# CardBeat vs Idea Web

The clearest difference is price: CardBeat at Free against Idea Web's $3.99. CardBeat also leads on rating (3.5 vs 2.0) and ratings volume (33 vs 2). Idea Web's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and iOS requirement (16.4 vs 26.0). On update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

CardBeat is free to download; Idea Web costs $3.99 up front. CardBeat sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Idea Web asks for nothing beyond the download.

CardBeat holds the better App Store score, 3.5 against 2.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: CardBeat has 33 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two.

CardBeat ships an update every 2 months, Idea Web every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 13, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | CardBeat | Idea Web |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $3.99 |
| Rating | **[3.5 (33 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cardbeat-plot-your-story/id1488252091/reviews)** | [2.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/idea-web-mindmap-outline/id6451052604/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **33** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 45.8% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 5 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Paid |
| Size | 7 MB | 13 MB |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | **16.4** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Stefan Stuckmann](https://appshunter.io/developer/1434238274) | [harry bloch](https://appshunter.io/developer/1130009832) |

## What reviewers say

### CardBeat

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cardbeat-plot-your-story/id1488252091)

This app provides a digital cork board for writers to plot novels, screenplays, or short stories. It allows users to break down stories into acts, sequences, and scenes, and rearrange them freely. Users can customize cards with colors, lines, or grids, and choose from various drawing tools or keyboard input.

**Highlights:** Digital cork board for story plotting, Structure stories into acts, sequences, and scenes, Rearrange plot elements freely, Customizable cards with colors and backgrounds, Multiple drawing tools and keyboard input, Export boards as PDF, iCloud syncing

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unlimited Story Boards | $19.99 | one-time |


### Idea Web

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/idea-web-mindmap-outline/id6451052604)

Capture, organize, and visualize your thoughts and ideas into interactive mind maps. This tool transforms complex concepts into actionable plans with a user-friendly interface for dynamic brainstorming and idea management.

**Highlights:** Interactive mind mapping, Visual idea webs, Color-coded thoughts, Easy rearrangement of entries, Progress tracking, Actionable plan transformation

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is CardBeat free?

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

### Is Idea Web free?

Idea Web costs $3.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, CardBeat or Idea Web?

CardBeat is rated higher. CardBeat averages 3.5 out of 5 from 33 ratings, while Idea Web averages 2.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do CardBeat or Idea Web have ads?

Neither CardBeat nor Idea Web shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, CardBeat or Idea Web?

CardBeat ships an update every 2 months, and Idea Web every 5 weeks. Most recently, CardBeat was updated on October 23, 2026 and Idea Web on October 13, 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.*