Comparison

Town Notes vs Trace Life

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

Head to head
About

Town Notes

Read full description

Town Notes is a page for the things worth writing down. No account. No feed. Nothing to configure. You open it and there is a blank page — write the weather, the mood, what you spent at the noodle shop, the day the osmanthus bloomed down the alley. OPEN AND WRITE The editor opens straight away. The first line becomes the title; the rest is yours. Every card in the list shows its opening lines, so you can pick a note out at a glance. FIND ANY NOTE Search titles, body text and dates at once. Type "osmanthus" and the related notes appear; type "October" and that month comes back. The count updates as you type. WORDS, PHOTOS AND DOODLES IN ONE NOTE Rich text with images inline — pick one from your library or shoot it on the spot. Want to sketch something? Draw it with a finger and drop it straight into the note. LOCK THE ONES THAT MATTER Put a passcode on a single note. It is stored on your device only. REMINDERS THAT ACTUALLY REMIND Set a time on a note and get a notification when it is due. EASY ON THE EYES AT NIGHT Full dark mode that follows the system setting. YOUR NOTES STAY ON YOUR PHONE No sign-up. Works offline. Everything is stored locally — nothing is uploaded, collected or analysed. Available in English and Simplified Chinese.

About

Trace Life

A secure and user-friendly diary and note-taking app. It offers a visual timeline, photo integration, customizable tags, and cloud storage for your memories. Enjoy full privacy control and seamless iCloud backup.

Highlights
  • Secure encrypted transmission
  • Cloud storage
  • Visual timeline
  • Photo integration
  • Customizable tags
  • iCloud integration
  • Privacy controls
Features
Read full description

Trace Life is an exquisite and well-formatted diary and note-taking application. It boasts a simple and user-friendly design, yet it is packed with powerful functions. It employs secure encrypted transmission and cloud storage to ensure the safety of your diary data, making it accessible only to you. 【Timeline】 A concise and visually appealing timeline allows you to revisit different moments of your life. 【Photos】 Enhance your entries by adding photos, transcending the limitations of plain text. 【Tags】 Customize your categories for life, work, love, and more. 【Privacy】 You have full control over your data, ensuring your privacy is protected. 【iCloud】 Never lose your data with seamless iCloud integration. Here's the translation into English: [Feedback Suggestions] For any issues with product usage, you can send an email to: lyqforter@gmail.com User Agreement: https://forterweb.ovdt.top/diary/terms Privacy Policy: https://forterweb.ovdt.top/diary/privacy

Screenshots

Town Notes4 screens
Trace Life4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Trace Life at Free against Town Notes's $6.99. Trace Life also leads on update cadence (every 5 days vs every 4 months). Town Notes's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 3). On ads, device support and iOS requirement 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

Trace Life is free to download; Town Notes costs $6.99 up front. Trace Life sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Town Notes asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Town Notes ships an update every 4 months, Trace Life every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on October 30, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Town Notes versus Trace Life: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTown NotesTrace Life
Price$6.99Free — better
Rating—5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings—1 — better
Update frequencyEvery 4 monthsEvery 5 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
Monetization—Free with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPod — better
Requires iOS16.015.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size5 MB33 MB
Age rating4+4+
Developer瑞华 张永强 李

In-app purchases

None

Town Notes

No in-app purchases

3 purchases

Trace Life

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly Subscription3 Days trial$0.991 Month
  • Annual Subscription7 Days trial$3.991 Year
One-time1
  • Lifetime Plus$19.99

Questions

Is Town Notes free?
Town Notes costs $6.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Trace Life free?
Trace Life is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Town Notes or Trace Life have ads?
Neither Town Notes nor Trace Life shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Town Notes or Trace Life?
Town Notes ships an update every 4 months, and Trace Life every 5 days. Most recently, Town Notes was updated on October 30, 2026 and Trace Life on October 24, 2026.

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