# Bonfire vs Trace

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Trace at none against Bonfire's 11. Bonfire's advantage is iOS requirement (14.1 vs 18.1). On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Bonfire sells 11 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Trace asks for nothing beyond the download.

Bonfire ships an update weekly, Trace every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 19, 2026 and October 13, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Bonfire | Trace |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bonfire-anonymous-cozy-diary/id1536070416/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **6** | — |
| Positive reviews | 53.6% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 2 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 97 MB | 4 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.1** | 18.1 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Yuto Otani](https://appshunter.io/developer/1536070418) | [株式会社ミカエルライト](https://appshunter.io/developer/1886840042) |

## What reviewers say

### Bonfire

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bonfire-anonymous-cozy-diary/id1536070416)

This app offers a private space to journal your thoughts anonymously, accompanied by soothing campfire sounds and ambient visuals. It provides a calm environment for self-reflection, stress relief, and building a journaling habit without the pressures of social media.

**Highlights:** Anonymous and safe journaling, Empathy button for connection, Soothing campfire sounds, Customizable background themes, Daily missions and rewards, Optional premium features

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

**In-app purchases (11)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Bonfire Premium | $1.99 | per month |
| Bonfire Premium | $22.99 | per year |
| Support  Coffee | $1.49 | one-time |
| Premium plan | $4.99 | one-time |
| Support  Firewood | $4.99 | one-time |
| Premium plan | $7.99 | one-time |
| Support  Lantern | $9.99 | one-time |
| Premium plan | $11.99 | one-time |
| Support  Sleeping Bag | $19.99 | one-time |
| Support  Tent | $49.99 | one-time |
| Support  Rent Out the Campsite | $99.99 | one-time |


### Trace

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/trace/id6760923202)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Bonfire free?

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

### Is Trace free?

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

### Do Bonfire or Trace have ads?

Both Bonfire and Trace show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Bonfire or Trace?

Bonfire ships an update weekly, and Trace every 2 weeks. Most recently, Bonfire was updated on October 19, 2026 and Trace on October 13, 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.*