Comparison

TaskSteps vs Shard

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side β€” with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

TaskSteps

Features
Read full description

You have one task. It feels like twenty. You know what you need to do - you just can't start. TaskSteps is the AI task breaker built for brains that freeze at "where do I begin." Type any task exactly how it feels - messy, vague, overwhelming. TaskSteps breaks it into a clear plan matched to your current energy level. WHAT YOU GET: First Action: One concrete thing you can do right now. No decisions, no prep. Just start. Step-by-Step Plan: A realistic sequence with time estimates. Not a productivity fantasy - actual steps sized for how you feel today. Rescue Step: Lost focus halfway through? Every plan includes a re-entry point so you can pick back up without starting over. THREE ENERGY MODES: Low Energy: Fewer steps, gentler asks, shorter time blocks. For the days where getting dressed counts as a win. Normal Energy: Balanced plans with moderate challenge. Your everyday mode. High Energy: More ambitious steps for the days when motivation shows up unannounced. HOW IT WORKS: 1. Type your task in plain language ("file taxes" or "clean the entire apartment somehow") 2. Pick your current energy: low, normal, or high 3. Get your first action, full step list, and rescue step in seconds 4. Check off steps as you go 5. Every plan saves to local history - search past decompositions anytime BUILT FOR YOUR BRAIN: TaskSteps doesn't ask you to build habits, maintain streaks, or set up a productivity system. You open it when you're stuck. It gives you the next thing to do. That's it. All processing happens on-device. Your tasks stay on your phone. Download TaskSteps and turn your next overwhelming task into a first step. 3 free task decompositions to start. Unlock unlimited plans for $4.99 - one time, no subscription. Restore your purchase on any device with your Apple ID. Privacy Policy: https://apps.trygrove.dev/privacy Terms: https://apps.trygrove.dev/terms Help: https://apps.trygrove.dev/help

About

Shard

Features
Read full description

Capture notes to Obsidian in seconds. Open. Type. Done. Shard gives you a fast path from a thought to plain Markdown in your Obsidian vault. After setup, it opens to a focused capture field with the keyboard ready. QUICK CAPTURE β€’ Add notes or tasks to your daily note β€’ Use common Daily Notes and Periodic Notes folder and date settings β€’ Write directly to vaults in iCloud Drive, Obsidian Sync, or on your device β€’ Keep text captures queued on your device when the vault is temporarily unavailable TASKS β€’ Manage Markdown checkboxes from your phone β€’ Add due dates and times β€’ Filter by Today, Overdue, Upcoming, or No Date β€’ Create subtasks and move completed tasks under β€œCompleted” WEB CLIPPER β€’ Save webpage links from the Share Sheet β€’ Open the live page in Shard β€’ Add bullet notes to a linked Markdown note FREE β€’ Quick capture for notes and tasks β€’ Task management β€’ Web link clipping β€’ Lock Screen buttons for New Post and New Task SHARD PLUS β€’ Local reminders for tasks with a due date and time β€’ Home Screen task widgets for today and overdue β€’ Custom Post templates and destinations β€’ Post and Task actions in Shortcuts and the Share Sheet β€’ Image attachments and custom clip destinations PRIVATE BY DESIGN No Shard account. No analytics. No tracking. Your content is written directly to the vault you choose. If a text capture cannot be written immediately, it waits locally on your device. Shard works with plain Markdown, so your notes stay portable and there is no proprietary format. Obsidian is a trademark of Dynalist Inc. Shard is an independent app and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Dynalist Inc. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

TaskSteps4 screens
Shard4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is iOS requirement: TaskSteps at 15.1 against Shard's 17.0. On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price Β· Rating Β· Positive reviews Β· Number of ratings Β· Update frequency Β· Ads Β· In-app purchases Β· Monetization Β· Best chart rank Β· Devices Β· Requires iOS

CostPrice Β· In-app purchases Β· Ads Β· Monetization

Both are free to download. TaskSteps sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Shard sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Scorecard1 real difference Β· 5 level
TaskSteps versus Shard: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTaskStepsShard
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyβ€”Every 5 days
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
DevicesiPhone, iPod β€” betteriPhone
Requires iOS15.1 β€” better17.0
Further details β€” not scored
Size38 MB6 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperGrove LLCDaiki Yamaguchi

In-app purchases

1 purchases

TaskSteps

One-time1
  • TaskSteps Unlock$4.99
3 purchases

Shard

Subscriptions2
  • Shard Plus (Monthly)7 Days trial$2.991 Month
  • Shard Plus (Yearly)7 Days trial$24.991 Year
One-time1
  • Shard Plus (Lifetime)$59.99

Questions

Is TaskSteps free?
TaskSteps is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Shard free?
Shard is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do TaskSteps or Shard have ads?
Neither TaskSteps nor Shard shows ads.

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