# NotePlan vs FocusGrove

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: FocusGrove at none against NotePlan's 10. FocusGrove also leads on update cadence (every 2 days vs monthly) and review sentiment (100% vs 85%). NotePlan's advantage is ratings volume (1.5K vs 1) and device support (4 vs 1). On price and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. NotePlan sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days. FocusGrove asks for nothing beyond the download.

FocusGrove holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: NotePlan has 1.5K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 85% of NotePlan's written reviews are positive against 100% of FocusGrove's.

NotePlan ships an update monthly, FocusGrove every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and September 18, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | NotePlan | FocusGrove |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (1.5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/noteplan-to-do-list-and-notes/id1505432629/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/focusgrove/id6780287702/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **1.5K** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 85.0% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Every 2 days** |
| Monetization | Subscription | **Free** |
| Size | 210 MB | 17 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [NotePlan LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1137020763) | [Peyman Osatian](https://appshunter.io/developer/6780232777) |

## What reviewers say

### NotePlan

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/noteplan-to-do-list-and-notes/id1505432629)

Organize your tasks, notes, and calendar in one unified app. Quickly plan your day with Markdown, link notes bi-directionally, and stay on top of your to-dos with powerful review and search features. Seamlessly integrates with your existing calendars and syncs across all your Apple devices.

**Highlights:** Unified task, note, and calendar view, Markdown for quick task and note creation, Bi-directional note linking, Calendar integration (iCloud, Google, Exchange), Flexible recurring tasks, Global Command Bar for fast navigation, Plaintext note storage

**Features:** Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (8)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Personal Weekly | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| Personal Monthly | $6.99 | per month |
| Personal Monthly | $11.99 | per month |
| Personal Monthly | $12.00 | per month |
| Personal Annual | $59.99 | per year |
| Personal Annual | $99.99 | per year |
| Personal Annual | $119.99 | per year |
| Business Class | $199.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Powerful note-taking and task management
- 👍 Seamless calendar and reminders integration
- 💡 Flexible and customizable workflow
- 🔒 Secure and open-format data storage
- 👍 Responsive and helpful developer

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Expensive subscription model
- 🐛 Occasional sync and performance issues
- 👤 Limited collaboration and sharing features

**Reported bugs**

- Inconsistent sync between devices
- Crashes when opening certain files

**Requested features**

- Improved iPad and mobile app experience
- Better integration with other productivity apps
- More automation and scripting capabilities
- Weekly or monthly calendar view


### FocusGrove

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/focusgrove/id6780287702)

This app helps you stay focused on tasks and build positive habits while breaking negative ones. It features a timer that stays on your Lock Screen and Dynamic Island, tracks extra focus time, and provides visual progress through history and calendars. It is designed for privacy with no ads or data selling.

**Highlights:** Lock Screen and Dynamic Island timer, Tracks extra focus time, Builds good habits, Breaks bad habits, Calendar and session history, Private by design

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is NotePlan free?

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

### Is FocusGrove free?

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

### Which has better reviews, NotePlan or FocusGrove?

FocusGrove is rated higher. NotePlan averages 4.8 out of 5 from 1.5K ratings, while FocusGrove averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do NotePlan or FocusGrove have ads?

Neither NotePlan nor FocusGrove shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, NotePlan or FocusGrove?

NotePlan ships an update monthly, and FocusGrove every 2 days. Most recently, NotePlan was updated on September 23, 2026 and FocusGrove on September 18, 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.*