Aeon Timeline 3 vs Idea Threads
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Aeon Timeline 3
Create visually rich timelines for creative writing, project management, legal cases, and research. Offers multiple views like timeline, relationship, and mindmap. A free read-only mode is available, with editing unlocked via a one-time in-app purchase.
- Multiple data visualization views
- Timeline, relationship, and mindmap views
- Story arc and character tracking
- Project breakdown and task management
- Legal case event mapping
- Customizable calendars
- Scrivener/Ulysses integration
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Create beautifully organised, data rich timelines for every project: packed with templates and features for creative writing, project management, legal case management, and research and education projects. Free read-only mode: - Aeon Timeline is free to download and use in read-only mode to view timelines shared by other users. Buy Aeon Timeline, own it forever: - Unlock editing across up to 5 devices (MacOS, iOS and Windows) with an in-app purchase. - Each purchase comes with a year of free updates. - Renew to unlock further updates, or continue using your existing version forever - Renew updates at any time without penalty SAME DATA, MANY VIEWS: In Aeon Timeline, create your data once and visualise it any number of ways: * Timeline View: a graphical representation of events across time * Relationship View: a matrix showing how your events relate to people and places * Spreadsheet View: rapid data entry to get down your ideas * Subway View: shows how individual threads of people, story arcs and concepts are intertwined * Narrative View: a graphical depiction of an independent narrative order and structure * Outline View: a spreadsheet-like outline display of your narrative structure * Mindmap View: a free-form space to brainstorm ideas and create visual representations of relationships FOR WRITERS: Whether you are just starting your next writing project or looking to edit and refine the next great novel, Aeon Timeline helps you understand your story world like never before * Connect events in your story timeline with characters and setting. * Arrange events into story arcs and themes * Track character ages and developments through back story and live scenes * Drag events from your timeline into a story outline * On desktop, sync your narrative and characters with your writing project in Scrivener (Mac/Win) or Ulysses (Mac-only) * Story set off-world? No problem, build your own fantasy calendar FOR PROJECT MANAGERS: Break free of gantt charts with a range of views to visualise your project plan in new ways. * Quickly break down your project structure in Spreadsheet View * Organise tasks into hierarchies of stories, epics and projects * Assign people and resources to tasks; use split views and filters to compare progress across projects or people * Use date constraints and dependencies to keep your project in logical order * Add your own custom fields to track the data you need FOR LEGAL CASE MANAGEMENT: Create a visual representation of your legal case for clearer insights and court room presentations * Map connections between known events and facts with specific people, places, and documents involved * Use stacked split views to compare and corroborate different versions of events, and analyse theories of your legal case * Use dependencies and constraints to find inconsistencies in testimonies and evidence * Represent uncertainty by specifying earliest/latest ranges for event start and end dates. * Use Narrative View to prepare your legal argument for trial with supporting links back to the original data * Export images and PDFs of your timeline to present during a case FOR RESEARCH AND EDUCATION: History is not just about events, but the people, places and ideas that connect them. * View how people, ideas and advances in culture and technology are connected using Relationship and Subway Views. * Use stacked split views to compare timelines for different civilizations, innovations, or historical figures. * Create content specific to your needs by expanding on our starting education templates * Represent uncertainty by specifying earliest/latest ranges for event start and end dates. * Record dates and times down to the second, or simply record months or years. * Print and display your timelines for classrooms. Export images/PDFs to share in presentations or articles. Privacy Policy: https://timeline.app/privacy Terms of Use: https://timeline.app/terms-and-conditions
Idea Threads
Capture and organize your creative thoughts on the go using text, audio, or photos. Organize ideas into threads, search, and filter them easily. Sync with Plottr Pro for advanced project management and collaboration.
- Capture ideas via text, audio, or photo
- Organize ideas into threads
- Search and filter ideas
- Sync with Plottr Pro
- Cloud backup and collaboration
- View projects on the go
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If you are a creative person and you get sudden great ideas while you're not at your computer, this app is for you! Designed to quickly capture your ideas on the go, Idea Threads lets you either type out an idea, speak it, or take a picture. It keeps your ideas organized into threads (categories or projects) to find them easily later. You can search, filter by type (audio, picture, or text), zoom in and out to see lots all at once or the details of each. If you're a writer or you use Plottr for your creative projects, you can log into and subscribe to Plottr Pro (subscription required as in-app purchase) to sync your ideas with your projects and easily turn them into new scenes, characters, world building, and more. You'll also be able to view your projects on the go so you can keep the creative juices flowing on the back burner like all us creatives constantly do. All the base features are completely free: - Capture unlimited ideas - Capture them in audio, photo, or text - Organize them into unlimited threads - Search and filter - Ideas are stored on your device Idea Threads is available for free download. Some features require a subscription to Plottr Pro. This also ensures the continuous development of Idea Threads so that new and improved features can be added over time. Subscribe to Plottr Pro and unlock these features: - Ideas saved in the cloud & synced between devices - Read your Plottr Projects on the go - Send and use your ideas within Plottr - Plottr's web app (works on tablets!) - Real-time collaboration - Cloud backups (of ideas and Plottr files) PLOTTR PRO SUBSCRIPTION INFO: - Subscription length: monthly - Payment will be charged to your iCloud Account as soon as you confirm your purchase - Account will be charged for renewal within 24-hours prior to the end of the current period, and identify the cost of the renewal - Subscriptions auto-renew at the same cost, unless cancelled 24-hours in advance prior to the end of the current period - Subscriptions may be managed by going to your iCloud Account Settings after purchase. - You may manage your subscription and turn off auto-renewal by going to your Account Settings after purchase. Plottr does not collect personal data and the developer does not have access to the ideas you create in Idea Threads, nor your Plottr projects. Idea Threads does not track its users and there are no ads in the app. Privacy Policy: https://plottr.com/privacy-policy/ Terms of Service: https://plottr.com/terms-conditions/
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Idea Threads at 5.0 against Aeon Timeline 3's 3.9. Idea Threads also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 60%). Aeon Timeline 3's advantage is update cadence (monthly vs every 2 months) and ratings volume (50 vs 5). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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
Both are free to download. Aeon Timeline 3 sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $34.99 per year and Idea Threads sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $14.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
Idea Threads holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Aeon Timeline 3 has 50 ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 60% of Aeon Timeline 3's written reviews are positive against 100% of Idea Threads's.
Aeon Timeline 3 ships an update monthly, Idea Threads every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Aeon Timeline 3 | Idea Threads |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.9 (50 ratings) | 5.0 (5 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 60.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 50 — better | 5 |
| Update frequency | Monthly — better | Every 2 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — better | iPhone, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 — better | 15.1 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 78 MB | 53 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Timeline.App Pty. Ltd. | Fictional Devices LLC |
Customer experience
Aeon Timeline 3
Idea Threads
Bugs and requests
Aeon Timeline 3
Reported bugs
11 issues- Mobile app is glitchy
- Cannot tap bottom option when scrolling
- Tilting phone sends back to another menu
- File icon drops into Files app with no way back
- Date inputs defaulting to year 2000
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- Bug with date inputs
- Item IDs do not adjust when rearranging timeline
- Licensing is glitchy
- Free trial ends prematurely
- Cannot purchase or use app after download
- Mobile version has bugs like 'untitled' event selection
Requested features
10 requests- Timeline-map feature
- Manual distance labeling on maps
- Sliding through time with character labels on maps
- Manual export options from iOS app
- A reference manual instead of just online knowledge base
Show 5 moreShow fewer
- BP (Before Present) option for dates
- More flexibility in calendar types
- Ability to see age of witnesses to an event
- German language support
- French language support
Idea Threads
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Aeon Timeline 3
- Aeon Timeline 3 + Subscription1 Year trial$34.991 Year
- Updates: Subscription$34.991 Year
- Updates: One Year$34.99
- Aeon Timeline 3$64.99
Idea Threads
- Plottr Pro$14.991 Month
Questions
Is Aeon Timeline 3 free?
Is Idea Threads free?
Which has better reviews, Aeon Timeline 3 or Idea Threads?
Do Aeon Timeline 3 or Idea Threads have ads?
Which is updated more often, Aeon Timeline 3 or Idea Threads?
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