# *scratch* vs PaperTrail

The clearest difference is price: *scratch* at $2.99 against PaperTrail's $19.99. *scratch* also leads on rating (4.9 vs 4.2) and update cadence (daily vs every 10 days). On ratings volume, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

*scratch* costs $2.99 and PaperTrail $19.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

*scratch* holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.2. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 27 and 15 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 100% of *scratch*'s written reviews are positive against 75% of PaperTrail's.

*scratch* ships an update daily, PaperTrail every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on September 19, 2026 and September 10, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | *scratch* | PaperTrail |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **$2.99** | $19.99 |
| Rating | **[4.9 (27 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/scratch/id1671420139/reviews)** | [4.2 (15 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/papertrail-taskpaper-client/id6751271083/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **27** | 15 |
| Positive reviews | **100.0% of reviews** | 75.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Daily** | Every 10 days |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Size | 1 MB | 3 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Xenodium Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/304568690) | [gingerbeardman](https://appshunter.io/developer/294611470) |

## What reviewers say

### *scratch*

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/scratch/id1671420139)

Quickly jot down notes, phone numbers, or directions on the go. This simple scratchpad app requires no sign-in or cloud storage, offering a straightforward way to capture information instantly. Supports plain text and basic Emacs org mode markup.

**Highlights:** Instant note-taking, Plain text support, Checkbox lists, Share to other apps, Save to Files, Emacs org mode markup

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### PaperTrail

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/papertrail-taskpaper-client/id6751271083)

This app provides a full TaskPaper editing experience on iOS and iPadOS, allowing you to manage projects, tasks, and notes using simple, flexible plain text files. Sync your work with iCloud and edit across devices, with powerful search and filtering capabilities.

**Highlights:** Full TaskPaper format support, OPML import, Distraction-free editing, Full query language search, Tag system with progress tracking, iOS Reminders integration, Shortcuts and Siri integration

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is *scratch* free?

*scratch* costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is PaperTrail free?

PaperTrail costs $19.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, *scratch* or PaperTrail?

*scratch* is rated higher. *scratch* averages 4.9 out of 5 from 27 ratings, while PaperTrail averages 4.2 from 15 ratings.

### Do *scratch* or PaperTrail have ads?

Neither *scratch* nor PaperTrail shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, *scratch* or PaperTrail?

*scratch* ships an update daily, and PaperTrail every 10 days. Most recently, *scratch* was updated on September 19, 2026 and PaperTrail on September 10, 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.*