# Trout vs Concept Mapping

The clearest difference is rating: Concept Mapping at 5.0 against Trout's 4.8. Concept Mapping also leads on update cadence (every 2 months vs every 5 months) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 18.6). Trout's advantage is ratings volume (4 vs 1). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Trout sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.49 per 2 months and Concept Mapping sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Concept Mapping holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 4 and 1 respectively.

Trout ships an update every 5 months, Concept Mapping every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and July 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Trout | Concept Mapping |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/trout/id384470167/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/concept-mapping-gloow/id1487797118/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **4** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 33.3% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | **Every 2 months** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Size | 51 MB | 58 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.6 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Digital-Dirtbag](https://appshunter.io/developer/384470170) | [Nebulae GCV](https://appshunter.io/developer/1476376729) |

## What reviewers say

### Trout

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/trout/id384470167)

This app helps you organize thoughts and ideas non-linearly using words and images. You can categorize concepts with color and shape, and enhance your maps with sketches and photos. Share your organized ideas as images or PDFs, or export them in OPML or markdown formats.

**Highlights:** Associate words and images, Organize ideas non-linearly, Categorize by color and shape, Add sketches and photos, Share as image or PDF, Export OPML or markdown, Freeform or automatic layout

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 60 Day subscription | $2.49 | per 2 months |
| Free trial | Free | one-time |
| Lifetime Purchase | $3.99 | one-time |


### Concept Mapping

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/concept-mapping-gloow/id1487797118)

Organize thoughts and plan projects with powerful concept maps. Visualize ideas, connect related concepts, and structure information more effectively than traditional notes. Share your creations and easily search your organized web of knowledge.

**Highlights:** Organize ideas with concept maps, Connect related concepts, Visualize ideas and information, Plan projects effectively, Brainstorming tool, Add resources (links, images, video), Searchable knowledge graph

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Gloow Monthly Subscription | $2.99 | per month |
| Gloow Early Bird Subscriptions | $5.99 | per 3 months |
| Gloow Yearly Subscription | $9.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Trout free?

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

### Is Concept Mapping free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Trout or Concept Mapping?

Concept Mapping is rated higher. Trout averages 4.8 out of 5 from 4 ratings, while Concept Mapping averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Trout or Concept Mapping have ads?

Neither Trout nor Concept Mapping shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Trout or Concept Mapping?

Trout ships an update every 5 months, and Concept Mapping every 2 months. Most recently, Trout was updated on September 22, 2026 and Concept Mapping on July 7, 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.*