Comparison

Defer vs Scalo

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

Head to head
About

Defer

This app acts as a quick capture inbox for your thoughts and tasks. Simply input items to get them out of your head and into a secure, private space. It syncs across devices and offers export options for your data.

Highlights
  • Quick task capture
  • Private data storage
  • Automatic syncing
  • CSV export
  • Siri and Shortcuts integration
  • Customizable appearance (Pro)
  • Export to Apple Reminders/JSON (Pro)
Features
Read full description

Defer is the app to get things out of your head. It's a task inbox or a capture inbox. Simply open the app, type (or paste!), and move on, knowing the thing will be there when you need it later. It works best with the accompanying Mac app: capture something on your phone, act on it when you're back at your Mac. - Private by Design: All your data is either stored on device or in a private iCloud container if you've got an Apple ID. - Simple: No bloat. Fast. Just write! - Synced Automatically: No account creation needed. If you're signed in with the same Apple ID on multiple iOS devices, everything will just sync. - Export anytime: Take your data with you in the form of a very compatible .csv file. - Integrated with Siri, Shortcuts, and Widgets (activate Siri and then say "Defer Something") - Add dates, or don't! Put stuff out of site / out of mind until you need it. - Pro feature: Make the app your own by customizing colors and fonts. - Pro feature: Export to Apple Reminders or JSON - Pro feature: Use webhooks to send tasks to other apps, on demand or automatically. We take privacy seriously. Really. We don't track anything about you or how you use Defer. More here: https://deferapp.com/privacy Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

Scalo

This app acts as a central inbox for all content found online, allowing users to save links, text, and images from any application. It provides a simple interface for triaging and managing saved items, with features like automatic link enrichment and a built-in browser.

Highlights
  • Save content from any app
  • Automatic link enrichment with title and preview
  • Built-in browser for reading links
  • Swipe gestures for managing items
  • Filter by content type (links, text, images)
  • iCloud syncing across devices
  • Siri Shortcuts integration
Features
Read full description

Scalo is the inbox for everything you find online and want to deal with later. The name means "stopover" in Italian — a place where things pause before moving on. That's exactly what Scalo does: it holds your links, text, and images until you're ready to read, share, or file them away. Your content is just passing through. SAVE ANYTHING, FROM ANYWHERE Share a link, a snippet of text, or an image from any app — Scalo catches it instantly via the iOS Share Sheet. You can also create items directly inside the app with the + button. No folders, no tags, no setup. Just save and move on. TRIAGE YOUR INBOX When you have a moment, open Scalo and work through your inbox. Swipe right to mark something done, swipe left to share or delete it. Long-press for more options: open, copy, complete, or remove. It feels as natural as managing your email. LINKS COME ALIVE Every link you save is automatically enriched with its title and a visual preview. Tap a link to read it in a built-in browser — no app switching required. FILTER AND SORT Filter your inbox by content type — links, text, or images — with a single tap. Sort by newest or oldest first. Choose relative dates or absolute timestamps. Your preferences stick between sessions. SYNCED VIA iCLOUD Your items sync privately across all your devices through iCloud. No account to create, no server to trust. Your data stays yours. SIMPLICITY BY DESIGN Light, dark, or automatic theme. Customizable thumbnail position. A clean, focused interface that gets out of your way. Scalo does one thing and does it well. SIRI SHORTCUTS Save content to Scalo hands-free with Siri or automate your workflow with the Shortcuts app.

Screenshots

Defer4 screens
Scalo4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Scalo at none against Defer's 2. Scalo also leads on update cadence (daily vs every 2 weeks). Defer's advantage is ratings volume (23 vs 1). On price, rating, 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

Both are free to download. Defer sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Scalo asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Scalo holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Defer has 23 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Defer ships an update every 2 weeks, Scalo daily. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 28, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Defer versus Scalo: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterDeferScalo
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (23 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews90.9% of reviews—
Number of ratings23 — better1
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeksDaily — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFreemiumFree — better
DevicesiPhone, MaciPhone, iPad
Requires iOS17.2 — better18.0
Further details — not scored
Size12 MB5 MB
Age rating4+17+
DeveloperLevi Nelson, LLCAndrea Busi

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Defer

Subscriptions2
  • Pro Monthly$0.991 Month
  • Pro Yearly$5.991 Year
None

Scalo

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Defer free?
Defer is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Scalo free?
Scalo is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Defer or Scalo?
Scalo is rated higher. Defer averages 4.8 out of 5 from 23 ratings, while Scalo averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.
Do Defer or Scalo have ads?
Neither Defer nor Scalo shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Defer or Scalo?
Defer ships an update every 2 weeks, and Scalo daily. Most recently, Defer was updated on October 24, 2026 and Scalo on October 28, 2026.

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