Comparison

Zavala vs Fax Machine

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

Head to head
About

Zavala

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
Read full description

Zavala is a modern take on a traditional outliner. It is a full featured app. It takes full advantage of your device by leveraging gestures, keyboard shortcuts, and multiple windows. Other features: * OPML import & export * Markdown import & export * HTML import & export * iCloud syncing * iCloud sharing with other iCloud users * Encrypted outlines and encrypted iCloud sync * Nested Tags for organizing Outlines * Support for embedding images * Print support * Drag and drop * Text formatting * Links * Completed items * Notes * Customizable fonts and sizes * Backlinks * Shortcuts support * Web clipper share extension * Typewriter scrolling * Automatic row numbering including Decimal and Legal numbering

About

Fax Machine

Features
Read full description

Send and receive faxes from your iPhone, and let AI read the paperwork for you. SEND A FAX - Scan pages with the camera, or pick a PDF or photo. - Each page is cleaned up so it prints sharp on the other end. - Add a cover page in seconds. - Fax any number in the United States and Canada. - See when your fax is delivered, and resend in one tap. RECEIVE FAXES - Get your own US fax number with Pro. - Faxes sent to it arrive in your Inbox as PDFs. AI FOR YOUR DOCUMENTS - Summarize: the key points, dates and amounts. - Grammar: fix mistakes before you send. - Simplify: legal and medical wording in plain words. - Clarify: long text, clear and in order. - Ask: question any document, like "When is it due?" On an iPhone with Apple Intelligence, the AI runs on your iPhone or in Apple's Private Cloud Compute. Otherwise it uses OpenAI, only after you allow it. FREE - Your first fax of one page. - AI tools 3 times a day. - Scanning, cover pages and delivery status. PRO - 200 fax pages a month, sent and received. - Your own fax number. - More AI every day. Pro is a monthly or yearly subscription, charged to your Apple Account and renewed automatically unless you cancel at least 24 hours before the period ends. Manage it in your Apple Account settings. Terms: https://trainpaw-six.vercel.app/legal/scanbetter/terms/ Privacy: https://trainpaw-six.vercel.app/legal/scanbetter/privacy/

Screenshots

Zavala2 screens
Fax Machine4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Zavala at none against Fax Machine's 3. Zavala also leads on ads (none vs shown). Fax Machine's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs every 2 weeks). On price, device support and iOS requirement 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

Both are free to download. Fax Machine sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $19.99 per month. Zavala asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Zavala ships an update every 2 weeks, Fax Machine weekly. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and November 5, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Zavala versus Fax Machine: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterZavalaFax Machine
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (70 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews87.7% of reviews—
Number of ratings70 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeksWeekly — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Mac — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS26.026.0
Further details — not scored
Size19 MB9 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperVincode, IncDanut- Ionel Bogdan

Bugs and requests

Zavala

Reported bugs

9 issues
  • Broken sync between iPhone and Mac
  • iCloud database incompatibility
  • Unable to format using toolbar
  • Lost outline after update
  • Sidebar not available
Show 4 more
  • Cannot open outlines from Document Provider
  • App crashes on M1
  • IME input ignored in body text (Japanese)
  • Abstürze beim Anlegen des ersten Dokuments (M1)

Requested features

15 requests
  • 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
Show 10 more
  • Typewriter scroll mode
  • Due dates on the right of the note
  • Font color change
  • Multi-select for dragging
  • Copy and paste lines
  • Option to use system fonts
  • Full screen document view with swipe gesture
  • Adjust line spacing
  • Improve drag and drop behavior on Mac
  • Sync via Nextcloud

Fax Machine

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

Zavala

No in-app purchases

3 purchases

Fax Machine

Subscriptions3
  • Monthly$19.991 Month
  • Annually All Access$99.991 Year
  • Pro Annual3 Days trial$99.991 Year

Questions

Is Zavala free?
Zavala is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Fax Machine free?
Fax Machine is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Zavala or Fax Machine have ads?
Fax Machine shows ads; Zavala does not.
Which is updated more often, Zavala or Fax Machine?
Zavala ships an update every 2 weeks, and Fax Machine weekly. Most recently, Zavala was updated on November 3, 2026 and Fax Machine on November 5, 2026.

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