Hacker Note vs GarageLog
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
- High-performance and simple functionality
- Transparent app background
- Theme color customization
- Category management
- HTML and Markdown output
- Password protection
- Google Drive backup
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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
GarageLog
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GarageLog is a car-life notebook that turns your maintenance costs, fuel economy, and service history into something you can see clearly — and tells you what to do next. Manage a whole garage of vehicles without the clutter. The more you log — fuel, service, and mods — the clearer your car's story becomes. ■ Snap a Photo, Log It Instantly • Photograph a fuel receipt → amount, quantity, and mileage fill in automatically • Photograph your odometer → update mileage with one tap • Photograph your vehicle registration certificate (Japan's shaken document) → model, first registration date, and inspection expiry fill in automatically, so first-time setup takes seconds ■ See Your Costs and Fuel Economy at a Glance • Visualize spending for this month, this year, or all time on one dashboard • Month-over-month trends, a spending calendar, and a breakdown of fuel, service, and mod costs • Switch between vehicles to dig deeper into any one car ■ Service Records with Real Detail • Log the parts you used, marked as genuine, OEM, or aftermarket • Keep parts and labor costs separate — the total is calculated for you • A service history buyers can trust when it's time to sell ■ Current Status & What's Next • See what needs attention, based on inspection dates, oil changes, and overdue plans • Know your next expense and your estimated spending for next month • Get a heads-up on the home screen when an inspection or scheduled maintenance is coming up ■ Maintenance Schedule & Reminders • Log a service and GarageLog automatically creates the next scheduled reminder • Get notified before your vehicle inspection or an oil change is due ■ Showroom • Present your car as a single, polished showcase • One image with service history, mods, and total spend — ready to share on social media or use when selling your car ■ Free, and It Doesn't Disappear • Everything in the iOS app is free: multiple cars, fuel, service and mod logs, receipt auto-read, dashboards, and inspection reminders • Shares the same data as the web app (garagelog.jp), so you can log and view from your phone or a computer • Switch phones and your history stays right there in your account • Supports iOS 17 and later, so older iPhones work too ■ More to Make Car Life Easier • Track fixed costs like insurance, taxes, and parking as their own categories, for a complete picture of what your car costs you • A home-screen widget always shows your next inspection date • Log a fill-up using Siri or Shortcuts • Dark mode, and text that follows your device's size setting Everything you put into your car — the time and the money — is worth keeping track of. Bring your whole car life together with GarageLog. — Your data is stored securely in your account and carries over when you switch phones. You can delete your account and your data at any time from within the app.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: GarageLog at Free against Hacker Note's $9.99. Hacker Note's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2) and device support (3 vs 1). On update cadence and ads 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
GarageLog is free to download; Hacker Note costs $9.99 up front. GarageLog sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Hacker Note asks for nothing beyond the download.
Hacker Note ships an update fortnightly, GarageLog every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Hacker Note | GarageLog |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $9.99 | Free — better |
| Positive reviews | 85.7% of reviews | — |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | Every 9 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Paid | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 — better | 17.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 36 MB | 24 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | yuki okada | kenta kobayashi |
In-app purchases
Hacker Note
No in-app purchases
GarageLog
- Premium (Monthly)1 Month trial$0.991 Month
- Premium (Yearly)1 Month trial$9.991 Year
Questions
Is Hacker Note free?
Is GarageLog free?
Do Hacker Note or GarageLog have ads?
Which is updated more often, Hacker Note or GarageLog?
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