# graynotes vs Cairn

graynotes and Cairn are too close to call on the numbers: across 6 compared parameters — price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases among them — neither pulls far enough ahead to decide it. What separates them is feature set and interface, not measurable difference.

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

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on October 2, 2026 and October 1, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | graynotes | Cairn |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cairn-markdown-tasks/id6786663000/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **1** |
| Positive reviews | — | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 days | Every 5 days |
| Monetization | — | Free |
| Size | 10 MB | 9 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.5 | **17.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Adam Van Lente](https://appshunter.io/developer/1828851960) | [Young Hun JEONG](https://appshunter.io/developer/6786662344) |

## What reviewers say

### graynotes

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/graynotes-hold-that-thought/id6749127202)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**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 graynotes free?

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

### Is Cairn free?

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

### Do graynotes or Cairn have ads?

Neither graynotes nor Cairn shows ads.

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

graynotes ships an update every 5 days, and Cairn every 5 days. Most recently, graynotes was updated on October 2, 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.*