Comparison

Purelist vs Zero by Otto

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

Head to head
About

Purelist

This app helps organize thoughts and manage tasks with a minimalist approach. It focuses on core functionality for productivity, offering features like sorting, widgets, and indentation. An optional Pro version unlocks advanced features like reminders and iCloud sync.

Highlights
  • Free item sorting
  • Home screen widget
  • Mark important items
  • Indentation for outlines
  • Search by item
  • Swipe to complete/delete
  • Add item descriptions
Read full description

Purelist is a thought organizer for those who are serious about their work or studies. Purelist prioritizes your focus on what's important, not adding extra features or decorations to get your attention. If you are looking for a motivational tool, Purelist may not be for you. However, if you need something simple to help you achieve your goals, it may be perfect for you. Purelist can be used for daily planning, task management, and note taking. It's helpful for habit checklists, lecture notes, and shopping lists. Its clean interface won't steal your time. There are no ads, and it doesn't collect your data. Purelist has no checkboxes in the list and is completed by swiping, so it can be used for both task management and idea capture. The star icon indicates the urgency of tasks or the importance of ideas. Purelist is designed to do more with less, so you don't get confused and lose the features you need. Use Purelist to increase your productivity! Key Features: • Sort tasks and items freely. • Show your list on your home screen at any time with the widget. • Mark important items to mark them more prominently. • Use indentation for easier writing and reading outlines. • No need to title your lists and tasks. • Easily search by item. • Smooth completion and deletion as you work with each item. • Add descriptions to items to manage items in detail. For Pro: • Sync lists between your iPhone, iPad, and Mac via iCloud. • Set reminders for tasks and items. • View and manage reminders by date. • Quickly set reminders using date presets. • Send system notifications at set times. • Can repeat reminders on a daily, weekly, monthly, or annually schedule. • The list can be divided into groups to organize the list in more detail. • Subgroups can be added to a group.

About

Zero by Otto

This task management app offers a minimalist approach to productivity. Unfinished tasks automatically roll over to the next day, ensuring nothing gets lost. Organize tasks into projects, create reusable lists, and collaborate with others.

Highlights
  • Automatic task rollover
  • Today view
  • Drag and drop rescheduling
  • Project organization
  • Shared projects for collaboration
  • Reusable checklists
  • Desktop widget
Read full description

Zero - task management made simple. Zero takes a minimalist approach to getting things done. Tasks automatically roll over to the next day when incomplete, so nothing gets lost while keeping your focus on today. Key Features: Automatic Rollover – Unfinished tasks move to tomorrow, no manual rescheduling needed Today View – See what needs to be done today in one clean view Drag & Drop – Reschedule tasks between days with simple gestures Projects – Organize related tasks together Shared Projects – Collaborate with others by inviting them via email Lists – Create reusable checklists for routines and recurring workflows Favorites – Star important tasks to highlight them Desktop Widget (macOS) – Keep today's tasks visible on your desktop Minimal Design – Clean interface without unnecessary features Sync – Works seamlessly across iPhone, iPad, and Mac Dark Mode – Comfortable viewing any time of day Zero helps you stay organized without the complexity of traditional task managers. Tasks flow naturally from day to day, projects keep work organized, and lists handle your recurring needs.

Screenshots

Purelist4 screens
Zero by Otto4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Zero by Otto at none against Purelist's 6. Zero by Otto also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.6) and review sentiment (100% vs 75%). Purelist's advantage is ratings volume (41 vs 1). On price, ads, 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. Purelist sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $0.49 per month. Zero by Otto asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Zero by Otto holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Purelist has 41 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 75% of Purelist's written reviews are positive against 100% of Zero by Otto's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Purelist ships an update fortnightly, Zero by Otto every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on June 10, 2026 and June 3, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
Purelist versus Zero by Otto: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPurelistZero by Otto
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (41 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews75.0% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings41 — better1
Update frequencyFortnightlyEvery 5 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, MaciPhone, iPad, Mac
Requires iOS16.016.0
Further details — not scored
Size28 MB13 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperShintaro MiyakeLudus-Language, Inc.

Customer experience

Purelist

All ratings41 ratings
Positive87.8%
Neutral7.3%
Negative4.9%
Written reviews28 reviews
Positive75.0%
Neutral14.3%
Negative10.7%

Zero by Otto

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

6 purchases

Purelist

Subscriptions4
  • Purelist Pro for Students14 Days trial$0.491 Month
  • Purelist Pro14 Days trial$0.991 Month
  • Purelist Pro for Students14 Days trial$4.991 Year
Show 1 more
  • Purelist Pro14 Days trial$9.991 Year
One-time2
  • Purelist Pro for Students$24.99
  • Purelist Pro$49.99
None

Zero by Otto

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Purelist free?
Purelist is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Zero by Otto free?
Zero by Otto is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Purelist or Zero by Otto?
Zero by Otto is rated higher. Purelist averages 4.6 out of 5 from 41 ratings, while Zero by Otto averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.
Do Purelist or Zero by Otto have ads?
Neither Purelist nor Zero by Otto shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Purelist or Zero by Otto?
Purelist ships an update fortnightly, and Zero by Otto every 5 days. Most recently, Purelist was updated on June 10, 2026 and Zero by Otto on June 3, 2026.

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