# Chief Mate vs Dona

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Chief Mate at none against Dona's 2. Chief Mate also leads on iOS requirement (15.1 vs 18.0). Dona's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs every 4 months) and ratings volume (7 vs 1). On price, rating, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

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

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Chief Mate against 5.0 for Dona. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Dona has 7 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Chief Mate ships an update every 4 months, Dona weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 5, 2026 and October 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Chief Mate | Dona |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chief-mate/id6535686953/reviews) | [5.0 (7 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dona-simple-tasks/id6748265175/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 1 | **7** |
| Positive reviews | — | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Freemium |
| Size | 30 MB | 10 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.1** | 18.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, Mac |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Victor Mones](https://appshunter.io/developer/1725983910) | [Yanice BOADY](https://appshunter.io/developer/1824877976) |

## What reviewers say

### Chief Mate

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chief-mate/id6535686953)

Easily manage all your boat's essential information, from maintenance schedules and inventory to crew tasks and important documents. Collaborate with your team, create custom checklists, and stay on top of your vessel's upkeep for a safer and more enjoyable boating experience.

**Highlights:** Centralize boat information, Collaborate with crew, Track and maintain components, Create maintenance schedules, Manage inventory and supplies, Create and share checklists, Store important documents

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Dona

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dona-simple-tasks/id6748265175)

This minimalist task manager helps you quickly capture and organize ideas with drag-and-drop functionality. Focus on what matters most today by visualizing tasks via widgets or Siri/Shortcuts. Optimized gestures ensure zero friction in managing your to-do list.

**Highlights:** Instant idea capture, Drag & drop organization, Widget support, Siri/Shortcuts integration, Zero friction gestures, Focus on task completion

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Dona + | $0.99 | per month |
| Dona+ Lifetime | $8.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Chief Mate free?

Chief Mate is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Dona free?

Dona is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Chief Mate or Dona?

Chief Mate and Dona are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 1 and 7 ratings respectively.

### Do Chief Mate or Dona have ads?

Neither Chief Mate nor Dona shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Chief Mate or Dona?

Chief Mate ships an update every 4 months, and Dona weekly. Most recently, Chief Mate was updated on October 5, 2026 and Dona on October 3, 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.*