchases or subscriptions required beyond the initial purchase. ### Does PaperTrail have ads? No, PaperTrail is ad-free. As a paid application, it does not contain any advertisements, ensuring an uninterrupted user experience. ### Can I sync my PaperTrail files with my Mac? Yes, PaperTrail uses plain text files that can be synced via iCloud. This allows you to seamlessly edit your TaskPaper files on your Mac using the TaskPaper application. ### What kind of search capabilities does PaperTrail offer? PaperTrail features a full query language with text, tag, boolean, and semantic search. This allows for powerful filtering and finding specific items within your documents. ### How often is PaperTrail updated? The latest version of PaperTrail was released on June 7, 2026, indicating active development and regular updates to improve functionality and address user feedback. ### Is PaperTrail suitable for children? PaperTrail has an age rating of 4+, making it suitable for users of all ages. Its focus on plain text productivity is generally accessible. ## Version history (last 5 releases) ### 1.4.3 — 2026-08-11 Added - App-wide saved searches (optional embedded search still saves into the document) - Toggle to turn off italic notes ### 1.4.2 — 2026-08-07 Moving things around your outline got a big upgrade: Added - Move Branches can now carry an item across project boundaries, straight into the previous or next project - Select several branches and move them all together Changed - A collapsed item now behaves as one unit — moving, deleting, duplicating, or indenting it always brings its hidden children along - Pressing Return or pasting on a collapsed item adds the new lines after its branch, never inside it Fixes - Undo now steps back reliably through every move and edit - The view no longer jumps around when moving lines in long documents - Moving a folded branch keeps the cursor with it, so repeated moves just work - Folds stay closed when you change an item's type or letter case ### 1.4.1 — 2026-08-03 Speed improvements for very large documents: - Searching and filtering are now much faster, even in documents with over 10,000 lines - Search runs when you pause typing, so the editor stays smooth on every keystroke ### 1.4 — 2026-07-24 • Bike and OPML files now save straight back to their original format • Swipe to Indent/Outdent: swipe right to indent an item and left to outdent • or Swipe to Focus gesture: swipe right to zoom into a line and left to step back out • OPML files keep their blank-line spacing when saved • A friendly first-time note explains that Bike and OPML files are edited as TaskPaper and saved back in their original format • Clearer wording in export and import messages • A refreshed What's New screen, plus various fixes and polish ### 1.3.3 — 2026-07-19 • Adds swipe-to-indent/outdent (on by default, toggle in settings or command palette) ## More apps by gingerbeardman - [Mojibaker](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mojibaker/id6761345580) All apps by gingerbeardman: https://appshunter.io/developer/294611470 ## Related topics [taskpaper](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/taskpaper) --- *Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-08-24.*