Comparison

Hacker Note vs BookTime

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

Head to head
About

Hacker Note

This note-taking app offers a unique "coolness" with a design inspired by hackers and sci-fi movies. Enjoy a futuristic feel with a transparent background option and customizable themes. It includes essential features like categorization, password protection, and cloud backup.

Highlights
  • High-performance and simple functionality
  • Transparent app background
  • Theme color customization
  • Category management
  • HTML and Markdown output
  • Password protection
  • Google Drive backup
Features
Read full description

Recommended for those who are tired of general Note Taking apps. Hacker Note is a simple Note Taking App that pursues "coolness". The design is based on the image of "hackers," "sci-fi movies". example "The Matrix". It is also equipped with a function that makes app background look transparent, so you can enjoy a sense of the near future while taking notes, which is different from ordinary memos. [Main functions] ・ High-performance and simple function ・ Background transparency function ・ Theme color change function ・ Category function ・Output function to HTML and markdown ・ Password setting ・ Backup to Google Drive ・Cool Japanese mode - For cool Japanese displays such as kanji. [Features to be expanded in the future] ・ A cooler color theme

About

BookTime

This app helps paper book readers stay focused and achieve their reading goals. It features a timer that automatically pauses when you switch apps, encouraging uninterrupted reading sessions. Track your progress and build a consistent reading habit.

Highlights
  • Reading timer
  • Goal setting
  • Progress tracking
  • Automatic timer pause
  • iCloud backup
  • Distraction-free interface
Features
Read full description

BookTime is specially created for friends who love to read paper books. It is your quiet reading timing companion. You can use it to urge yourself to complete daily reading and check in, and keep track of your reading situation. A reading timer specially designed for scholars. To be a quiet reader, there are three steps in total: 1. Set goals·Add books 2. Turn your phone horizontally·Start timing(Tap on book cover in iPad)3. Keep reading·Achieve your goals. This App is very pure, no need to log in, no social networking, even if it is a network function, it is only for iCloud backup data. Everything is just for you to return to the most essential reading. When the phone is horizontal, start the timer. Once you pick up the phone to play other apps, the timer will stop automatically. Urge you to concentrate on reading with no distractions.

Screenshots

Hacker Note4 screens
BookTime4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: BookTime at $0.99 against Hacker Note's $9.99. BookTime also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 86%). Hacker Note's advantage is update cadence (fortnightly vs every 5 weeks) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 17.0). On ads, in-app purchases, monetization model 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

Hacker Note costs $9.99 and BookTime $0.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Hacker Note ships an update fortnightly, BookTime every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 10, 2026 and October 8, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Hacker Note versus BookTime: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterHacker NoteBookTime
Price$9.99$0.99 — better
Rating—5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews85.7% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings—1 — better
Update frequencyFortnightly — betterEvery 5 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidPaid
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS13.0 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size36 MB8 MB
Age rating4+4+
Developeryuki okada睿 刘

Customer experience

Hacker Note

Written reviews7 reviews
Positive85.7%
Neutral0.0%
Negative14.3%

BookTime

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews7 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

Hacker Note

No in-app purchases

None

BookTime

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Hacker Note free?
Hacker Note costs $9.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is BookTime free?
BookTime costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.
Do Hacker Note or BookTime have ads?
Neither Hacker Note nor BookTime shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Hacker Note or BookTime?
Hacker Note ships an update fortnightly, and BookTime every 5 weeks. Most recently, Hacker Note was updated on October 10, 2026 and BookTime on October 8, 2026.

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