Comparison

Hacker Note vs GarageLog

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

GarageLog

Features
Read full description

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

Hacker Note4 screens
GarageLog4 screens

Verdict

The call

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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

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.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Hacker Note ships an update fortnightly, GarageLog every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 4 level
Hacker Note versus GarageLog: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterHacker NoteGarageLog
Price$9.99Free — better
Positive reviews85.7% of reviews—
Update frequencyFortnightlyEvery 9 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationPaid—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone
Requires iOS13.0 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size36 MB24 MB
Age rating4+4+
Developeryuki okadakenta kobayashi

In-app purchases

None

Hacker Note

No in-app purchases

2 purchases

GarageLog

Subscriptions2
  • Premium (Monthly)1 Month trial$0.991 Month
  • Premium (Yearly)1 Month trial$9.991 Year

Questions

Is Hacker Note free?
Hacker Note costs $9.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is GarageLog free?
GarageLog is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Hacker Note or GarageLog have ads?
Neither Hacker Note nor GarageLog shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Hacker Note or GarageLog?
Hacker Note ships an update fortnightly, and GarageLog every 9 days. Most recently, Hacker Note was updated on November 3, 2026 and GarageLog on October 31, 2026.

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