Ellie vs SmartNotes
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Ellie
This app helps you organize your thoughts and create a realistic daily schedule. It allows you to capture tasks, time-block them on a calendar, and integrate with your existing calendars. Focus tools and project organization features are also included.
- Brain dump for task capture
- Time-blocked calendar
- Apple and Google Calendar integration
- Stopwatch and Pomodoro timers
- Project organization with labels and subtasks
- Web and mobile synchronization
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Clear your head. Plan what fits. Get it done. Ellie turns an open-ended brain dump into a realistic plan for your day: • Capture tasks quickly in Brain Dump • Drag tasks into a time-blocked calendar • See Apple Calendar and Google Calendar events alongside your tasks • Stay focused with Stopwatch and Pomodoro timers • Organize projects with labels, subtasks, recurring tasks, priorities, and more • Plan on the go, then pick up where you left off on the web The free version of Ellie includes unlimited tasks. Upgrade to Ellie Pro for $9.99/month, $99.99/year, or a one-time $299.99 purchase to unlock additional Pro features including labels, recurring tasks, subtasks, and more. If you previously purchased Ellie Pro, use Restore Purchases in the app to restore access. Prices shown are for customers in the United States and may vary with your App Store account settings. In-app purchases and subscriptions cannot be shared using Family Sharing. Ellie Terms of Service - https://ellieplanner.com/legal/terms-of-service Ellie Privacy Policy - https://ellieplanner.com/legal/privacy
SmartNotes
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SmartNotes is your all-in-one note-taking app, built for capturing ideas exactly how they come to you — type, speak, sketch, scan, or snap a photo. FEATURES • Text Notes — write and organize freely • Voice Notes — record and play back audio memos • Photo Notes — attach and annotate images • Document Scan — scan documents straight into your notes • Drawings — sketch ideas with a built-in canvas • Checklists — track to-dos inside your notes • Folders & Favorites — keep everything organized • Pin & Lock — protect your most important notes with Face ID • Dark Mode — easy on the eyes, day or night • Cloud Sync — access your notes across devices AI-POWERED PRODUCTIVITY • Summarize long notes in seconds • Enhance your writing with AI suggestions • Translate notes into other languages Free to use with generous monthly AI limits. Upgrade to Pro for expanded AI usage, monthly or yearly. PRIVACY FIRST Your notes are yours. SmartNotes only uses your data to power the app's features — never sold, never used for ads. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is iOS requirement: SmartNotes at 16.0 against Ellie's 18. 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. Ellie sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and SmartNotes sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
| Parameter | Ellie | SmartNotes |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.6 (61 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 87.5% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 61 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 4 days | — |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 18 | 16.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 191 MB | 78 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | AloaLabs, LLC | Shradha Rathod |
Bugs and requests
Ellie
Reported bugs
7 issues- Tasks disappear when scheduling from Brain Dump
- Editing and moving recurring tasks have bugs
- Rearranging tasks causes them to bounce back
- Add task button not working
- Recurring tasks show multiple times on Google Calendar
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- Calendar syncing not requesting access
- iPad split screen, portrait orientation, window resizing missing
Requested features
9 requests- General note-taking area outside of Brain Dump
- Easier way to add new time slots (e.g., holding on day time box)
- Unfinished tasks/Brain Dump to go back to Brain Dump or a priority folder
- Habit tracker
- Custom repeat periods
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- Ability to increase font size
- Split screen on iPad
- Portrait orientation on iPad
- Ability to resize window on iPad
SmartNotes
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Ellie
- Ellie Pro (Monthly, 50% off)7 Days trial$4.991 Month
- Ellie Pro (Monthly)7 Days trial$9.991 Month
- Ellie Pro (Annual, 50% off)7 Days trial$49.991 Year
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- Ellie Pro (Annual Plan)7 Days trial$99.991 Year
- Ellie Pro - Lifetime$299.99
SmartNotes
- Pro Monthly$0.991 Month
- Pro Yearly$9.991 Year
