# TagNote vs Cairn

The clearest difference is ads: TagNote at none against Cairn's shown. Cairn's advantage is iOS requirement (15.0 vs 18.2). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. TagNote sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month and Cairn sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on November 5, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | TagNote | Cairn |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 5 days | Every 5 days |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 9 MB | 41 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.2 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Mac | iPhone, iPod, Apple Watch |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Jonggyou Kim](https://appshunter.io/developer/1768080207) | [Heajung Yoo](https://appshunter.io/developer/1895444232) |

## What reviewers say

### TagNote

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tagnote-multi-tagging-notes/id6747192758)

This app offers a flexible, tag-based approach to note-taking, moving beyond traditional folder structures. Organize meeting notes, ideas, and web clippings with multiple tags per note, and connect your thoughts to build a personal knowledge network. It features a rich text editor and reminders for important dates.

**Highlights:** Unlimited tags per note, Rich text editor with formatting, Birthday and anniversary reminders, Tag-based knowledge network, Minimalist and distraction-free design, iCloud data synchronization

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly subscription | $1.99 | per month |
| 3-month subscription | $3.99 | per 3 months |
| Annual subscription | $9.99 | per year |


### Cairn

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cairn/id6767776784)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Cairn Pro Monthly | $1.99 | per month |
| Cairn Pro yearly | $12.99 | per year |
| Cairn Pro - Ad-free forever | $0.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is TagNote free?

TagNote is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Cairn free?

Cairn is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Do TagNote or Cairn have ads?

Cairn shows ads; TagNote does not.

### Which is updated more often, TagNote or Cairn?

TagNote ships an update every 5 days, and Cairn every 5 days. Most recently, TagNote was updated on November 5, 2026 and Cairn on October 25, 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.*