# Time Caps vs DailyRetro

The clearest difference is update cadence: DailyRetro at weekly against Time Caps's every 6 weeks. Time Caps's advantage is ratings volume (156 vs 2) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 18.0). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Time Caps sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month and DailyRetro sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

DailyRetro holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Time Caps has 156 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Time Caps ships an update every 6 weeks, DailyRetro weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 26, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Time Caps | DailyRetro |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (156 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/time-caps-a-future-diary/id1195852313/reviews) | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dailyretro/id1605680196/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **156** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 83.7% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 18 MB | 14 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 18.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [灿海 陈](https://appshunter.io/developer/1068107051) | [Liqiang Wang](https://appshunter.io/developer/1592234035) |

## 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


### DailyRetro

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dailyretro/id1605680196)

This app helps you track habits, record thoughts with photos and markdown, and stay organized with daily reminders. It offers passcode and iCloud support for privacy and data backup.

**Highlights:** Diary keeping with photos and markdown, Habit tracking for routine management, Daily reminders and notifications, Passcode support for privacy, iCloud support for data backup and sync

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Buy me a coffee | $2.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Time Caps free?

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

### Is DailyRetro free?

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

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

DailyRetro is rated higher. Time Caps averages 4.8 out of 5 from 156 ratings, while DailyRetro averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do Time Caps or DailyRetro have ads?

Neither Time Caps nor DailyRetro shows ads.

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

Time Caps ships an update every 6 weeks, and DailyRetro weekly. Most recently, Time Caps was updated on October 26, 2026 and DailyRetro on October 30, 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.*