# Ocean Pavilion vs Backroom Journal

The clearest difference is ads: Backroom Journal at none against Ocean Pavilion's shown. Backroom Journal also leads on iOS requirement (13.4 vs 16.0). Ocean Pavilion's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs every 3 weeks). On price, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Ocean Pavilion ships an update weekly, Backroom Journal every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 9, 2026 and October 5, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Ocean Pavilion | Backroom Journal |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/backroom-journal/id6514323403/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **1** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | — | Free |
| Size | 141 MB | 34 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **13.4** |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPod** |
| Age rating | 17+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution](https://appshunter.io/developer/1451657947) | [Ethan Downs](https://appshunter.io/developer/1755773158) |

## What reviewers say

### Ocean Pavilion

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ocean-pavilion/id6471627079)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Backroom Journal

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/backroom-journal/id6514323403)

Collaborate with others in shared spaces to discuss and propose solutions to societal problems. This app uses AI to analyze conversations and suggest unbiased solutions, making them accessible to everyone.

**Highlights:** Collaborative Rooms for discussion, AI-powered solution suggestions, Publicly accessible solutions and conversations, Social media integration for problem-solving, Community-driven problem resolution

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Ocean Pavilion free?

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

### Is Backroom Journal free?

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

### Do Ocean Pavilion or Backroom Journal have ads?

Ocean Pavilion shows ads; Backroom Journal does not.

### Which is updated more often, Ocean Pavilion or Backroom Journal?

Ocean Pavilion ships an update weekly, and Backroom Journal every 3 weeks. Most recently, Ocean Pavilion was updated on October 9, 2026 and Backroom Journal on October 5, 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.*