Comparison

Plume vs Brain Dump

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

Head to head
About

Plume

This is a lightweight menubar application designed for quick note-taking. It offers a simple popup interface for jotting down thoughts and ideas, with Apple Watch and Mac connectivity.

Highlights
  • Lightweight menubar app
  • Fast note-taking
  • Popup interface
  • Apple Watch connectivity
  • Mac connectivity
  • Free basic version
Features
Read full description

Plume v3 is online! Plume is a free Light menubar app for taking Notes. I've been looking for a long time for a simple popup app in the menubar to get a little notepad. I found different solutions like Tyke for example which is really nice, but a little too simple for the job and it has a too small writing area. I also found other nice solutions but the apps were always no free and too complex for the need. I couldn't find anything I liked, so I took advantage of the confinement to make this app! Plume is a Fast and Light app for taking notes and can be connected with Apple Watch and Mac. Plume basic is free, so enjoy! If you need any help, please contact us at https://plumenote.app Privacy Policy : https://plumenote.app/privacy EULA : https://plumenote.app/eula

About

Brain Dump

This minimalist note-taking app lets you capture ideas instantly with a distraction-free interface. It offers AI-powered answers to your notes and can transform them into various formats like summaries, to-do lists, or emails.

Highlights
  • Instant writing on launch
  • AI-powered questions and answers from notes
  • Create summaries, lists, emails, and more from notes
  • Minimalist, distraction-free interface
  • Organize notes with folders
  • Merge notes easily
  • iCloud backup for cross-device access
Features
Read full description

A thought shows up while you're in the middle of something else. By the time you've opened a notes app and picked a folder, it's gone. Brain Dump opens straight to a blank note. Write it down, get back to what you were doing, and sort it out later. Made for ADHD brains and anyone who switches tasks all day. WRITE FIRST, SORT LATER • Opens on a new note, or right where you left off. You choose. • Freewriting space: empty your head across as many notes as you need, then save them all to a folder at once. • No title, no folder, no setup needed before you start typing. CAPTURE FROM WHEREVER YOU ARE • Home Screen and Lock Screen widgets for a new note, your last note, or Freewriting • Control Center and Action Button controls (iOS 18 and later) • Siri and Shortcuts: "New note", "Resume note" • Share sheet: save text and links from other apps • Menu bar access on Mac GET BACK ON TRACK • Jump back into your last note from a widget, a control, or Siri • Reminders on any note, so it comes back when you need it • Alarms that ring even with a Focus mode on (iOS 26 and later) • Location reminders when you arrive at or leave a place (iPhone and iPad, Premium) • Checklists with tappable checkboxes • Search, pinned notes, tags, and nested folders for when you're ready to organize TURN A MESSY DUMP INTO SOMETHING USEFUL • Create: turn notes into a to-do list, summary, email, meeting report, flashcards, and more • Ask: ask questions about what you've written • Rewrite and fix grammar in Freewriting • Merge several notes into one, in the order you choose The free plan includes 3 AI uses every month. CALM BY DESIGN • Three looks: Standard, Minimal, or Essential with no icons and no color • High-focus and dyslexia-friendly fonts, adjustable text size • Background sounds while you write • Light and dark mode YOUR NOTES, EVERYWHERE • iCloud sync across iPhone, iPad, and Mac • Optional Brain Dump account: back up your notes and sync them across your devices • Brain Dump on the web at app.getbraindump.com • Share a note or folder by link: anyone can read and edit in their browser, no account needed • Import from Apple Notes and Evernote • Export to plain text, HTML, RTF, Markdown, or Word (Markdown and Word with Premium) WHAT PEOPLE SAY "Finally, a notes app that gets how my brain works." (App Store review) FREE TO START Writing, quick capture, Freewriting, and merging notes are free. Brain Dump Focus unlocks unlimited reminders and alarms, location reminders, more AI, unlimited tags, and more export formats. Or get Lifetime for everything except AI, with a one-time purchase. Brain Dump is a notes app. It isn't a medical device or a treatment. Questions or ideas? Write to braindump.help@gmail.com

Screenshots

Plume3 screens
Brain Dump4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Plume at 82% against Brain Dump's 71%. Brain Dump's advantage is iOS requirement (16.0 vs 26.4). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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. Plume sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month and Brain Dump sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Plume versus Brain Dump: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPlumeBrain Dump
PriceFreeFree
Rating—4.3 (65 ratings) — better
Positive reviews81.8% of reviews — better71.4% of reviews
Number of ratings—65 — better
Update frequency—Every 9 days
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple WatchiPhone, iPad, Mac, Vision Pro
Requires iOS26.416.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size7 MB116 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperCREACH AgencyFrancesco Leoni

Customer experience

Plume

Written reviews11 reviews
Positive81.8%
Neutral9.1%
Negative9.1%

Brain Dump

All ratings65 ratings
Positive83.1%
Neutral4.6%
Negative12.3%
Written reviews28 reviews
Positive71.4%
Neutral7.1%
Negative21.4%

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Plume

Subscriptions1
  • Plume - iCloud Sync - Monthly$1.991 Month
One-time1
  • Plume - iCloud Sync - Lifetime$24.99
7 purchases

Brain Dump

Subscriptions5
  • Weekly$3.997 Days
  • Pro: Monthly Clarity$3.991 Month
  • Monthly$10.991 Month
Show 2 more
  • Pro: Yearly Serenity$34.991 Year
  • Yearly$99.991 Year
One-time2
  • BrainDump Ask Drops$4.99
  • Lifetime$39.99

Questions

Is Plume free?
Plume is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Brain Dump free?
Brain Dump is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Plume or Brain Dump have ads?
Neither Plume nor Brain Dump shows ads.

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