Comparison

BrickNote vs Latch

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

Head to head
About

BrickNote

This app offers a simple and intuitive way to create and manage notes using a chat-like interface. Easily add images, set reminders, create checklists, and organize with tags. It supports iCloud sync, widgets, and Face ID protection for your important information.

Highlights
  • Chat-style note input
  • Image attachment
  • Schedule reminders
  • Checklist creation
  • Tagging for organization
  • iCloud synchronization
  • Home screen widgets
  • Face ID memo lock
Features
Read full description

Jot down a thought or what you just did, one line at a time, as if texting yourself. BrickNote stacks short memos like bricks and lets you look back on them by date. ■ QUICK MEMOS Open a notebook and start typing. Save a line to your quick memo notebook, or share text, links and photos from other apps. ■ NOTEBOOKS Group memos by topic, from daily life to books and plans, with colors and tags. ■ TIMELINE Every day you write adds a brick to your wall. See your streak and memos by date, and export them as Markdown. ■ TO-DOS AND REMINDERS Turn any memo into a to-do, check it off, and get a reminder when you need it. ■ TEXT STYLE AND HIGHLIGHTER Titles, bold, italic, strikethrough and five highlighter colors. ■ SEARCH Find memos by text, notebook or tag, and open them right from Spotlight. ■ KEEP IT SAFE - Lock notebooks with Face ID - iCloud sync across iPhone and iPad - Full backup and restore, Recently Deleted ■ WIDGETS AND SHORTCUTS See recent memos on your Home Screen, and add memos with Shortcuts and Siri. BrickNote Pro (one-time purchase, no subscription) - Unlimited notebooks (3 free, not counting the quick memo notebook) - Daily, weekly and monthly repeating reminders - Check off memos in widgets, large and Lock Screen widgets - Get text from photos - 4 app icons Notebook lock, iCloud sync, backup, export and the highlighter stay free. If you bought BrickNote before version 1.2.0, Pro is already included.

About

Latch

This app helps you regain focus by blocking time-wasting apps and websites. It requires a physical action, like scanning an NFC sticker or QR code, to unlock them, encouraging mindful usage. Features include customizable profiles, schedules, and location-based locking.

Highlights
  • Physical key scan to unlock apps
  • NFC sticker and QR code support
  • Customizable app and website blocking
  • Location-based locking
  • Scheduled locking profiles
  • Commitment mode for extended focus
Features
Read full description

Latch blocks the apps that steal your time — and puts the unlock button somewhere you have to walk to. Pick the apps, categories and websites that pull you in, then slide the latch to lock them. To unlock, scan your key: a few-cent NFC sticker or a QR code you print at home. Keep it on the fridge, in the car or at your desk at work, and the few steps it takes to go get it are usually enough to change your mind. Latch uses Apple's Screen Time (Family Controls) to block apps on your own iPhone. Your choices stay on your iPhone. YOUR KEY, NO GADGET • Use any NTAG213, NTAG215 or NTAG216 NFC sticker — a few cents each — or a QR code you print at home (the camera scans it) • Tap the sticker with Latch closed, or scan it in the app • Stickers are locked with a password after writing, so no one can write over them. Save the password in Apple's Passwords app • Share one key with family or roommates — one sticker on the fridge for the whole house • Tell Latch where each key lives, and the lock screen tells you where to walk • One key works with all your iPhones • A steps key (Pro): walk 500 to 20,000 steps to unlock, counted with Motion & Fitness • On iPad, use a QR key. NFC stickers, the steps key and lock while driving need an iPhone LOCKS BEFORE YOU THINK TO • Built-in profiles — Work, Social and Bedtime — ready with the usual suspects • Schedules (Pro): every weekday morning, or at bedtime until you scan your key • Places: lock when you arrive at the office or the gym, and unlock when you leave (uses your location) • Lock while driving (Pro): Latch notices a drive with your location and Motion & Fitness, locks the profile you choose, and unlocks after you park • A Control Center toggle (iOS 18): tap to lock, tap again to open the scanner • Siri: "Latch my phone", or "Latch my phone with Work". Also in Shortcuts and on the Action button BUILT FOR THE DAYS YOU'D RATHER NOT • Daily limits (Pro): give an app or category a few minutes a day while you're unlocked • Commitment mode (Pro): stay locked for at least 30 minutes, or up to 8 hours • Hard lock: choose to block deleting apps, installing apps and in-app purchases while you're locked • Break glass: three times a month, open your apps for 5–15 minutes without your key; they lock again on their own • Block explicit websites with Apple's filter, per profile • Your own words on the block screen, like "Finish your work first" SEE THE TIME YOU GOT BACK • A daily locked-time goal and a streak to keep • Your last 7 days, how they compare with the week before, and a Sunday recap • How often you reached for a blocked app, and what broke your focus • Month and all-time views (Pro) • Lock Screen widgets and a Dynamic Island timer • iCloud sync between your iPhones PRIVATE BY DESIGN Latch has no accounts, no ads and no analytics. Apple's Screen Time keeps your app choices and usage on your iPhone, so we never see them. LATCH PRO — ONE-TIME PURCHASE Free includes one key, three profiles, two places and seven days of stats. Pro unlocks unlimited keys, profiles and places, schedules, daily limits, commitment mode, lock while driving, key hours, a steps key and full history. No subscription.

Screenshots

BrickNote4 screens
Latch4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: BrickNote at none against Latch's 1. BrickNote also leads on update cadence (daily vs every 6 days). On price, review sentiment, 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. Latch sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. BrickNote asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

BrickNote ships an update daily, Latch every 6 days. The most recent releases landed on November 12, 2026 and November 10, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
BrickNote versus Latch: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBrickNoteLatch
PriceFreeFree
Rating—5.0 (9 ratings) — better
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings—9 — better
Update frequencyDaily — betterEvery 6 days
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationPaidFreemium — better
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS17.417.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size8 MB11 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperYoungbae YooLukla Logic LLC

Customer experience

BrickNote

Written reviews2 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Latch

All ratings9 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews8 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

BrickNote

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

Latch

One-time1
  • Latch Pro$9.99

Questions

Is BrickNote free?
BrickNote is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Latch free?
Latch is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do BrickNote or Latch have ads?
Neither BrickNote nor Latch shows ads.
Which is updated more often, BrickNote or Latch?
BrickNote ships an update daily, and Latch every 6 days. Most recently, BrickNote was updated on November 12, 2026 and Latch on November 10, 2026.

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