# Reflection vs By Then

The clearest difference is update cadence: Reflection at every 3 weeks against By Then's every 6 months. Reflection also leads on device support (4 vs 1) and iOS requirement (15.6 vs 18.5). On price, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Reflection sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month and By Then sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Reflection ships an update every 3 weeks, By Then every 6 months. The most recent releases landed on November 7, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Reflection | By Then |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (1.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/reflection-ai-journal-and-diary/id1504547616/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **1.1K** | — |
| Positive reviews | 90.1% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 6 months |
| Monetization | Freemium | — |
| Size | 121 MB | 6 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.6** | 18.5 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Journal Better Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1880353825) | [Michael Lysons](https://appshunter.io/developer/469522690) |

## What reviewers say

### Reflection

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/reflection-ai-journal-and-diary/id1504547616)

This AI-powered journal provides personalized coaching and insights based on your daily entries. It allows you to write, speak, or scan your thoughts, and then ask your journal questions to gain deeper self-understanding. Track your growth with mood insights and reviews.

**Highlights:** AI Coach replies to entries, Ask your journal questions, Voice journaling with transcription, Scan handwritten pages, Mood and emotion insights, 100+ guided journals and prompts, Private and encrypted entries

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (8)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium (Monthly) | $5.99 | per month |
| Premium (Monthly) | $8.00 | per month |
| Launch Special (Annual) | $35.99 | per year |
| Premium (Annual) | $47.99 | per year |
| Premium (Annual) | $47.99 | per year |
| Premium (Annual) | $69.00 | per year |
| Lifetime Premium Special | $124.99 | one-time |
| Premium (Lifetime) | $249.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Smooth user experience
- 💡 Helpful AI-powered prompts and insights
- 🌟 Beautiful and clean interface
- 📚 Useful journaling guides and categories

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Some features locked behind paywall
- 🐛 Occasional technical issues (e.g. login, syncing)
- 📱 Limited functionality on mobile devices

**Reported bugs**

- Keyboard covering screen on smaller devices
- Inability to delete or edit entries

**Requested features**

- More customization options (fonts, themes, etc.)
- Handwriting/Apple Pencil support
- Improved web/desktop app experience


### By Then

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/by-then/id6748918554)

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unlock all features | $5.00 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Reflection free?

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

### Is By Then free?

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

### Do Reflection or By Then have ads?

Neither Reflection nor By Then shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Reflection or By Then?

Reflection ships an update every 3 weeks, and By Then every 6 months. Most recently, Reflection was updated on November 7, 2026 and By Then on October 30, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*