# Task Tree vs Cairn

The clearest difference is rating: Cairn at 5.0 against Task Tree's 3.7. Cairn also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 63%) and update cadence (every 5 days vs every 56 months). Task Tree's advantage is ratings volume (7 vs 1) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

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

Cairn holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Task Tree has 7 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 63% of Task Tree's written reviews are positive against 100% of Cairn's.

Task Tree ships an update every 56 months, Cairn every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and October 1, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Task Tree | Cairn |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.7 (7 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/task-tree/id554026266/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cairn-markdown-tasks/id6786663000/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **7** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 62.5% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 56 months | **Every 5 days** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 4 MB | 9 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [NIK](https://appshunter.io/developer/492501748) | [Young Hun JEONG](https://appshunter.io/developer/6786662344) |

## What reviewers say

### Task Tree

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/task-tree/id554026266)

This task manager allows you to organize your to-do lists using a hierarchical tree structure. It automatically updates progress based on subtasks and offers iCloud backup for your data. Create unlimited subcategories to manage complex projects.

**Highlights:** Tree structured tasks, Automatic progress status updates, iCloud backup and restore, Unlimited subcategory depth, Easy-to-use interface

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Cairn

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cairn-markdown-tasks/id6786663000)

Manage tasks and notes directly within your existing Markdown files. This app offers focused views, quick capture, and robust task management features, all while keeping your data private and locally stored. It integrates seamlessly with Obsidian and other file sync services.

**Highlights:** Native Markdown task and note management, Works with Obsidian vaults or any folder, Quick capture with date, tag, and priority parsing, Multiple task views (Today, Upcoming, Inbox, Pool), Full support for sub-tasks and recurring tasks, Local reminders and Live Activity integration, Data stays local, no cloud sync required

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Task Tree free?

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

### Is Cairn free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Task Tree or Cairn?

Cairn is rated higher. Task Tree averages 3.7 out of 5 from 7 ratings, while Cairn averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Task Tree or Cairn have ads?

Neither Task Tree nor Cairn shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Task Tree or Cairn?

Task Tree ships an update every 56 months, and Cairn every 5 days. Most recently, Task Tree was updated on September 25, 2026 and Cairn on October 1, 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.*