# Ikes vs Zavala

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Zavala at none against Ikes's 1. Ikes's advantage is iOS requirement (17.0 vs 26.0). On price, rating, review sentiment and ratings volume there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Ikes sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Zavala asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Ikes against 4.8 for Zavala. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 31 and 70 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 93% of Ikes's written reviews are positive against 88% of Zavala's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 weeks. Both last shipped on November 3, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Ikes | Zavala |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (31 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ikes-idea-notes/id1515855107/reviews) | **[4.8 (70 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/zavala/id1546457750/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 31 | **70** |
| Positive reviews | **92.9% of reviews** | 87.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | Every 2 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 284 MB | 19 MB |
| Requires iOS | **17.0** | 26.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Mac | iPhone, iPad, Mac |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [INCREDIBLE FOX, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1515855106) | [Vincode, Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1434335357) |

## What reviewers say

### Ikes

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ikes-idea-notes/id1515855107)

Capture and organize text or image ideas with a dynamic feed. Intelligent search and discovery help you find inspiration and make unexpected connections. Syncs seamlessly across devices and prioritizes your privacy.

**Highlights:** Quick capture for text and images, Dynamic Idea Feed for discovery, Tag, source, and color organization, Intelligent search by meaning, Automatic idea discovery, Shuffle for serendipity, iCloud sync across devices

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Ikes PREMIUM | $9.99 | one-time |


### Zavala

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/zavala/id1546457750)

This app offers a modern approach to outlining, providing a full suite of features. It supports gestures, keyboard shortcuts, and multiple windows for efficient organization and content creation. Easily import and export in various formats, sync across devices, and customize your outlining experience.

**Highlights:** OPML Import & Export, Markdown Export, iCloud Syncing & Sharing, Nested Tags, Image Embedding, Keyboard Shortcuts, Drag and Drop

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Simple and intuitive UI
- 🚀 Fast and lightweight
- 🌟 Excellent outliner functionality
- 🆓 Free and open source
- ✨ Elegant and clean design

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Sync issues reported
- 🐛 Occasional crashes
- 🐛 Glitchy behavior
- 🐛 Formatting issues
- 🐛 Incompatible iCloud database

**Reported bugs**

- Broken sync between iPhone and Mac
- iCloud database incompatibility
- Unable to format using toolbar
- Lost outline after update
- Sidebar not available

**Requested features**

- Continue releasing macOS builds for older versions
- Legacy database option for iOS apps
- Cross-platform support
- Ability to change tag and outline list order manually
- Support for hiding notes


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Ikes free?

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

### Is Zavala free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Ikes or Zavala?

Zavala is rated higher. Ikes averages 4.7 out of 5 from 31 ratings, while Zavala averages 4.8 from 70 ratings.

### Do Ikes or Zavala have ads?

Neither Ikes nor Zavala shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Ikes or Zavala?

Ikes ships an update every 2 weeks, and Zavala every 2 weeks. Most recently, Ikes was updated on November 3, 2026 and Zavala on November 3, 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.*