# iBlueSky (mindmapping) vs Deer

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: iBlueSky (mindmapping) at none against Deer's 3. iBlueSky (mindmapping) also leads on iOS requirement (11.4 vs 15). Deer's advantage is update cadence (every 9 days vs every 3 months) and review sentiment (89% vs 70%). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Deer sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. iBlueSky (mindmapping) asks for nothing beyond the download.

iBlueSky (mindmapping) ships an update every 3 months, Deer every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and September 22, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | iBlueSky (mindmapping) | Deer |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[4.8 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/deer-note-outline-mindmap/id1509262785/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **6** |
| Positive reviews | 70.4% of reviews | **88.9% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 9 days** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Size | 20 MB | 11 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.4** | 15 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Andrew Ebling](https://appshunter.io/developer/1511128378) | [佳文 潘](https://appshunter.io/developer/1312631799) |

## What reviewers say

### iBlueSky (mindmapping)

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ibluesky-mindmapping/id291664204)

Capture, develop, and organize your best ideas with an elegant and intuitive mind mapping tool. Supports large page sizes, multiple export formats, and rich branch customization. Realize your full potential by bringing your thoughts to life.

**Highlights:** Huge page size, Import Freemind & OPML, Export PDF, PNG, OPML, Freemind, text, Link branches, Attach notes to branches, Edit branch colors, Cut, copy, paste branches

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Easy to use
- 👍 Simple and intuitive interface
- 💡 Useful for brainstorming and organizing thoughts
- 📤 Convenient email export options
- 🤝 Good compatibility with desktop mind mapping tools

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes and stability issues
- 📏 Limited functionality and customization options
- 💻 Not optimized for iPad, just a stretched iPhone app
- 🔒 Concerns about data privacy with email export through developer's servers

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes when trying to use undo button
- Distortion of text in nodes with longer content
- Issues with syncing and transferring mind maps between devices

**Requested features**

- Undo/redo functionality
- Ability to change branch colors and styles
- Support for more file formats and cloud storage integration
- Improved zooming and panning controls
- Hierarchical organization of projects


### Deer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/deer-note-outline-mindmap/id1509262785)

This app offers structured note-taking with features to reorder lines, convert notes to outlines, and generate mind maps. It helps organize complex information and newly learned knowledge points for clearer understanding.

**Highlights:** Freely reorder notes by line, One-click outline conversion, One-click mind map generation, Drag and drop paragraph reordering, Clearer structure visualization

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Subscription Monthly | $0.99 | per month |
| Subscription Yearly | $5.99 | per year |
| Lifetime VIP | $9.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is iBlueSky (mindmapping) free?

iBlueSky (mindmapping) is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Deer free?

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

### Do iBlueSky (mindmapping) or Deer have ads?

Neither iBlueSky (mindmapping) nor Deer shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, iBlueSky (mindmapping) or Deer?

iBlueSky (mindmapping) ships an update every 3 months, and Deer every 9 days. Most recently, iBlueSky (mindmapping) was updated on October 16, 2026 and Deer on September 22, 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.*