# Elemental vs ThinkSpace

The clearest difference is rating: ThinkSpace at 4.3 against Elemental's 2.2. ThinkSpace also leads on ratings volume (273 vs 18). Elemental's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2) and review sentiment (73% vs 54%). On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. ThinkSpace sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Elemental asks for nothing beyond the download.

ThinkSpace holds the better App Store score, 4.3 against 2.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: ThinkSpace has 273 ratings behind it against 18, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 73% of Elemental's written reviews are positive against 54% of ThinkSpace's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Elemental ships an update every 3 weeks, ThinkSpace monthly. The most recent releases landed on July 6, 2026 and September 19, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Elemental | ThinkSpace |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [2.2 (18 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/elemental/id518655328/reviews) | **[4.3 (273 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/thinkspace-mind-map-and-notes/id1335574515/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 18 | **273** |
| Positive reviews | **73.4% of reviews** | 53.6% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Monthly |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 8 MB | 238 MB |
| Requires iOS | **8.0** | 15.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Dotmatics Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/518655351) | [Naoya Enokida](https://appshunter.io/developer/583844490) |

## What reviewers say

### Elemental

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/elemental/id518655328)

This free utility allows users to easily draw chemical structures and reactions on their mobile devices. It offers features like property calculation, file sharing via email and Dropbox, and a built-in periodic table. Users can also export structures as image files or MOL/RXN formats.

**Highlights:** Draw chemical structures and reactions, Calculate cheminformatics properties, Tweet chemical structures, Dropbox integration, Open MOL/RXN files, Email structures as files/images, Built-in Periodic Table

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### ThinkSpace

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/thinkspace-mind-map-and-notes/id1335574515)

This app is a powerful thinking tool that supports creative workflows with an intuitive interface and various thinking methods. It offers features like handwritten notes, unlimited canvases, idea generation frameworks, and real-time collaboration to aid brainstorming and idea structuring.

**Highlights:** Handwritten sticky notes, Unlimited canvas sizes, Idea generation frameworks, Real-time sharing, Mind mapping, Diagram creation, AI brainstorming

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| ThinkSpace Pro Access | $2.99 | per month |
| ThinkSpace Pro Access | $29.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 💡 Innovative freeform mind-mapping with infinite canvas
- ✏️ Excellent Apple Pencil integration and handwriting support
- 🎨 Flexible and creative brainstorming capabilities
- 📋 Multiple thinking frameworks and templates included
- 👍 Intuitive sticky note-like interface

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and app freezing
- ⚠️ Data loss issues after subscription or app updates
- 💸 Aggressive paywall with limited free tier
- 🔒 Privacy concerns with data collection policies
- 😕 Steep learning curve and unintuitive UI

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes on launch or during use
- Data disappears after upgrading to paid version
- Canvas fails to load with many items
- Text boxes become uneditable
- Grouped items move unexpectedly when resizing

**Requested features**

- One-time purchase option instead of subscription
- Dark mode theme
- Better palm rejection for Apple Pencil
- Folder/project organization system
- Ability to delete canvases easily


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Elemental free?

Elemental is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is ThinkSpace free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Elemental or ThinkSpace?

ThinkSpace is rated higher. Elemental averages 2.2 out of 5 from 18 ratings, while ThinkSpace averages 4.3 from 273 ratings.

### Do Elemental or ThinkSpace have ads?

Neither Elemental nor ThinkSpace shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Elemental or ThinkSpace?

Elemental ships an update every 3 weeks, and ThinkSpace monthly. Most recently, Elemental was updated on July 6, 2026 and ThinkSpace on September 19, 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.*