Logseq vs Cairn
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Logseq
This open-source outliner helps you write, organize, and share your thoughts using local Markdown and Org-mode files. Manage tasks, build a digital garden, and integrate with various services for enhanced productivity.
- Backlinks
- Knowledge Graph
- Page and block references
- Tasks & Todos
- SRS Cards
- Zotero integration
- Audio recorder
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Logseq is a joyful, open-source outliner that works on top of local plain-text Markdown and Org-mode files. Use it to write, organize and share your thoughts, keep your to-do list, and build your own digital garden. Logseq includes the following features: 1. Backlink 2. Knowledge Graph 3. Page and block references 4. Page and block embeds 5. Tasks & Todos 6. SRS Cards 7. Zotero integration 8. Youtube, Twitter, etc. integration 9. Audio recorder 10. Powerful queries 11. Whiteboards
Cairn
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Focus that leaves something behind.Cairn is a calm Pomodoro and deep-work timer. Finish a focus session and it forges a small, one-of-a-kind keepsake — a piece of generative art that's yours to keep, forever.No streaks to guilt you. No trees that die. No ads, no subscription, no tracking. Buy it once.Plant a focus. Grow a garden of your work.Every completed session blooms into a unique keepsake and joins your terrarium — a quiet, growing record of the time you gave your attention. Each one is deterministic and permanent: the same focus always grows the same object, and it never withers.Why Cairn feels different• A keepsake, not a chore. Reward without the gamified guilt — nothing dies if you stop.• Buy once, keep forever. One purchase unlocks everything. No subscription, ever.• Private by design. 100% on-device. No account, no ads, no tracking, works offline.• Calm, not hustle. Built for deep work, study, and reading — not dopamine loops.Everything you'd want in a focus timer• Pomodoro and custom-length sessions for study, work, and reading• A living garden/terrarium of everything you've grown• A diary calendar and honest stats — hours, rhythm, materials• Home & Lock Screen widgets, Live Activity & Dynamic Island, Control Center• Apple Watch app with complications — start a focus from your wrist• Full iPhone + iPad, light & dark, and accessibility supportCairn Pro — one purchase, foreverUnlock every material, palette, and the full garden with a single buy-once purchase. No subscriptions, no upsells.Focus is fleeting. What you make of it doesn't have to be.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Logseq at none against Cairn's 1. Logseq also leads on iOS requirement (14.0 vs 26.0). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Cairn sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Logseq asks for nothing beyond the download.
| Parameter | Logseq | Cairn |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.4 (265 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 58.7% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 265 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | — |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch |
| Requires iOS | 14.0 — better | 26.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 62 MB | 35 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Logseq Inc. | Pham Van Hai |
Bugs and requests
Logseq
Reported bugs
4 issues- Sync issues leading to data loss
- Inconsistent behavior when creating new blocks
- Cursor jumping issues when editing text
- Disappearing UI elements on mobile
Requested features
4 requests- Add support for other cloud storage options (Dropbox, Google Drive, etc.)
- Improve mobile UI and UX for better usability
- Implement plugin support on mobile
- Optimize performance for older devices
Cairn
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Logseq
No in-app purchases
Cairn
- Cairn Pro · Lifetime Unlock$1.99









