# Nethack Helper vs Cairn

The clearest difference is price: Nethack Helper at Free against Cairn's $19.99. Nethack Helper also leads on iOS requirement (17.6 vs 26.2). Cairn's advantage is ratings volume (8 vs 2) and device support (3 vs 1). On rating, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Nethack Helper is free to download; Cairn costs $19.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Nethack Helper against 5.0 for Cairn. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2 and 8 respectively.

Nethack Helper ships an update every 9 days, Cairn every 5 days. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Nethack Helper | Cairn |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $19.99 |
| Rating | [5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nethack-helper/id6738018167/reviews) | [5.0 (8 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cairn-interactive-fiction/id6773716278/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 2 | **8** |
| Positive reviews | — | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 9 days | **Every 5 days** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Paid |
| Size | 1 MB | 9 MB |
| Requires iOS | **17.6** | 26.2 |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPad, Mac** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [David Konshuh](https://appshunter.io/developer/1778910231) | [Daniel Ducat](https://appshunter.io/developer/1896283693) |

## What reviewers say

### Nethack Helper

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nethack-helper/id6738018167)

This app serves as a comprehensive toolkit for NetHack players, offering tools to master shops, spells, and character progression. It provides detailed information on items, spells, intrinsics, and includes animated solutions for puzzles. The app also features score logging and progress tracking.

**Highlights:** Item identification by price, Spell success percentages, Intrinsic monitoring, Animated Sokoban puzzle solutions, Score logging and ascension tracking, Progress timeline chart, Offline functionality

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Cairn

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cairn-interactive-fiction/id6773716278)

This app serves as a player for classic text adventures, allowing you to bring your own story files. It features automatic mapping, integrated reference materials, and iCloud syncing across devices for a seamless experience.

**Highlights:** Automatic live mapping, Visual room and connection tracking, Support for Z3, Z4, Z5, Z7, and Z8 story files, Attach custom PDFs and images, User-supplied hint file support, Inventory bar, Customizable themes

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Nethack Helper free?

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

### Is Cairn free?

Cairn costs $19.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Nethack Helper or Cairn?

Nethack Helper and Cairn are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 2 and 8 ratings respectively.

### Do Nethack Helper or Cairn have ads?

Neither Nethack Helper nor Cairn shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Nethack Helper or Cairn?

Nethack Helper ships an update every 9 days, and Cairn every 5 days. Most recently, Nethack Helper was updated on October 24, 2026 and Cairn on October 24, 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.*