# Time Caps vs Lightmark

Time Caps and Lightmark both sit at 4.8 stars, but that hides the real split: 100% of Lightmark's written reviews are positive against 84% of Time Caps's. Lightmark also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 6 weeks). Time Caps's advantage is ratings volume (153 vs 9) 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 Lightmark sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 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 Time Caps against 4.9 for Lightmark. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Time Caps has 153 ratings behind it against 9, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 84% of Time Caps's written reviews are positive against 100% of Lightmark's.

Time Caps ships an update every 6 weeks, Lightmark every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 2, 2026 and September 15, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Time Caps | Lightmark |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (153 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/time-caps-a-future-diary/id1195852313/reviews) | **[4.9 (9 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lightmarkprivate-diary-and-time/id6740918794/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **153** | 9 |
| Positive reviews | 83.7% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 18 MB | 14 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 18.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [灿海 陈](https://appshunter.io/developer/1068107051) | [璐 秦](https://appshunter.io/developer/1526979591) |

## 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


### Lightmark

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lightmarkprivate-diary-and-time/id6740918794)

This app encourages honest self-reflection by allowing users to record thoughts, emotions, and memories without the ability to edit entries after submission. It supports text, voice, photos, and videos, offering a multi-sensory journaling experience. A unique visual timeline helps users see their journey over time.

**Highlights:** Uneditable entries, Text, voice, photo, and video recording, Tag system for organization, Annual 'Lightmap' visualization, Daily timeline archive, Minimalist interface

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly | $1.99 | per month |
| Annual | $12.99 | per year |
| Lifetime | $14.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Time Caps free?

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

### Is Lightmark free?

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

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

Lightmark is rated higher. Time Caps averages 4.8 out of 5 from 153 ratings, while Lightmark averages 4.9 from 9 ratings.

### Do Time Caps or Lightmark have ads?

Neither Time Caps nor Lightmark shows ads.

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

Time Caps ships an update every 6 weeks, and Lightmark every 3 weeks. Most recently, Time Caps was updated on September 2, 2026 and Lightmark on September 15, 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.*