# Macaw vs Anytype

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Macaw at 100% against Anytype's 64%. Macaw also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 2) and rating (5.0 vs 4.5). Anytype's advantage is ratings volume (252 vs 3) and update cadence (fortnightly vs monthly). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Anytype sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Macaw asks for nothing beyond the download.

Macaw holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Anytype has 252 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 100% of Macaw's written reviews are positive against 64% of Anytype's.

Macaw ships an update monthly, Anytype fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Macaw | Anytype |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/macaw-to-do/id1438822168/reviews)** | [4.5 (252 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/anytype-the-everything-app/id6449487029/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 3 | **252** |
| Positive reviews | **100.0% of reviews** | 63.8% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 86 MB | 274 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, Apple Watch | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Macaw Work Lab LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1198060119) | [Any Association](https://appshunter.io/developer/1689366900) |

## What reviewers say

### Macaw

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/macaw-to-do/id1438822168)

This app helps you plan your day with intention, breaking down tasks into manageable steps. It offers gentle reminders and encourages daily reflection to foster a sense of progress and reduce stress.

**Highlights:** Daily planning ritual, Task breakdown, Gentle reminders, End-of-day reflection, Sense of progress tracking

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Anytype

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/anytype-the-everything-app/id6449487029)

This app unifies conversations, documents, notes, files, and databases into a single, private application. It offers powerful, local-first collaboration with end-to-end encryption, offline access, and secure cross-device syncing, ensuring your data always remains yours.

**Highlights:** Unified workspace for conversations, docs, notes, files, and databases, End-to-end encrypted and offline accessible, Local-first collaboration, Create and edit pages with blocks, Define custom content types, Publish content to the web, Manage lists and tasks with properties

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pro | $9.99 | per month |
| Builder | $119.00 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Powerful and flexible
- 🔒 Privacy-focused and secure
- 👍 Customizable and adaptable
- 🚀 Fast and responsive
- 👍 Comprehensive note-taking features

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional bugs and sync issues
- 🤔 Steep learning curve for new users
- 🤔 Lack of certain features like calendar and formulas
- 🔋 Performance issues on mobile devices
- 🤔 Inconsistent user experience between desktop and mobile

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes and freezes on certain devices
- Sync issues leading to data loss or duplication
- Inconsistent behavior when working with nested lists
- Page jumps and cursor positioning problems

**Requested features**

- Add calendar and scheduling features
- Improve mobile app performance and stability
- Implement formulas and automation capabilities
- Allow more customization options for fonts and UI
- Add widgets for quick access to notes and data


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Macaw free?

Macaw is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Anytype free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Macaw or Anytype?

Macaw is rated higher. Macaw averages 5.0 out of 5 from 3 ratings, while Anytype averages 4.5 from 252 ratings.

### Do Macaw or Anytype have ads?

Neither Macaw nor Anytype shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Macaw or Anytype?

Macaw ships an update monthly, and Anytype fortnightly. Most recently, Macaw was updated on October 29, 2026 and Anytype 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.*