Defter Notes vs TollBooth Focus
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Defter Notes
This app provides an infinite canvas for spatial thinking, allowing users to capture, connect, and explore ideas through handwriting, drawing, and text. Organize thoughts with flexible tools and intuitive navigation for enhanced creativity and productivity.
- Infinite canvas for spatial thinking
- Handwritten notes, sketches, and typed text
- Connect and layer ideas
- Organize with Stacks
- Deft movement with gestures
- Cross-reference and multitask documents
- Supports links and files
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Defter Notes is loved by academics, students, teachers, researchers, journal keepers, knowledge workers, designers, architects, engineers, writers, and anyone who thinks best with their hands and eyes. It’s built for people who see ideas as living things: connected, evolving, and worth exploring. Think without boundaries Defter Notes gives you an infinite canvas for spatial thinking. Drop ideas anywhere. Draw connections. Expand as far as your thoughts take you. Enjoy pure creative flow. Capture ideas your way Whether it starts as a quick sketch, a handwritten note, or a PDF you’re diving into, Defter Notes adapts to your process. Write, draw, or type; then move, link, and layer it all together. Your ideas stay flexible and alive. Work the way your brain works Move items freely. Zoom in and out of context. Build hierarchies of Spaces that let you go deeper into your projects. Defter Notes stays out of the way so your focus stays on thinking. Top features * Stacks for deep work: Ideal for reading, studying, or comparing multiple resources. * Deft movement with gestures: Drag pages or extract text directly out of PDFs. * Cross-reference and multitask: View, resize, and reorder documents side by side. * Handwriting and text tools: Combine pen, pencil, marker, and text boxes using Apple Pencil or Scribble. * Fluid editing: Double-tap any item to edit or share. * Intuitive navigation: Use the mini-map, navigation bar, gestures, and select tool to move effortlessly through infinite spaces. * Supports links and files: Drop in PDFs, images, URLs, and attachments right onto your canvas. Join the community: https://discord.com/invite/GjS5tJSmBW Terms of use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy policy: https://www.defternotes.com/touprivacypolicy https://defternotes.com
TollBooth Focus
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Positioned as a strict accountability contract where unlocking requires a deliberate, frictional in-app purchase to break the spell of mindless scrolling. Take Back Your Time with the Ultimate Focus Contract. Is your screen time out of control? Standard app blockers are too easy to dismiss, swipe away, or ignore. When willpower isn't enough, you need an accountability tool that adds real friction to your bad habits. Meet Toll Booth: a strict, zero-compromise screen time manager. We don't just politely remind you to close your apps—we lock them down. HOW IT WORKS Sign the Contract: Select the apps that drain your time the most (like social media or games) and commit to a daily limit. The Vault Locks: Once you hit your 30-minute daily allowance, Toll Booth activates, firmly blocking access to your selected apps. The Access Pass: Need to get back in? The only way to bypass the shield is to purchase a temporary Access Pass. The friction of an in-app purchase is the ultimate deterrent. The choice is yours: save your money, or buy a brief recess. WHY TOLL BOOTH WORKS Most focus apps rely purely on motivation. Toll Booth relies on active loss aversion. By placing a genuine barrier (requiring a purchase) between you and your distractions, your brain stops mindlessly craving the dopamine hit. It’s the ultimate productivity tool for students, remote workers, and anyone tired of losing precious hours to doomscrolling. FEATURES • Unforgiving Shields: Built on Apple's secure Screen Time API to ensure blocks cannot be easily bypassed or deleted. • The Accountability Ledger: Track your "Screen Time Balance"—a visual history of exactly how much your distractions have cost you. • Anti-Cheat Cooldowns: Want to remove an app from your contract to cheat the system? Changing your settings requires a mandatory 24-hour cooling-off period to prevent impulsive decisions. Stop paying with your time. Build better digital habits with Toll Booth today.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: TollBooth Focus at every 3 days against Defter Notes's every 2 weeks. Defter Notes's advantage is iOS requirement (17.0 vs 26.2). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support 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. Defter Notes sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month and TollBooth Focus sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
Defter Notes ships an update every 2 weeks, TollBooth Focus every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on October 18, 2026 and October 4, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Defter Notes | TollBooth Focus |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.4 (74 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 75.3% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 74 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | Every 3 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad — better | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 — better | 26.2 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 59 MB | 18 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Deft Works ApS | Fernan Ochoa Amador |
In-app purchases
Defter Notes
- Monthly Plan$2.991 Month
- Mini Supporter$2.991 Month
- Supporter$7.991 Month
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- Yearly Plan$17.991 Year
- Big Supporter$29.991 Month
- Lifetime Access - Welcome Offer$29.99
- Lifetime Access$39.99
TollBooth Focus
- 15-Minute Recess$0.99
- 1-Hour Lunch Break$2.99
- Give Up for Today$4.99
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- Contract Termination Penalty$9.99
Questions
Is Defter Notes free?
Is TollBooth Focus free?
Do Defter Notes or TollBooth Focus have ads?
Which is updated more often, Defter Notes or TollBooth Focus?
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