The simple fact that iPhone, iPod and iPads have been designed specifically with portability in mind, they are perfectly suited for use as task management tools. As you are likely to have your iOS device with you at all times, it makes sense to store details of upcoming appointments, information about the projects you are working on, and to keep track of everyday data such as income and expenditure. Two of the most well received iOS apps in this category are Weave and Calvetica. We decided to put them head to head to see which comes out on top.

From the offset Weave is at a major advantage by virtue of being free. This gives the app instant appeal, and the fact that trial versions of iOS app do not exist – save for so-called ‘lite’ versions of apps – it is more likely to be installed by someone browsing the App Store.

But the absence of a price tag is not the only thing that works in Weave’s favour. The way the app works in unlike other comparable tools. There are plenty of nice little touches such as the option to turn off reminders on particular days of the week which means that if you choose to take a couple of days off here and there, you can do so without having to worry about be pestered about deadlines you need to hit.

On the downside, there is no iPad version of Weave, and this means that iPad users have to endure the magnified mode that blights non universal apps. This is not a problem that affects Calvetica; it is a universal app that looks good on the large and smaller screen. Or at least that is the way it would seem to start with. The iPad version of Calvestica makes excellent use of space and manages to convey a huge amount of information without ever looking cluttered.

The same cannot be said when the app is viewed on an iPhone or iPod; the screen restraints mean that it is simple not possible to show all of the information you have recorded about appointments and tasks. There is obviously little that can be done to change this but it does mean that the iPhone and iPad version of Calvetica are almost different apps, and iPad users definitely get the better deal.

Calvetica is clearly designed with the power user in mind, and support for a wide range of gestures means that app navigation and accessing common features is quick and easy. Whether you are creating events or tasks, you can add notes, location information and more, and these details can be used to perform searches when you need to home in on certain information. Natural language style configuration of repeating events is interesting and unique, and the speed of event creation is incredible.

Choosing an app for any purposes is a very personal thing, and an app that is perfect for one person could not be more unsuitable for someone else. Weave and Calvetica are both very capable apps, and they both take dramatically different approaches to the age old problem of keeping on top of your tasks and events. Weave is undeniably simpler but it is perfectly designed to handle specific, keys pieces of information and presents it in a beautifully accessible form. Calvetica is somewhat more feature-rich, but this will not necessarily be to everyone’s tastes. The app you choose will depend very much on your individual circumstances, but in either case you are going to have a valuable tool at your disposal.

To help make your decision, pay a visit to the Weave or Calvetica review pages.