Comparison

TimeStory vs Trove · Visual Notes

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

Head to head
About

TimeStory

Create visual timelines for projects, journals, and histories with intuitive touch gestures. Easily add images, customize appearance, and export your work in various formats. Optimized for iPad with Apple Pencil and multitasking support.

Highlights
  • Create graphical timelines
  • Add photos and image files
  • Divide timeline into sections
  • Import custom icons
  • Customize appearance (colors, fonts, shapes)
  • Export in PDF or PNG format
  • Apple Pencil and keyboard support
Features
Read full description

TimeStory for iPad/iPhone is a paid app (one-time purchase or annual subscription) for creating graphical timelines--project plans, roadmaps, personal journals, histories, and more, on scales from days to centuries--quickly and easily, while avoiding the complexity of project management tools. The free download lets you open, view, and share timelines created on TimeStory for Mac. If you want to create and edit timelines on your iPad/iPhone, you can activate the built-in free trial, and then, if you choose, pay once or subscribe annually. The free trial does not auto-renew into a subscription, so there’s no risk. Use natural touchscreen gestures to navigate and scale the timeline. Create an event just by tapping one of the New Event buttons then tapping or dragging on the timeline where you want it. Attach photos or image files. Divide your timeline into sections. Import your own SVG or PNG icons to mark points in time. Apply background colors, fonts, event shapes, text alignment, and more. Share your work in PDF or PNG format, exporting an entire timeline or just a section of it. On iPad, TimeStory has great support for Apple Pencil and external keyboards and pointers, works great in Split View and other multitasking modes, and supports multiple windows so you can open multiple documents at once or keep it open next to your research. Versions: This version of TimeStory was built to natively support iPad and iPhone. **Note: TimeStory for Mac is a separate purchase.** More info at https://timestory.app/get/ Web: Learn more on our website (https://timestory.app/), with example timelines, release history, and documentation. (Terms of use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/)

About

Trove · Visual Notes

Features
Read full description

You see something good. You screenshot it. Then it disappears into Photos with ten thousand others — and you never find it again. Trove fixes that. Save screenshots from any app with a single tap. Add a quick note. Then browse them in a calm, two-column visual library that's built for finding things, not for scrolling. ▸ HOW IT WORKS 1. Screenshot anything, in any app 2. Tap Share → choose Trove 3. Add a note, pick a list, save 4. Find it later — searchable by note, tag, or source app ▸ DESIGNED FOR FOCUS Editorial typography. Warm paper canvas. Ink-blue accents. No feeds, no algorithm, no badges, no streaks. Just your saved things, breathing. ▸ YOUR DATA STAYS WITH YOU Everything is local. No accounts, no servers, no analytics, no third-party SDKs. ▸ MADE FOR APPLE Native SwiftUI. iPhone, iPad, and Mac. Dark Mode, Dynamic Type, VoiceOver, Reduce Motion. Available in English and 日本語. ▸ TRY FREE FOR 10 DAYS Free to download. Use everything for 10 days — no credit card, no auto-renew. Then a single one-time purchase unlocks unlimited saving forever. No subscription. No ads.

Screenshots

TimeStory4 screens
Trove · Visual Notes4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: TimeStory at Free against Trove · Visual Notes's $0.99. Trove · Visual Notes's advantage is update cadence (fortnightly vs every 6 weeks). On ads, in-app purchases, device support 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

TimeStory is free to download; Trove · Visual Notes costs $0.99 up front. TimeStory sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $14.99 per year and Trove · Visual Notes sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

TimeStory ships an update every 6 weeks, Trove · Visual Notes fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on September 9, 2026 and September 20, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
TimeStory versus Trove · Visual Notes: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTimeStoryTrove · Visual Notes
PriceFree — better$0.99
Rating3.7 (3 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings3 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 6 weeksFortnightly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS17.017.0
Further details — not scored
Size28 MB8 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperCasual Programmer, LLC瑾威 向

In-app purchases

3 purchases

TimeStory

Subscriptions1
  • Annual Subscription$14.991 Year
One-time2
  • Two-Week TrialFree
  • One-Time Purchase$39.99
1 purchases

Trove · Visual Notes

One-time1
  • Trove Premium$2.99

Questions

Is TimeStory free?
TimeStory is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Trove · Visual Notes free?
Trove · Visual Notes costs $0.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Do TimeStory or Trove · Visual Notes have ads?
Neither TimeStory nor Trove · Visual Notes shows ads.
Which is updated more often, TimeStory or Trove · Visual Notes?
TimeStory ships an update every 6 weeks, and Trove · Visual Notes fortnightly. Most recently, TimeStory was updated on September 9, 2026 and Trove · Visual Notes on September 20, 2026.

Other comparisons