TaskSteps vs ByWhen
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side โ with what reviewers say about each.
TaskSteps
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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
ByWhen
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A deadline is not just a date. It is a promise your future self needs help keeping. ByWhen helps you turn important tasks into practical reminder plans. Instead of relying on one alert, ByWhen looks at what needs to be done, when it is due, how long it may take, what kind of attention it needs, and when your day has realistic space for it. Add a task, set the due date, estimate the effort, choose the task type, and ByWhen helps you stay aware of the work before it turns into last-minute pressure. ByWhen is built for: - Work projects with real due dates - Assignments, exams, and study sessions - Calls, forms, paperwork, and admin tasks - Errands that need time away from home or work - Personal tasks that are easy to postpone - Daily, weekly, monthly, yearly, and selected-day routines DEADLINE PLANS ByWhen helps you think beyond a simple due date. It considers time remaining, estimated effort, task priority, task type, and available windows in your day. A short call can fit differently than a focused work session. An errand that requires leaving home can be treated differently from a quick task you can do during a break. REMINDERS WITH CONTEXT ByWhen keeps the deadline visible as time passes. It highlights whether a task is on track, needs attention, is at risk, or has become critical. If you do not act on a reminder right away, the task remains part of your plan so you can return to it later. OPEN-TIME PLANNING With your permission, ByWhen can use calendar busy blocks to avoid suggesting times that are already occupied. You can choose what to include, ignore imported blocks, and keep control of your schedule. ROUTINE SETTINGS Set your wake time, sleep time, work hours, and workdays so reminder timing fits your real life. ByWhen can avoid unhelpful times and protect parts of the day when reminders would not make sense. TASK TYPES Different tasks need different kinds of time. ByWhen supports task types such as focused work, admin, calls, study, errands, and away-from-home tasks. This helps ByWhen suggest more realistic moments instead of treating every reminder the same way. REPEATING TASKS Create repeating tasks for daily, weekly, monthly, yearly, or selected days of the week. When you complete a repeating task, ByWhen moves the next cycle forward so you are not reminded again for the period you already finished. QUICK ACTIONS Act from a reminder when possible. Start work, be reminded later, log time, or mark the task done so your plan can stay up to date. PRIVATE BY DESIGN ByWhen is built with privacy in mind. Your tasks, schedule blocks, routine settings, and reminder plans stay on your device. No account is required to start. If you choose to export a backup, it goes to your own selected destination. BYWHEN PREMIUM Your first 7 days are ByWhen Premium. During this time, all smart planning features are available. ByWhen Premium keeps every reminder active and unlocks the full planning experience, including unlimited active reminders, deadline plans, open-time planning, task-specific reminder styles, repeating tasks, quick actions, and routine personalization. After the first 7 days, your reminders stay safe, but Premium is required to keep all smart reminders active. Download ByWhen and give your deadlines a plan you can trust. Privacy Policy: https://nionlite.com/bywhen-privacy.html Terms of Use: https://nionlite.com/bywhen-terms.html
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Verdict
The clearest difference is iOS requirement: TaskSteps at 15.1 against ByWhen's 17.0. On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price ยท Rating ยท Positive reviews ยท Number of ratings ยท Update frequency ยท Ads ยท In-app purchases ยท Monetization ยท Best chart rank ยท Devices ยท Requires iOS
Both are free to download. TaskSteps sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and ByWhen sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
| Parameter | TaskSteps | ByWhen |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Update frequency | โ | Every 3 days |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod โ better | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 โ better | 17.0 |
| Further details โ not scored | ||
| Size | 38 MB | 8 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Grove LLC | NiONlite LLC |
In-app purchases
TaskSteps
- TaskSteps Unlock$4.99
ByWhen
- Monthly Premium$4.991 Month
- Annual Premium$39.991 Year









