# 一言 vs Time Caps

The clearest difference is monetization model: Time Caps at freemium against 一言's subscription. 一言's advantage is iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). On price, rating, review sentiment and ratings volume there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. 一言 sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per year and Time Caps sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for 一言 against 4.8 for Time Caps. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 115 and 153 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 88% of 一言's written reviews are positive against 84% of Time Caps's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 9, 2026 and October 5, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | 一言 | Time Caps |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (115 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/id1010174792/reviews) | [4.8 (153 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/time-caps-a-future-diary/id1195852313/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 115 | **153** |
| Positive reviews | **87.8% of reviews** | 83.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | Every 6 weeks |
| Monetization | Subscription | **Freemium** |
| Size | 74 MB | 18 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [秸嵘 韩](https://appshunter.io/developer/1010174791) | [灿海 陈](https://appshunter.io/developer/1068107051) |

## What reviewers say

### 一言

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/id1010174792)

This app is a sophisticated tool for recording and organizing text, serving as a personal collection for quotes, lyrics, or dialogues. It also functions as a creative writing platform, a journaling tool with image support, and a curated reading experience.

**Highlights:** Record and collect quotes, lyrics, and dialogues, Creative writing and long-form content creation, Journaling with image support, Curated daily content discovery, Minimalist text formatting and design, Share touching quotes with friends

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 一言年会员 | $1.99 | per year |
| 一言永久会员 | $3.99 | one-time |


### Time Caps

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/time-caps-a-future-diary/id1195852313)

This app allows users to create a digital diary with various types of entries, including daily reflections, future messages, and voice notes. It offers features like mood-based coloring, serendipitous retrieval of past entries, and secure privacy protection. Users can also subscribe for enhanced functionalities and premium features.

**Highlights:** Daily mood-based journal entries, Write messages to your future self, Record voice notes for the future, Serendipitous retrieval of past entries, Secure passcode and biometric lock, Daily reminders and widgets, Offline functionality

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Time Traveler Pro (Monthly) | $3.99 | per month |
| Time Traveler Pro (Yearly) | $24.99 | per year |
| 1200 Cap Pieces | $0.99 | one-time |
| 2888 Cap Pieces | $1.99 | one-time |
| 3600 Cap Pieces | $2.99 | one-time |
| 5000 Cap Pieces | $3.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 💡 Unique concept of time capsules
- 👍 Easy and simple to use
- 💖 Encourages journaling habit
- 😊 Calming and beautiful design
- ✨ Helps self-reflection and growth

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 In-app purchases for features
- 💸 High cost for capsules/features
- 🔒 Password lock feature requires subscription
- 📈 Difficulty in exporting data
- 😔 Word cap can be restrictive

**Reported bugs**

- 🐛 Interface issues with updates
- 🐛 Face ID issues reported

**Requested features**

- Ability to export previous posts
- Lower gem prices for capsules
- More options for describing the day
- Add template feature
- Support dark mode


## Frequently asked questions

### Is 一言 free?

一言 is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Time Caps free?

Time Caps is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, 一言 or Time Caps?

一言 and Time Caps are both rated 4.8 out of 5 on the App Store, from 115 and 153 ratings respectively.

### Do 一言 or Time Caps have ads?

Neither 一言 nor Time Caps shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, 一言 or Time Caps?

一言 ships an update every 6 weeks, and Time Caps every 6 weeks. Most recently, 一言 was updated on October 9, 2026 and Time Caps on October 5, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*