Comparison

TraceNote vs FocusBlocks Sage

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

Head to head
About

TraceNote

Features
Read full description

Introducing our calendar and planner app that seamlessly combines analog and digital features, making daily reflections enjoyable! Just like with a traditional paper planner, you can paste text and images to create original notes for each day. Plus, if you're using an iPad, you can even draw handwritten text and illustrations. With our Standard Plan, you can sync handwritten content to your iPhone as well. Easily input schedule times by simply tracing on the screen. Not only can you record schedules, but you can also track your achievements, allowing for easy comparison between plans and accomplishments. By setting your "Goals" task management becomes even more convenient. Let's turn those goals into routines and achieve what you desire! 【Have you ever experienced these?】 - Wanted to write daily records in a paper planner but couldn't keep it up. - Using a smartphone app for planning but wishing for the ability to write by hand. - Set various goals but struggled to make progress or got too focused on one thing. - Wanted to create an enjoyable planner to look back on but struggled to organize it neatly. 【Features】 Easy Calendar Input by Tracing - Choose from daily, weekly, or monthly calendar views. - Trace the timeline on daily or weekly calendars to input schedule times easily. - Record your achievements to visualize how you spend your time, including work hours, study time, and sleep time. - Compare schedules and achievements side by side on the daily calendar. - Customize the background of the monthly calendar with your favorite photos. - Use graphs to visualize recorded time. - Write down the achievement level of desired goals and daily recorded values on the calendar. - Export recorded schedules and achievements. - Record daily mood and weather. Goals - Register things you want to do, such as hobbies, studying, or daily routines, as "Goals." - Set daily time goals to achieve what you desire. - Set deadlines for ToDo tasks. - Tap the start button to automatically record the time spent on your Goals. - View achievements for each desired goal. Pomodoro Timer - Receive notifications at regular intervals during work recording sessions. - By dividing time, you can concentrate more effectively. Note - Paste text and images freely on the page to create your own notes. - Record daily events just like in a paper planner. - Create original handwritten notes on iPad. Tasks - Display today's schedule, ToDo, and routines in a list format for easy reference of tasks to be done today. ToDo List - A simple ToDo list. - Create ToDo tasks linked to your Goals. iCloud Backup & Sync - Backup your data to the cloud. 【About the Standard Plan】 With the Standard Plan, ads are removed, and the number of "Goals" you can register becomes unlimited. You can use the note feature without any restrictions. You can try it free for one week, and this offer is valid for first-time users only. Auto-Renewable Subscription - Payment will be charged to your Apple ID account. - Subscription management can be done by users and can be turned off from the account settings. - Subscription renewal is made within 24 hours before the expiration date. - Unless canceled at least 24 hours before the next subscription, it will be automatically renewed. Terms of Use https://note.com/hyanagisawa/n/n46d2adcbb7e2 Privacy Policy https://note.com/hyanagisawa/n/nb5eef4574ade

About

FocusBlocks Sage

Features
Read full description

Can't focus on studying or work? FocusBlocks combines the Pomodoro Technique with time blocking in one beautiful focus timer. See exactly when, what, and how long you focused — turning aimless days into productive ones. --- Solves Real Problems --- ・Hard to focus despite trying to study ・End of day feels lost: "What did I even do today?" ・Working from home but losing focus ・Can't find a study rhythm for exams ・Too many tasks, don't know where to start --- Key Features --- ■ Pomodoro Timer 25 minutes of focus, 5-minute break, repeat. Scientifically proven productivity boost. Fully customizable focus, break, and long break durations. ■ Time Blocking Plan your day with focus blocks on a timeline — morning reading, work sessions, afternoon study. Drag to adjust easily. ■ Visual Timeline A beautiful timeline shows your entire day at a glance. See what you should be doing right now. ■ Live Activities Timer displayed on Lock Screen and Dynamic Island. Check remaining time without opening the app. ■ Home & Lock Screen Widgets Display today's plan on your home screen. ■ Weekly Statistics Visualize focus time, session count, and completion rate with charts. ■ Routine Templates Save and reuse configurations like "Morning Routine," "Work Mode," or "Exam Prep." ■ Interruption Logging Record what broke your focus — phone calls, social media, colleagues. Build deeper focus through weekly review. --- Perfect For --- ・Students preparing for exams or learning a new skill ・Remote workers struggling to stay focused at home ・Morning routine or evening routine builders ・Freelancers managing their own time ・People with ADHD seeking focus structure ・Anyone fighting smartphone distractions --- More --- ・Full dark mode support ・16 languages supported ・Privacy first: all data stored on your device only --------------------------------- Sage Apps Series A collection of iOS utility apps designed for simplicity and ease of use. Unified design to make your day a little better. >> Search "Sage Apps" on the App Store for more ---------------------------------

Screenshots

TraceNote4 screens
FocusBlocks Sage4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: FocusBlocks Sage at none against TraceNote's 3. TraceNote's advantage is iOS requirement (13.0 vs 17.0). On price, update cadence, ads and device support 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. TraceNote sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $3.49 per month. FocusBlocks Sage asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

TraceNote ships an update monthly, FocusBlocks Sage every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 4 level
TraceNote versus FocusBlocks Sage: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTraceNoteFocusBlocks Sage
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyMonthly — betterEvery 2 months
AdsYesYes
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS13.0 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size8 MB7 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperHideki YanagisawaYusuke Takeuchi

In-app purchases

3 purchases

TraceNote

Subscriptions3
  • スタンダードプラン(1ヶ月)7 Days trial$3.491 Month
  • スタンダードプラン(6ヶ月)7 Days trial$15.996 Months
  • スタンダードプラン(1年)7 Days trial$25.491 Year
None

FocusBlocks Sage

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is TraceNote free?
TraceNote is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is FocusBlocks Sage free?
FocusBlocks Sage is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do TraceNote or FocusBlocks Sage have ads?
Both TraceNote and FocusBlocks Sage show ads.
Which is updated more often, TraceNote or FocusBlocks Sage?
TraceNote ships an update monthly, and FocusBlocks Sage every 2 months. Most recently, TraceNote was updated on November 3, 2026 and FocusBlocks Sage on October 31, 2026.

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