Comparison

Memo vs Box for Thought

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

Head to head
About

Memo

Keep important short notes visible on your lock screen and in notifications. Ideal for lists and reminders that need frequent checking without opening an app.

Highlights
  • Add notes to Notification Center
  • View notes from lock screen
  • Organize notes with tags
  • Mark notes as done with strikethrough
  • Share notes as Markdown
  • Save URLs via Share Extension
  • Import line-by-line lists
Features
Read full description

See the note you need today the moment you check your phone. Memo is for short notes you look at repeatedly: shopping lists, things to bring, tasks for today, quick checklists, URLs, and small reminders you do not want buried inside a full note app. Select the notes that matter now and keep them available from the lock screen and Notification Center, so you can check them without opening the app and searching through a long list. Use it when a reminder is too heavy and a long note is too easy to forget. A grocery list while you are walking through a store. Things to pack before you leave. A short set of steps you need to follow. A URL you want to keep with the rest of your notes. A few tasks that should stay visible today. What you can do with Memo: - Add selected notes to Notification Center - Check frequently viewed notes from the lock screen - Organize notes with tags such as shopping, work, home, or travel - Mark notes as done with strikethrough — completed notes stay visible but dimmed - Share notes as Markdown with tag headings and checkbox support - Customize up to four floating action buttons for quick access to your most-used actions - Save URLs from Safari and other apps with the Share Extension - Import line-by-line lists from a text file - Move finished notes to the archive - Delete notes you no longer need - Create an iCloud backup and restore it when needed Memo is intentionally simple. It is not trying to replace a full notebook, calendar, or project manager. It works best for the small pieces of information you want to see quickly and repeatedly. If you need to write a long document, use a note app. If you need an alarm at a specific time, use a reminder. If you want a short note to stay close at hand, use Memo. Strikethrough lets you mark notes as done without deleting them. A completed shopping item or finished step stays in the list but appears dimmed, so you always know what is left. When you are done, move the checked items to the archive in one step. When you want to share a set of notes, export them as Markdown. Tags become headings, and notes marked with strikethrough are written as [x] checkboxes. Useful for sending a list to someone else or pasting it into another app. Tags help keep the list manageable as your notes grow. You can separate shopping, errands, work, home, travel, and personal notes, then choose only the items that should appear in Notification Center. Finished items can be archived so your active list stays focused, while older notes remain available when you need them. The Share Extension makes it easy to send a URL or text from another app into Memo. When you find a page, product, recipe, or reference you want to check later, save it with a tag and keep moving. Text import is useful for preparing a list on another device or in another app, then bringing it into Memo as individual notes. For small notes that need to stay visible, not buried, keep them on your lock screen and in Notification Center with Memo.

About

Box for Thought

Features
Read full description

Does your mind ever feel… cluttered? Like a room full of tangled thoughts and worries, with no space left to simply be? What if you had a quiet, cozy box just for them? Welcome to Box for Thought, your personal sanctuary for the mind. This isn’t a to-do list demanding action or a race to the finish line. It’s a gentle companion for your inner world, a place where the goal isn’t to “fix” everything, but to explore, understand, and grow with every step. Your Gentle Journey with Box for Thought: 1. Share a Thought, Lighten Your Mind Whenever a worry, a question, or a fleeting idea pops into your head, gently place it in your box. It’s a simple act of release, giving your mind the space it needs to feel calm and clear again. 2. Receive 3 Little Sparks of Insight For every thought you share, our thoughtful AI will offer three gentle perspectives—like little sparks of light in the dark. They aren’t strict rules, but new paths to wander down, new ways to look at your world. 3. Explore & See How It Feels Choose an idea that resonates with you and give it a try. There’s no pressure, no right or wrong. Afterwards, simply reflect on whether it was helpful. Every attempt, successful or not, is a footprint on your path, a sign that you are moving forward. 4. Meet Your Unique Mind-Portrait As you continue your journey, Box for Thought will begin to understand the beautiful, unique way your mind works. It will reveal a “Mind-Portrait” just for you. Are you a “Multitasking Maestro” with a brain full of sparkling ideas? Or perhaps a “Deep-Night Dreamer” who finds clarity in the quiet? Discover the hidden superpowers of your own thinking style and be inspired to keep exploring. A Cozy Space for Every Kind of Thinker: For the Creative Sparklers: Whose minds leap with a million brilliant ideas at once. For the Deep Feelers: Who experience the world with great sensitivity and need a gentle outlet. For the Thoughtful Dreamers: Who have big ideas but need a small, kind nudge to begin. For the Midnight Ponderers: Whose minds come alive when the world is asleep. For the Curious Explorers: Who love to experiment with different paths and possibilities. Your story of growth is not written in giant leaps, but in the quiet, consistent care you give to your inner world. It all starts with a single thought. Let’s begin. Your current trial subscription is about to change to a paid subscription. The subscription fee will be automatically charged to your iTunes account upon confirmation of purchase. You will be automatically charged at the same price and enjoy the same period of privileges for auto-sub that can be turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current subscription period to take effect. Re-sub fee will be automatically charged to your account within 24 hours before the end of the current subscription period. Users can self-manage subscriptions or turn off auto-sub at iTunes Account settings. All unused periods of free trial shall be forfeited upon purchasement of subscription. Privacy Policy:https://flyingfishmart.com/privacy/notice/en.html Terms of Use:https://flyingfishmart.com/terms/notice/en.html

Screenshots

Memo3 screens
Box for Thought4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: Box for Thought at none against Memo's shown. Box for Thought also leads on iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.0). Memo's advantage is update cadence (every 6 days vs every 5 weeks). On price, in-app purchases and device support 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. Memo sells 4 one-off in-app purchases and Box for Thought sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Memo ships an update every 6 days, Box for Thought every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 26, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Memo versus Box for Thought: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMemoBox for Thought
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (1 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews84.6% of reviews—
Number of ratings1 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 6 days — betterEvery 5 weeks
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Apple Watch — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS17.015.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size21 MB59 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperToshihiko AraiFishFun

In-app purchases

4 purchases

Memo

One-time4
  • Buy me a coffee$4.99
  • Buy me two coffees$9.99
  • Memo Pro$10.00
Show 1 more
  • Big support$19.99
3 purchases

Box for Thought

Subscriptions3
  • Monthly$1.991 Month
  • Quarterly$3.993 Months
  • Annual$14.991 Year

Questions

Is Memo free?
Memo is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Box for Thought free?
Box for Thought is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Memo or Box for Thought have ads?
Memo shows ads; Box for Thought does not.
Which is updated more often, Memo or Box for Thought?
Memo ships an update every 6 days, and Box for Thought every 5 weeks. Most recently, Memo was updated on October 26, 2026 and Box for Thought on October 24, 2026.

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