# Zavala vs Held

The clearest difference is ratings volume: Zavala at 68 against Held's 4. Held's advantage is rating (5.0 vs 4.8) and review sentiment (100% vs 88%). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Held holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Zavala has 68 ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 88% of Zavala's written reviews are positive against 100% of Held's.

Zavala ships an update every 2 weeks, Held every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 8, 2026 and September 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Zavala | Held |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (68 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/zavala/id1546457750/reviews) | **[5.0 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/held-commitment-tracker/id6789434469/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **68** | 4 |
| Positive reviews | 87.7% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 19 MB | 3 MB |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Mac | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Vincode, Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1434335357) | [Theodor Younany](https://appshunter.io/developer/1865788633) |

## What reviewers say

### Zavala

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/zavala/id1546457750)

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:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### Held

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/held-commitment-tracker/id6789434469)

This app helps you achieve your goals by making them public and accountable. Set deadlines, choose a witness, and receive regular check-ins and reminders to stay on track. Your progress is recorded in an honest ledger, ensuring permanent verdicts on your commitments.

**Highlights:** Set goals with deadlines and witnesses, Daily or weekly check-ins, Honest progress ledger, Customizable reminders, Private by design, no account needed, JSON data export, Stakes and renegotiation options

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Zavala free?

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

### Is Held free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Zavala or Held?

Held is rated higher. Zavala averages 4.8 out of 5 from 68 ratings, while Held averages 5.0 from 4 ratings.

### Do Zavala or Held have ads?

Neither Zavala nor Held shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Zavala or Held?

Zavala ships an update every 2 weeks, and Held every 3 weeks. Most recently, Zavala was updated on October 8, 2026 and Held on September 30, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*