# Shovel Study Planner vs Task Forge

The clearest difference is rating: Task Forge at 5.0 against Shovel Study Planner's 4.1. Task Forge also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 2) and update cadence (every 5 days vs every 5 weeks). Shovel Study Planner's advantage is ratings volume (195 vs 1) and iOS requirement (15.5 vs 17.0). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Shovel Study Planner sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Task Forge asks for nothing beyond the download.

Task Forge holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Shovel Study Planner has 195 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Shovel Study Planner ships an update every 5 weeks, Task Forge every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and September 22, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Shovel Study Planner | Task Forge |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.1 (195 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shovel-study-planner/id1467742357/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/task-forge-canvas-reminders/id6739590912/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **195** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 52.3% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks | **Every 5 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 28 MB | 6 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.5** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [How To Study Smart, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1467742356) | [Carter Hawkins](https://appshunter.io/developer/1786186535) |

## What reviewers say

### Shovel Study Planner

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shovel-study-planner/id1467742357)

This app helps students manage their academic workload through time-blocking and executive functioning skills. It predicts if tasks can be completed on time and allows for flexible schedule adjustments. It requires initial setup on a web platform.

**Highlights:** Time-blocking for tasks, Real-time time cushion estimates, Consolidated task management, Ideal schedule building, Rotating class schedule support, Detailed task progress tracking, Weighted grade calculation

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Lifetime plan | $13.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime plan | $46.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 📚 Excellent for student organization and time management
- ⏱️ Unique time-blocking and scheduling features
- 🎓 Course and assignment-focused organization system
- 💻 Desktop/web version works reliably and comprehensively
- 🎨 Clean, minimalist, and aesthetically pleasing interface

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Mobile app frequently crashes and becomes unresponsive
- 📱 Mobile app significantly less functional than web version
- ⚠️ App shows blank screens and fails to load content
- 🔌 Requires constant internet connection, no offline access
- 🛠️ Appears to be abandoned with no recent updates

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes when attempting to edit task times
- Blank white screen on app launch
- Touch input not responding on iPad with Apple Pencil
- Tasks and calendar items disappear after login
- Tasks fail to save when entered

**Requested features**

- Push notifications for tasks and assignments
- Dark mode for mobile app
- Widget functionality that works reliably
- Offline access and offline storage
- Landscape mode for iPad


### Task Forge

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/task-forge-canvas-reminders/id6739590912)

This app automatically converts Canvas assignments and Google Calendar events into tasks with spaced reminders. It sends push notifications and syncs across devices via iCloud, simplifying task management for students and professionals.

**Highlights:** Canvas assignment integration, Google Calendar event import, Automated spaced reminders, Push notifications, iCloud device syncing, Simple task management

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Shovel Study Planner free?

Shovel Study Planner is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Task Forge free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Shovel Study Planner or Task Forge?

Task Forge is rated higher. Shovel Study Planner averages 4.1 out of 5 from 195 ratings, while Task Forge averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Shovel Study Planner or Task Forge have ads?

Neither Shovel Study Planner nor Task Forge shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Shovel Study Planner or Task Forge?

Shovel Study Planner ships an update every 5 weeks, and Task Forge every 5 days. Most recently, Shovel Study Planner was updated on October 14, 2026 and Task Forge 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.*