Comparison

Brain;Notes vs Gloss Ink

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

Head to head
About

Brain;Notes

Organize your thoughts and information with a scrapbook-style notepad. Freely add text, photos, maps, URLs, and voice memos to multiple workspaces. Notes can be secured with biometric authentication and exported as PDFs.

Highlights
  • Scrapbook-style organization
  • Support for text, photo, location, URL, and voice notes
  • Multiple workspaces with custom wallpapers
  • Biometric note locking
  • Calendar and Reminder integration
  • PDF export and AirDrop support
  • Stable and Shared note modes
Features
Read full description

"Brain;Notes" is a scrapbook-like sticky note that uses sticky notes to efficiently organize your ideas and information. You can freely write down not only text but also maps, photos, URLs, and other notes on your workspace. It can be used in a variety of ways depending on your ideas and thoughts, such as mind mapping. Main Features ・Simple menu-driven user interface. ・Available note types: text, photo, location, URL, and voice. ・Voice notes can be recorded for 60 seconds. ・Multiple workspaces are available for managing notes. ・Each workspace can have its own wallpaper. ・Each note can be locked by biometric authentication. ・Notes can be created as events in Calendar.app. ・Notes can be registered in Reminder.app. ・Workspaces can be exported as PDF files. ・AirDrop is supported. ・App supports for Sharing. (Notes can be created by "Share" from other apps. Notes can be created by dragging from other apps.) Unique Features: ・When a note is set to "Stable" mode, it will appear in all workspaces. If you create a new workspace, the note will still appear automatically. ・When a note is set to "Shared" mode, it will only appear in the workspace you select. Attentions: ・There is no ability to delete a workspace. However, you can delete all notes on a workspace with a three-finger tap gesture. Please be careful not to create too many workspaces. ・If there are less than 10 notes left, the app will automatically refill notes to 10 at midnight. Gesture Operations: Workspace (gray area): ・Single Tap: shows menu. ・Double Tap: creates new note. ・Two Finger Tap: reset wallpaper. ・Three Finger Tap: deletes all notes on the workspace. Sticky notes: ・Single Tap: shows menu. ・Double Tap: transforms appearance. ・Long Press: shows context menu.

About

Gloss Ink

Features
Read full description

A Fast, Minimal Markdown Notes App Write faster and stay focused with this elegant, distraction-free writing app — perfect for quick notes, markdown editing, and smart productivity. Minimalistic Note-Taking Stay organized with a clean, single-window interface. Choose from seven color-coded folders to keep your ideas, drafts, and notes grouped and accessible. Dark & Light Mode Support The interface adapts to your device’s system theme — ideal for day or night writing. Great for journal entries, study notes, or focused sessions. Compact & Efficient This lightweight note-taking app launches instantly and stays out of your way. No sign-up. No sync delays. Just open and write. Markdown Formatting Write in plain text or use formatting tools to apply bold, italic, underline, or strikethrough. Perfect for structured writing, blogging, or clean RTF export. Fast Editing Tools Apply bold, italic, underline, or checkmarks instantly using a custom, intuitive toolbar — optimized for quick writing. Ideal for: • Writers and creators • Students and professionals • Anyone looking for a minimal markdown note app Download now and enjoy a clean, powerful writing experience — with zero clutter

Screenshots

Gloss Ink3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Gloss Ink at none against Brain;Notes's 4. Gloss Ink also leads on update cadence (daily vs every 6 days). On price, ads, 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

Both are free to download. Brain;Notes sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. Gloss Ink asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Brain;Notes ships an update every 6 days, Gloss Ink daily. The most recent releases landed on October 3, 2026 and October 11, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Brain;Notes versus Gloss Ink: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBrain;NotesGloss Ink
PriceFreeFree
Rating1.0 (1 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews0.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings1 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 6 daysDaily — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPadiPhone, iPad — better
Requires iOS17.6 — better18.5
Further details — not scored
Size9 MB7 MB
Age rating17+4+
DeveloperKouichi AbeAlec Bogdan

In-app purchases

4 purchases

Brain;Notes

One-time4
  • 20 notes$0.99
  • 50 notes$1.99
  • 80 notes$2.99
Show 1 more
  • 150 notes$4.99
None

Gloss Ink

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Brain;Notes free?
Brain;Notes is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Gloss Ink free?
Gloss Ink is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Brain;Notes or Gloss Ink have ads?
Neither Brain;Notes nor Gloss Ink shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Brain;Notes or Gloss Ink?
Brain;Notes ships an update every 6 days, and Gloss Ink daily. Most recently, Brain;Notes was updated on October 3, 2026 and Gloss Ink on October 11, 2026.

Other comparisons