# Basic Journal vs Tasks

The clearest difference is rating: Tasks at 4.6 against Basic Journal's 3.3. Tasks also leads on ads (none vs shown) and ratings volume (1.9K vs 4). Basic Journal's advantage is monetization model (free with in-app purchases vs paid) and iOS requirement (11.0 vs 17.0). On price and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Basic Journal sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Tasks sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Tasks holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 3.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Tasks has 1.9K ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 40% of Basic Journal's written reviews are positive against 63% of Tasks's.

Basic Journal ships an update every 2 weeks, Tasks weekly. The most recent releases landed on June 5, 2026 and September 22, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Basic Journal | Tasks |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.3 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/basic-journal/id1139438456/reviews) | **[4.6 (1.9K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tasks-to-do-lists-and-reminder/id1502903102/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 4 | **1.9K** |
| Positive reviews | 40.0% of reviews | **62.6% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Paid |
| Size | 14 MB | 159 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, Vision Pro** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [James Hudson](https://appshunter.io/developer/599997663) | [Msquare Labs Technologies Private Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/1141784069) |

## What reviewers say

### Basic Journal

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/basic-journal/id1139438456)

A fast and simple journal app designed for busy individuals to quickly jot down notes on daily activities. It offers an elegant, chronological display of entries with easy editing and export options.

**Highlights:** Quick note-taking, Chronological note display, Summary and detail views, Edit and delete notes easily, Recently edited notes highlighted, iCloud syncing, Text export option

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove Ads | $0.99 | one-time |


### Tasks

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tasks-to-do-lists-and-reminder/id1502903102)

This app helps you manage tasks beyond a simple to-do list. It allows for customizable statuses, tags, and hierarchical organization with a Kanban view to visualize project progress. Syncs across Apple devices and offers extensive customization for your workflow.

**Highlights:** Customizable task statuses, Tagging and hierarchical organization, Kanban project view, Smart lists and powerful queries, Attachments (PDFs, images), iCloud sync, Home screen widgets

**Features:** Family Sharing, Apple Watch app

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekly | $3.99 | per 7 days |
| Tasks Plus (Monthly) | $3.99 | per month |
| Tasks Plus Family (Monthly) | $7.99 | per month |
| Monthly | $9.99 | per month |
| Tasks Plus | $24.99 | per year |
| Tasks Plus (Yearly) | $24.99 | per year |
| Annual (Offer) | $39.99 | per year |
| Tasks Family Plus | $49.99 | per year |
| Tasks Plus Lifetime - Individual | $69.99 | one-time |
| Tasks Plus Lifetime - Family | $99.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Intuitive interface
- 💡 Customizable task statuses
- 🚀 Seamless cross-device sync
- 👍 Clean and visually appealing

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes and bugs
- 🐛 Sync issues between devices
- 🐛 Inconsistent behavior
- 🔒 Limited free trial
- 🐛 Slow performance on some devices

**Reported bugs**

- Tasks not syncing correctly
- Inability to delete tasks
- Crashes when adding comments
- Unreliable date and time handling
- Inconsistent behavior when rearranging tasks

**Requested features**

- Recurring tasks
- Calendar integration
- Ability to move tasks between projects
- Global tag management
- Expanded note-taking capabilities


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Basic Journal free?

Basic Journal is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Tasks free?

Tasks is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Basic Journal or Tasks?

Tasks is rated higher. Basic Journal averages 3.3 out of 5 from 4 ratings, while Tasks averages 4.6 from 1.9K ratings.

### Do Basic Journal or Tasks have ads?

Basic Journal shows ads; Tasks does not.

### Which is updated more often, Basic Journal or Tasks?

Basic Journal ships an update every 2 weeks, and Tasks weekly. Most recently, Basic Journal was updated on June 5, 2026 and Tasks on September 22, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*