Comparison

Brainwave vs TagNote

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Brainwave

Capture and organize your thoughts with this note-taking application. Create calendar events, reminders, and export notes in various formats. Protect sensitive information with password protection and manage your data with backup and restore options.

Highlights
  • Organize notes with tags
  • Password protect sensitive notes
  • Create calendar events and reminders
  • Export notes to PDF or text
  • Supports various links (web, phone, maps)
  • Backup and restore notes
Read full description

Transfer your ideas from brain wave to Brainwave. • Organize on the fly by tagging notes with any number of tags • Flag important notes; password protect sensitive notes • Create calendar events and reminders based on your notes • Change the size and font of the text • Export notes directly from Brainwave to a variety of destinations, in formats including: ◦ Email as PDF ◦ Send to Dropbox or almost any app as PDF ◦ Email as text • Create restore points, backing up all notes to a single file • Supports links (web, phone numbers, map addresses - that can even be opened in Google Maps, calendar dates) • Numerous configuration options • Length of a note is limited only by device memory • Supports all device orientations Sometimes an idea can circle around and around in your mind - like a whirlpool swirling, or a tidal wave growing, it confuses, it overwhelms, and it isn't until you write it down that it becomes clear. Write it down. Get it out. Record it before it’s washed away. Free your mind to work on other thoughts. Store your brain waves in Brainwave.

About

TagNote

This app offers a flexible, tag-based approach to note-taking, moving beyond traditional folder structures. Organize meeting notes, ideas, and web clippings with multiple tags per note, and connect your thoughts to build a personal knowledge network. It features a rich text editor and reminders for important dates.

Highlights
  • Unlimited tags per note
  • Rich text editor with formatting
  • Birthday and anniversary reminders
  • Tag-based knowledge network
  • Minimalist and distraction-free design
  • iCloud data synchronization
Features
Read full description

TagNote is available for Mac, iPhone, and iPad, and syncs data via iCloud. Meeting notes, lecture summaries, web clippings, and sudden ideas— Are you losing track of what truly matters in the chaos of scattered information? [TagNote] is a tag-based note-taking app that breaks free from the limitations of traditional folder structures. Assign multiple tags to a single note and organize your thoughts flexibly. Connect ideas, discover patterns, and gain new insights through your very own knowledge network. Key Features of TagNote #1. Unlimited Tags, Effortless Organization Say goodbye to rigid folders. Add as many tags as you need—like Work, Ideas, or Books—to each note. Easily manage and retrieve notes across multiple themes with just a few keywords. #2. Powerful Yet Simple Editor Use the toolbar at the top of each note to apply rich text formatting, insert code blocks, add images, and create checklists. Capture your ideas vividly with an editor that’s both flexible and intuitive. #3. Birthday & Anniversary Reminders Keep track of important dates like birthdays and anniversaries. Attach meaningful notes to each occasion to preserve memories and emotions that matter. #4. A New Way to Connect Knowledge Tags create a web of related notes, helping you uncover hidden links between ideas. Visualize your thoughts like a map and explore unexpected insights as you build your personal knowledge network. #5. Minimal, Beautiful Design Focus on your content with a clean, distraction-free interface. We designed TagNote to make the process of writing and organizing notes both delightful and efficient. Download [TagNote] now and discover the smartest way to navigate the sea of information. Let your thoughts flow, connect, and grow with the power of tags. This app follows Apple’s Standard End User License Agreement (EULA). https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Brainwave4 screens
TagNote4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: TagNote at 100% against Brainwave's 20%. TagNote also leads on price (Free vs $0.99) and update cadence (every 5 days vs every 3 months). Brainwave's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 3) and iOS requirement (11.0 vs 18.2). On ads 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

TagNote is free to download; Brainwave costs $0.99 up front. TagNote sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Brainwave asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Brainwave ships an update every 3 months, TagNote every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on August 20, 2026 and September 21, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
Brainwave versus TagNote: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBrainwaveTagNote
Price$0.99Free — better
Rating2.0 (1 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews20.0% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings1 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsEvery 5 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationPaidFree with in-app purchases — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, Mac
Requires iOS11.0 — better18.2
Further details — not scored
Size9 MB27 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperZymbiotic TechnologiesJonggyou Kim

Customer experience

Brainwave

All ratings1 ratings
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%
Written reviews10 reviews
Positive20.0%
Neutral30.0%
Negative50.0%

TagNote

Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

Brainwave

No in-app purchases

3 purchases

TagNote

Subscriptions3
  • Monthly subscription7 Days trial$1.991 Month
  • 3-month subscription7 Days trial$3.993 Months
  • Annual subscription7 Days trial$9.991 Year

Questions

Is Brainwave free?
Brainwave costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is TagNote free?
TagNote is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Brainwave or TagNote have ads?
Neither Brainwave nor TagNote shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Brainwave or TagNote?
Brainwave ships an update every 3 months, and TagNote every 5 days. Most recently, Brainwave was updated on August 20, 2026 and TagNote on September 21, 2026.

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