# Hounder vs Skrive

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Hounder at none against Skrive's 2. Hounder also leads on device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (13.2 vs 16.4). Skrive's advantage is update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 33 months). On price, rating, review sentiment and ratings volume there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Skrive sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Hounder asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Hounder against 5.0 for Skrive. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2 and 3 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.

Hounder ships an update every 33 months, Skrive every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Hounder | Skrive |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hounder/id1503960241/reviews) | [5.0 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/skrive-simple-journal/id6760240227/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 2 | **3** |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 33 months | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Freemium |
| Size | 2 MB | 66 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.2** | 16.4 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Jummp.com App Development](https://appshunter.io/developer/1503960240) | [Isak Solheim](https://appshunter.io/developer/1549940561) |

## What reviewers say

### Hounder

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hounder/id1503960241)

This app sends timely notifications to help you remember tasks and build habits. It operates entirely on your device, ensuring your privacy and not requiring an internet connection.

**Highlights:** Timely notifications, Task reminders, Habit building, On-device operation, No internet required, Privacy focused

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Skrive

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/skrive-simple-journal/id6760240227)

A straightforward and secure journaling app focused on daily writing. It offers a clean interface with no distractions, allowing users to easily record thoughts and memories. Entries are encrypted and can be exported as plain text.

**Highlights:** One entry per day, Plain text writing, Clean interface, Searchable history, Device encryption, Plain text export, Cross-device sync (Pro)

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| End-to-end encrypted sync | $3.99 | per month |
| End-to-end encrypted sync | $29.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Hounder free?

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

### Is Skrive free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Hounder or Skrive?

Hounder and Skrive are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 2 and 3 ratings respectively.

### Do Hounder or Skrive have ads?

Neither Hounder nor Skrive shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Hounder or Skrive?

Hounder ships an update every 33 months, and Skrive every 2 weeks. Most recently, Hounder was updated on November 3, 2026 and Skrive on October 31, 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.*