Comparison

Drift vs Cadence

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

Head to head
About

Drift

Read full description

Stop carrying your to-do list in your head. Drift is a calm, intelligent task manager designed to help ADHD brains manage reminders and tasks without the stress, clutter, and overwhelm of traditional to-do apps. Capture any fleeting thought in seconds β€” and let Drift bring it back at the perfect moment. No pressure. No cognitive overload. Just gentle, well-timed nudges that help you stay on top of life’s small tasks. KEY FEATURES β€’ Brain Dump Stop relying on working memory. Drift acts as an external brain to hold small tasks so you can relax. β€’ Quick capture Add tasks instantly using simple text or voice β€” no setup needed. β€’ Smart reminders Drift learns what matters and reminds you at the right time, not all the time. β€’ Calm task view See only what’s relevant now, instead of overwhelming lists. β€’ Gentle nudges Get helpful reminders and follow-ups that feel supportive, never annoying. --- WHY DRIFT Most productivity apps add more noise. Drift removes it. Instead of forcing you to organize everything, Drift quietly understands your tasks and surfaces them when it makes sense. It’s not about doing more. It’s about thinking less. --- PERFECT FOR β€’ Daily reminders β€’ To-do lists without overwhelm β€’ Staying organized effortlessly β€’ Reducing mental clutter β€’ People who forget small things --- Drift helps you remember less β€” and live more. *This app is a productivity tool and does not provide medical advice or act as a substitute for professional ADHD treatment. Terms of Use : https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

Cadence

Read full description

Your day, drawn around your rhythm β€” not against it. Cadence is the planner built for the way your brain actually works. Instead of rigid to-do lists that mock you when the day falls apart, Cadence quietly rebalances your plan so slipped tasks find the next right moment. No guilt, no rebuilding from scratch, no starting over tomorrow. Built for people with ADHD, suspected ADHD, autism, AuDHD, and anyone whose days refuse to run on a 9-to-5 timeline. WHY CADENCE β€’ DAY FLEX ENGINE β€” When you miss a task, Cadence moves it to the next best slot in your day. No manual dragging. Your plan flexes with you, not against you. β€’ ENERGY-BASED SCHEDULING β€” Tell Cadence once when your mornings, afternoons, and evenings run hot. High-energy tasks land in high-energy windows. Low-energy tasks stay out of the way. β€’ GENTLE RHYTHM, NOT ALARMS β€” No jarring notifications. No red overdue counters. Just quiet suggestions that meet you where you are. β€’ EVERYTHING LIVES ON YOUR PHONE β€” No sign-in, no cloud sync, no account to forget. Your answers, your rhythm map, your plan β€” all stored locally on your device. Nothing shared. HOW IT WORKS 1. A 90-second onboarding shapes the app around YOU β€” your energy pattern, the kind of mind you're working with, the things that usually drain you. 2. We generate your first week β€” tasks placed on the windows where your brain tends to show up. 3. Miss one? Day Flex moves it. Finish one? The rhythm shifts a little. Every day, the plan is a little more yours. CADENCE PRO Start with the basics for free. Upgrade when you want the full rhythm engine. PRO UNLOCKS: β€’ Day Flex auto-rebalance β€” the engine that moves slipped tasks β€’ Energy-based scheduling β€” automatic high/low-energy placement β€’ Rhythm analytics + journal β€” see your weeks, track what shifts β€’ Gentle notification nudges β€” calibrated to your pattern, not a clock β€’ Focus mode β€” quiet, distraction-free task execution SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION β€’ Cadence Pro Annual: $59.99/year with a 7-day free trial β€’ Cadence Pro Monthly: $9.99/month (no trial) Payment charged to your Apple ID at purchase confirmation. Subscription auto-renews unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the current period ends. Manage or cancel anytime in Settings > Apple ID > Subscriptions. Any unused portion of a free trial is forfeited when you purchase a subscription. Privacy Policy: https://cadence-legal.vercel.app/privacy.html Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Cadence isn't trying to fix you. It's trying to give you a day that fits. Quietly. Without the shame spiral. Without the blank Monday. Your rhythm is already in there. Cadence just listens.

Screenshots

Drift4 screens
Cadence4 screens

Verdict

The call

Drift and Cadence are too close to call on the numbers: across 5 compared parameters β€” price, ads, in-app purchases and device support among them β€” neither pulls far enough ahead to decide it. What separates them is feature set and interface, not measurable difference.

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. Drift sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per 7 days and Cadence sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ScorecardNo meaningful differences
Drift versus Cadence: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterDriftCadence
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 9 daysβ€”
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod β€” betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS15.115.1
Further details β€” not scored
Size68 MB52 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperCHI HOE CHANAdam Kaminski

In-app purchases

3 purchases

Drift

Subscriptions3
  • Drift Pro Weekly$2.997 Days
  • Drift Pro Monthly7 Days trial$4.991 Month
  • Drift Pro Yearly$41.991 Year
2 purchases

Cadence

Subscriptions2
  • Cadence Pro7 Days trial$9.991 Month
  • Cadence Pro Annual7 Days trial$59.991 Year

Questions

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

Other comparisons