Comparison

Agenda vs Cortex Lantern

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

Head to head
About

Agenda

This app integrates notes with your calendar, allowing you to associate notes with specific dates or events. It offers a rich text editor and supports attaching files and photos, with cross-device syncing and collaboration features. The core functionality is free, with optional premium features available via subscription.

Highlights
  • Notes linked to calendar dates/events
  • Timeline view of notes
  • Rich text editor with formatting
  • Attach files and photos to notes
  • Cross-device syncing (iCloud/Dropbox)
  • Project and category organization
  • Real-time collaboration
Features
Read full description

Most notes apps lose track of time. You write something, it disappears into a folder, and a week later you can't remember why you made that decision or what you prepared for that meeting. Agenda fixes this. Every note lives on a timeline alongside your calendar. Prepare for next week's client meeting, capture decisions as they happen, and look back at exactly what led you here — all in one view. "It's my favorite new app in years." — John Gruber, daringfireball.net "Every notes app should work like Agenda." — Khoi Vinh, subtraction.com "One of the most interesting note-taking apps I've used." — John Voorhees, MacStories YOUR NOTES, CONNECTED TO YOUR CALENDAR Attach any note to a date or link it directly to a calendar event. Mark notes as "On the Agenda" to surface them in a dedicated overview — your shortlist of what matters right now. A REAL TEXT EDITOR Headings, lists, tables, checklists, indented blocks, and preformatted text — with the simplicity of plain text input. Focus on what you're writing; Agenda handles how it looks. FILES, PHOTOS, AND LINKS Attach files and images to any note. Everything syncs across your devices and can be previewed inline. PROJECTS AND CATEGORIES Group notes into projects, group projects into categories. Drag to reorder, collapse to focus, or let the timeline do the organizing for you. MAC, IPAD, AND IPHONE Agenda syncs across all your devices via iCloud or Dropbox. Share individual notes for real-time collaboration — useful for team meetings or shared lists. FREE TO USE, FOREVER Agenda is free with no time limits. Premium features are available through a yearly subscription — and you keep every feature you unlock, even if you cancel. A one-time lifetime purchase is also available.

About

Cortex Lantern

Features
Read full description

Cortex Lantern is a brain training app and focus timer designed to help you rebuild your attention span and build deep work habits — with a glowing cortex visual that responds to your session in real time. REAL-TIME BRAIN VISUALISATION Start a focus sprint and watch your cortex “light up” as you work. The live brain animation keeps you engaged and present — so focus feels like training, not willpower. TRAIN 5 COGNITIVE PATHWAYS (NEUROSCIENCE-GROUNDED FRAMEWORK) Choose the Pathway that matches what you’re doing right now: • Deep Work — Prefrontal cortex (focus & control) • Creative — Default mode network (ideas & connections) • Learning — Hippocampus (memory & new skills) • Problem-Solving — Frontal-parietal network (logic & decisions) • Communication — Language hubs (expression & understanding) YOUR ATTENTION SPAN SCOREBOARD See focus time, Glow Points, streaks, and progress at a glance — so you always know you’re improving. STREAKS, REWARDS + VISUAL UNLOCKS Turn consistency into momentum: • Daily and weekly streaks • Session history and progress tracking • Achievements and level-ups • Visual unlocks that reward practice SHARE YOUR STREAK Export a premium share card to celebrate wins and make progress visible. FREE VS PRO Start free with core brain training and Deep Work. Upgrade to Pro to unlock all pathways, richer insights, more visual unlocks, and deeper progress tracking. Subscriptions automatically renew unless canceled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Payment will be charged to your Apple ID account at confirmation of purchase. You can manage and cancel subscriptions in your App Store account settings. PERFECT FOR • Founders and knowledge workers • Creators and writers • Students and lifelong learners • Anyone rebuilding their attention span and wanting something premium — built for focus. PRIVACY-FIRST Cortex Lantern is not a medical device. It is a visual focus training experience designed to support better habits. Your sessions and stats stay private to you. Privacy Policy: https://cortexlantern.app/privacy Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Built in England by creator and founder Sisi N — made for anyone tired of tab-hopping, notifications, and “one more scroll”.

Screenshots

Agenda4 screens
Cortex Lantern4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Cortex Lantern at daily against Agenda's weekly. Agenda's advantage is device support (4 vs 2). On price, ads, in-app purchases and iOS requirement 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

Both are free to download. Agenda sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $39.99 per year and Cortex Lantern sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Agenda ships an update weekly, Cortex Lantern daily. The most recent releases landed on October 26, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Agenda versus Cortex Lantern: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterAgendaCortex Lantern
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (3.7K ratings) — better—
Positive reviews63.8% of reviews—
Number of ratings3.7K — better—
Update frequencyWeeklyDaily — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS15.0 — better15.1
Further details — not scored
Size122 MB44 MB
Age rating9+4+
DeveloperMomenta B.V.The UGC Playbook LTD

Bugs and requests

Agenda

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Sync issues between devices
  • Text formatting inconsistencies
  • Unresponsive UI in certain cases

Requested features

5 requests
  • Handwriting and drawing support
  • Ability to insert images and files
  • Project templates and subfolders
  • Google Calendar integration
  • Improved note formatting options

Cortex Lantern

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

5 purchases

Agenda

Subscriptions2
  • Premium Subscription macOS+iOS7 Days trial$39.991 Year
  • Premium Features iPadOS+iOS$44.991 Year
One-time3
  • Premium Features iOS & iPadOS$14.99
  • Premium macOS, iOS & iPadOS$34.99
  • Lifetime Premium Features$179.00
2 purchases

Cortex Lantern

Subscriptions2
  • Cortex Lantern Pro$5.991 Month
  • Cortex Lantern Pro Annual$59.991 Year

Questions

Is Agenda free?
Agenda is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Cortex Lantern free?
Cortex Lantern is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Agenda or Cortex Lantern have ads?
Neither Agenda nor Cortex Lantern shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Agenda or Cortex Lantern?
Agenda ships an update weekly, and Cortex Lantern daily. Most recently, Agenda was updated on October 26, 2026 and Cortex Lantern on October 25, 2026.

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