Comparison

Silo vs Barely Notes

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

Head to head
About

Silo

This app provides a distraction-free Pomodoro timer specifically designed for Apple Watch. It uses subtle haptic feedback to guide focus and break sessions, helping users stay on track without auditory alerts. Ideal for quiet environments, it supports task management and progress tracking.

Highlights
  • Apple Watch native design
  • Discreet haptic alerts
  • Focus and break cycles
  • Adjustable timer intervals
  • Distraction-free operation
  • Task management and reminders (Pro)
  • Focus stats tracking (Pro)
Features
Read full description

Silo is a Pomodoro-style focus timer built for Apple Watch and iPhone. It uses subtle wrist haptics to guide focus and break sessions without loud alerts, distracting notifications, or constant phone checking. Perfect for students, people with ADHD, deep-work professionals, and anyone who wants a calmer way to stay on track. Silo is especially powerful on Apple Watch: a tap on your wrist tells you when to focus, when to take a break, and when to return. It’s ideal for libraries, offices, meetings, and anywhere silence matters. “To add something to your daily life without intrusion or complication—that’s what the Apple Watch is about, and this app does a great job of that.” — Apple WatchCast Podcast FEATURES • Apple Watch-first focus timer • Pomodoro-style focus and break sessions • Gentle haptic alerts on your wrist • Adjustable timer intervals on Apple Watch and iPhone • Pause and resume anytime • Quiet, distraction-free design • Great for silent environments • Works great with Airplane Mode SILO PRO • Apple Watch Complications • Plan your day with tasks and reminders • Assign tasks to focus sessions • Mark tasks complete • Custom focus presets • Track daily and weekly focus stats • iCloud sync for tasks and stats Support: support@silofocus.com Terms: silofocus.com/terms Privacy: silofocus.com/privacy

About

Barely Notes

Features
Read full description

Barely is a minimalist note app. One note at a time. No folders. No tags. No noise. Write what matters right now. Archive when done. Start fresh. Time-aware The app shifts with you. Warm mornings. Clean middays. Deep evenings. The tone changes automatically, or set it manually. Weekly surface Your archived notes surface back to you for seven days. Review, restore, or let them fade away. After a week, they're gone. Camera Capture a photo or record a video directly into your note. Share it however you want. Widgets See your active note at a glance. Small, medium, and large home screen widgets. Lock screen widgets. Live Activity on your lock screen and Dynamic Island. Bokashi themes Five curated color gradients inspired by the traditional color vocabulary of Japan. Sakura, Matcha, Sumi, Kumo, and Akatsuki. Each theme changes your app icon to match. One-time purchase. No subscription. Barely enough. Exactly right.

Screenshots

Silo4 screens
Barely Notes4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Barely Notes at Free against Silo's $1.99. Barely Notes also leads on update cadence (every 11 days vs every 3 weeks). Silo's advantage is device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 26.0). On ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Barely Notes is free to download; Silo costs $1.99 up front. Silo sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month and Barely Notes sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Silo ships an update every 3 weeks, Barely Notes every 11 days. The most recent releases landed on October 28, 2026 and October 8, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Silo versus Barely Notes: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSiloBarely Notes
Price$1.99Free — better
Rating3.4 (10 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews35.6% of reviews—
Number of ratings10 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksEvery 11 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFreemium—
DevicesiPhone, iPod, Apple Watch — betteriPhone
Requires iOS13.0 — better26.0
Further details — not scored
Size13 MB1 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperRainbox StudioAshley Cornette

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Silo

Subscriptions1
  • SILO Pro7 Days trial$1.991 Month
One-time1
  • Unlock Pro Features$2.99
1 purchases

Barely Notes

One-time1
  • Bokashi Themes$2.99

Questions

Is Silo free?
Silo costs $1.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Is Barely Notes free?
Barely Notes is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Silo or Barely Notes have ads?
Neither Silo nor Barely Notes shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Silo or Barely Notes?
Silo ships an update every 3 weeks, and Barely Notes every 11 days. Most recently, Silo was updated on October 28, 2026 and Barely Notes on October 8, 2026.

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