QR Notes vs Throughline
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side โ with what reviewers say about each.
QR Notes
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Meet QR Notes, your new journaling companion. Scan, Save, Secure: Do you love jotting down thoughts in your paper journal but wish for the space and security of digital? QR Notes bridges the gap! How It Works: 1. Print & Stick: Start by printing the QR stickers we provide. Stick them in your journal, notebook, or anywhere you want to add a digital note. 2. Scan to Save: Whenever you want to add a detailed note, simply scan the QR sticker with the QR Notes app. Write down your thoughts, ideas, or any information. 3. Top-tier Security: With each scan, your note is encrypted using a unique AES 128-bit key embedded in the QR sticker. Your notes aren't just saved; they're secured. 4. Rescan to Retrieve: Want to access your note again? Just scan the sticker, and voila! Your encrypted note decrypts instantly for your eyes only. Organize Your Thoughts: Introducing "Journals" - the feature that lets you categorize and organize your digital notes. Whether it's personal musings, work notes, or project ideas, keep everything neatly in its place. Don't Have a Sticker? No Worries! With our Draft Notes feature, jot down your thoughts even if you don't have a QR sticker on hand. Later, you can easily transfer and encrypt them onto a sticker. Experience a fresh blend of traditional and digital journaling. With QR Notes, your journaling possibilities are endless, your memories secured, and your creativity amplified. Download QR Notes and redefine your journaling journey.
Throughline
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Turn spoken thoughts into structured notes and to-dos. Throughline is for people who think out loud: on a walk, between errands, or while planning the day ahead. Record in your own words. Throughline transcribes your voice note and pulls out useful details and next actions, so you can return to what matters. KEEP YOUR NEXT STEPS TOGETHER See extracted tasks in one Running List, organized into Today, This week, and Later. Move tasks when plans change, mark them complete, and return to the note they came from. CAPTURE, THEN KEEP GOING Follow recordings in the capture tray as they upload and process. If something needs attention, recovery controls help you pick up where you left off. KEEP THE SOURCE CLOSE Review your transcript alongside the structured note. Correct the result and keep your own words within reach. LET YOUR AGENT READ Connect your own AI agent through MCP to read saved notes. You control agent access and can revoke it in Settings. Start with a guided voice demo and see a spoken thought become a useful note.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: Throughline at every 3 days against QR Notes's every 20 months. QR Notes's advantage is iOS requirement (16.0 vs 18.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price ยท Rating ยท Positive reviews ยท Number of ratings ยท Update frequency ยท Ads ยท In-app purchases ยท Monetization ยท Best chart rank ยท Devices ยท Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
QR Notes ships an update every 20 months, Throughline every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and October 12, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | QR Notes | Throughline |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Update frequency | Every 20 months | Every 3 days โ better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad โ better | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 โ better | 18.0 |
| Further details โ not scored | ||
| Size | 2 MB | 5 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Athanasios Bountioukos - Spinaris | Michael Polner |
In-app purchases
QR Notes
No in-app purchases
Throughline
No in-app purchases









