# Monolog vs Zettelbox

Monolog and Zettelbox both sit at 4.4 stars, but that hides the real split: 65% of Monolog's written reviews are positive against 31% of Zettelbox's. Zettelbox's advantage is update cadence (every 2 weeks vs monthly) and iOS requirement (16.0 vs 18.0). On price, rating, ratings volume and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Monolog sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month and Zettelbox sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.4 for Monolog against 4.3 for Zettelbox. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 23 and 24 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 65% of Monolog's written reviews are positive against 31% of Zettelbox's.

Monolog ships an update monthly, Zettelbox every 2 weeks. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Monolog | Zettelbox |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.4 (23 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/monolog-minimalist-notes/id1572787859/reviews)** | [4.3 (24 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/zettelbox-ai-note-taking/id1605557791/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 23 | **24** |
| Positive reviews | **65.2% of reviews** | 30.8% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Size | 35 MB | 117 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **16.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Mac | iPhone, iPad, Mac |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [澍 王](https://appshunter.io/developer/1556788692) | [Hong Kong Source Research Society Supply Chain Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/1761795867) |

## What reviewers say

### Monolog

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/monolog-minimalist-notes/id1572787859)

This app functions as a knowledge treasury and creative toolkit, featuring bidirectional linking to create an interconnected web of ideas. It offers hierarchical tagging for structured organization, a spaced repetition system for efficient review, and panoramic statistics to visualize your learning journey. Data is securely stored using iCloud for privacy and continuity.

**Highlights:** Bidirectional linking, Hierarchical tagging, Spaced repetition review, Learning statistics, iCloud data storage

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly plan | $1.99 | per month |
| Annual plan | $14.99 | per year |
| Lifetime Plan | $49.99 | one-time |


### Zettelbox

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/zettelbox-ai-note-taking/id1605557791)

Capture inspiration and organize your life with this app that integrates notes, to-dos, and scheduling. It helps transform scattered information into a structured knowledge base through smart review and related note linking. Enjoy secure local storage with optional cloud backups.

**Highlights:** Quick note capture with desktop widget, Intuitive tagging and nested categorization, Smart review to rediscover past thoughts, Link related notes for deeper understanding, Local encrypted storage, Cloud backup support

**Features:** Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Plan | $4.99 | per month |
| Yearly Plan | $19.99 | per year |
| PowerPack Permanent | $64.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Monolog free?

Monolog is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Zettelbox free?

Zettelbox is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Monolog or Zettelbox?

Monolog is rated higher. Monolog averages 4.4 out of 5 from 23 ratings, while Zettelbox averages 4.3 from 24 ratings.

### Do Monolog or Zettelbox have ads?

Neither Monolog nor Zettelbox shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Monolog or Zettelbox?

Monolog ships an update monthly, and Zettelbox every 2 weeks. Most recently, Monolog was updated on October 24, 2026 and Zettelbox on October 24, 2026.

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