beorg vs Orgro (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, beorg grades higher than Orgro: 3.2 against 2.2 out of 4.0.
Checked Oct 9, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Oct 10, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
beorg grades higher on the free plan, features and ease of use. They get the same grade on value for money and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
beorg
Plain-text task manager for iPhone and iPad using Org mode files
Orgro
Org Mode file viewer and editor for iPhone, iPad and Android
Which one is for you
Pick beorg if
- Fits if you already keep your life in Emacs Org mode and want those files on your phone
- Works for people who want tasks in plain text files stored wherever they like
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you've never touched Org mode and just want a simple list
- Not for you if you want the same app on your Mac, PC or Android, as it's iPhone, iPad and Watch only
- Too light for sharing a list with anyone, since there's no collaboration on record
- Watch out: encryption, Box sync, saved searches, task timers and more than 2 templates are paid, at $9.99 a year or $0.99 to $2.99 each
Pick Orgro if
- Fits if you keep notes in Emacs Org Mode and want to read them on a phone
- Works for people who tick off TODOs and checkboxes while out
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you don't already use Org Mode files
- Not for you if you want sync: the app opens and closes files, with none of its own
- Too light for structured editing, since only checkboxes and TODO keywords are toggled
- Watch out: the FAQ says saving may change parts of a file you didn't edit, so keep backups
How we grade them
| 3.2GPAbeorgVery good | 2.2GPAOrgroFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | APremium unlocks every extension for $9.99 a year, about a fifth of what a year on this category's middle subscription costs. Or buy single extensions from $0.99 to $2.99 and never subscribe at all. | A$4.99 once after a 7-day trial, under a year of the category's middle subscription and below its $12.99 one-time middle. |
| Free plan and trial | BUnlimited files and tasks, the weekly agenda, search, subtasks, scripting and sync through iCloud, Dropbox or WebDAV, all free. You could live here. The caps are 2 task templates, and no encryption, saved searches or task timers. | CA 7-day free trial of all features, then the one-time unlock. The pages don't say whether a card is needed, and there is no free plan. |
| Features | BCustom task states, priorities, tags, scheduled and deadline and repeating dates, a folding outliner, an agenda beside your iOS calendars, and a Scheme language for your own filters. No sharing or collaboration on record, though. | DOne narrow function: view and lightly edit Org files, toggle TODOs and checkboxes. It has no sync, and it only makes sense next to Emacs or other Org tools. |
| Ease of use | A4.87 from 1,042 App Store ratings. Worth saying those raters mostly knew Org mode before they arrived: you pick where files sync and get on with it. | CNo store rating on record. You point it at files in cloud storage, and need to know Org Mode. |
| Platforms and integrations | CiPhone, iPad and Apple Watch, and that's it. No Mac, Windows, Android or web app. The files sync through iCloud, Dropbox, WebDAV or Box, so the same files open in Emacs on a computer. | CiPhone, iPad and Android only, opening files from iCloud Drive, Dropbox and Google Drive. No computer or web version. |
| Best for | Org mode files on an iPhone or iPad | opening Org Mode files on a phone |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: beorg and Orgro. How we grade
Where they differ
- Orgro is open source, according to its own site.
- beorg also covers templates.
At a glance
| beorg | Orgro | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free trial |
| Starts at | $0.99 per extension, or $1.49 per month for beorg Premium | $4.99 one-time, after a 7-day free trial |
| Free plan | Core features are free: unlimited Org mode files, tasks, weekly agenda, search, subtasks, Scheme scripting, 2 task templates, and sync through iCloud, Dropbox, WebDAV or a folder provider. | None |
| Free trial | 7-day free trial of beorg Premium | 7-day free trial of all features, then a one-time purchase unlocks the app. |
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | Apps On The Move Limited | Aaron Madlon-Kay |
| Price read from | apps.apple.com | orgro.org |
| Checked | Oct 9, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
beorg
- It is offered for iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch only. On a computer the files are edited in another Org mode editor such as Emacs, and the vendor points Android users to Orgzly.
- Encryption, Box sync, saved searches, task timers, properties and UI themes are paid extensions, and the free version allows 2 task templates.
- Premium is a subscription, $1.49 monthly or $9.99 annually on the US App Store; single extensions are separate in-app purchases.
Orgro
- Orgro has no sync of its own; files are opened from a storage provider and closed again.
- Structured editing is limited to toggling checkboxes and TODO keywords; everything else is raw-text editing.
- The FAQ advises keeping backups, because saving may alter parts of a file you did not edit.
- Links between Org files need a storage location that grants directory permissions, which many third-party apps do not.
Key features
beorg
- Plain-text Org mode files
- Tasks, projects and notes are saved as plain text in Org mode syntax, so the files can be viewed and edited in Emacs and other editors on macOS, Windows and Linux.
- Sync through storage you choose
- Files sync through iCloud, Dropbox, WebDAV or a folder from another file provider app. Box sync is a paid extension.
- Weekly agenda and notifications
- A weekly agenda shows scheduled items and deadlines next to events from iOS calendars, and notifications warn of upcoming items. The agenda is also available on Apple Watch.
- Tasks and outliner
- Tasks take custom states, priorities, tags, notes, and scheduled, deadline and repeating dates. The outliner folds sections, rearranges items and supports subtasks.
- Quick capture
- New tasks go to an inbox or straight to a file, and the share extension adds text and links from other apps to the inbox.
- Scripting, PDF export and backups
- A built-in Scheme scripting language creates custom task filters and customizes the editor. Outlines export to PDF, and the app keeps up to 7 days of file backups.
Orgro
- TODO and checkbox toggling
- Change TODO keywords on headlines and tick list checkboxes, with progress cookies updating.
- Plain-text editing
- Edit the raw Org markup in the app; saving recreates the file from an in-memory copy, which can change non-semantic whitespace.
- Agenda notifications
- Notifications for Org Agenda items, plus capture of text and links through the share sheet or org-capture:// links.
- Emacs-style viewing
- Narrowing, visibility cycling, reader mode, LaTeX rendering, tables and syntax highlighting for Org files.
- Org Crypt and Org Cite
- The App Store listing lists symmetric Org Crypt section decryption and encryption, and Org Cite bibliography support.
Plans
beorg
Free$0
Unlimited files, tasks, weekly agenda, search, 2 task templates, and iCloud, Dropbox, WebDAV or folder sync.
Individual extensions$0.99 - $2.99
per extension, in-app purchase; period not labelled
Extensions bought one at a time. The US App Store lists Dark Mode at $0.99, Properties at $1.99, and Saved Searches, Templates and Task Timers at $2.99 each.
beorg Premium - Monthly$1.49
per month
Unlocks every extension, including encryption, Box sync, saved searches, task timers, properties, UI themes and unlimited task templates.
beorg Premium - Annual$9.99
per year
The same Premium subscription with every extension unlocked, billed once a year.
Orgro
Full unlock$4.99
one-time, after a 7-day free trial
One-time, permanent unlock of all features, per the App Store listing. The price is the one shown on the Orgro site.
Ways to pay less
beorg
- Annual discount
Annual Premium costs about 44% less
The US App Store lists beorg Premium at $1.49 monthly or $9.99 annually, so a year on the annual plan costs about 44% less than twelve monthly payments.
Orgro
No public discounts listed.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, beorg or Orgro?
As of Nov 13, 2026, beorg starts at $0.99 per extension, or $1.49 per month for beorg Premium, and Orgro starts at $4.99 one-time, after a 7-day free trial.
Which has a free plan, beorg or Orgro?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only beorg has a free plan. Orgro does not, though it has a free trial.
Which platforms do beorg and Orgro run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Orgro lists an Android app. Both list an iOS app. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.