# Matterlist vs Cairn Tasks

The clearest difference is rating: Cairn Tasks at 5.0 against Matterlist's 2.0. Cairn Tasks also leads on update cadence (every 9 days vs every 2 months). Matterlist's advantage is iOS requirement (12.1 vs 15.1). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Cairn Tasks holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 2.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1 and 2 respectively.

Matterlist ships an update every 2 months, Cairn Tasks every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on October 12, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Matterlist | Cairn Tasks |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [2.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/matterlist/id1362503031/reviews) | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cairn-tasks/id6760798908/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 1 | **2** |
| Positive reviews | — | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 9 days** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 31 MB | 32 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.1** | 15.1 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [FILTER FORGE OU](https://appshunter.io/developer/1362503030) | [Dacite Dev LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1886293385) |

## What reviewers say

### Matterlist

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/matterlist/id1362503031)

This to-do list app helps you focus on current tasks with an infinite timeline and safe deadlines. It offers robust recurring tasks, hierarchical subtasks, and local data storage for complete user control.

**Highlights:** Completely free, no ads or purchases, Local data storage, no cloud sync, Infinite timeline for past and future tasks, Safe deadlines that don't shift, Robust recurring tasks with individual edits, Hierarchical subtasks with unlimited nesting

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Cairn Tasks

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cairn-tasks/id6760798908)

Organize your day with a clean, focused to-do list. Create tasks, set due dates, and organize them with color-coded lists. Features include recurring tasks, subtasks, and a built-in timer for focused work sessions. Your data stays local, with no account or cloud sync required.

**Highlights:** Create, edit, and complete tasks, Set due dates and times, Organize tasks into color-coded lists, Recurring tasks, Subtasks, Built-in timer, Month view calendar

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Matterlist free?

Matterlist is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Cairn Tasks free?

Cairn Tasks is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Matterlist or Cairn Tasks?

Cairn Tasks is rated higher. Matterlist averages 2.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while Cairn Tasks averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do Matterlist or Cairn Tasks have ads?

Neither Matterlist nor Cairn Tasks shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Matterlist or Cairn Tasks?

Matterlist ships an update every 2 months, and Cairn Tasks every 9 days. Most recently, Matterlist was updated on October 12, 2026 and Cairn Tasks on October 15, 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.*