# Time Caps vs PaperWords

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Time Caps at 84% against PaperWords's 50%. Time Caps also leads on rating (4.8 vs 4.5) and ratings volume (153 vs 4). PaperWords's advantage is iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Time Caps sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month and PaperWords sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Time Caps holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Time Caps has 153 ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 84% of Time Caps's written reviews are positive against 50% of PaperWords's.

Time Caps ships an update every 6 weeks, PaperWords every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on September 2, 2026 and September 10, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Time Caps | PaperWords |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (153 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/time-caps-a-future-diary/id1195852313/reviews)** | [4.5 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/paperwords/id1508348642/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **153** | 4 |
| Positive reviews | **83.7% of reviews** | 50.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 6 weeks** | Every 4 months |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 18 MB | 33 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [灿海 陈](https://appshunter.io/developer/1068107051) | [洪跃 管](https://appshunter.io/developer/1363417345) |

## What reviewers say

### 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


### PaperWords

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/paperwords/id1508348642)

Capture thoughts and memories with a simulated paper writing experience. Decorate notes with patterns, stickers, and photos to make recordings more personal and ceremonial. Generate unique images for social media sharing.

**Highlights:** Simulated paper writing experience, Decorate notes with patterns and stickers, Attach photos to notes, Generate personalized images for social media, Multiple writing modes, iCloud multi-device synchronization

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

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unlimited Storage | $0.99 | one-time |
| Single-line Mode | $1.99 | one-time |
| Paper-photo Mode | $2.99 | one-time |
| PaperWords PRO | $3.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Time Caps free?

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

### Is PaperWords free?

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

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

Time Caps is rated higher. Time Caps averages 4.8 out of 5 from 153 ratings, while PaperWords averages 4.5 from 4 ratings.

### Do Time Caps or PaperWords have ads?

Neither Time Caps nor PaperWords shows ads.

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

Time Caps ships an update every 6 weeks, and PaperWords every 4 months. Most recently, Time Caps was updated on September 2, 2026 and PaperWords on September 10, 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.*