Comparison

Notebook vs Brain Dump

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

Head to head
About

Notebook

This app offers a natural journaling experience by organizing daily notes on a single page, allowing you to flip through your entries like a physical book. It prioritizes simplicity, security with passcode locks, and seamless iCloud synchronization for easy access across devices.

Highlights
  • Realistic page-turning effect
  • One page per day organization
  • iCloud sync and backup
  • Passcode lock with Face ID/Touch ID
  • Dark mode and font adjustment
  • Ad-free Premium option
Features
Read full description

Keep daily notes and diary entries together on one page. Turn pages like a book and revisit your past entries. Search, iCloud sync, and a passcode lock help you organize and access your notes. Core features are free; ad removal is a one-time purchase. ■ Your day on one page See the notes and diary entries you write each day together on one page. Swipe or tap to turn pages and look back on everyday moments and memories. ■ Find past entries Use the contents list or search to find a note you want to revisit. Change a note's date to record plans or past events. ■ Make reading and writing comfortable Adjust the text size or use Dark Mode. Copy, print, or share your notes. ■ Protect access with a passcode Lock access to your diary with a passcode. Face ID / Touch ID is available on supported devices. ■ Sync between devices with iCloud With iCloud sync enabled, notes synchronize automatically between devices using the same Apple Account. iCloud sync is enabled by default for new installations. iCloud Drive and Notebook's iCloud access must be enabled, with available storage and a network connection. Synchronization may take time. iCloud sync and device backups are separate features. Check your sync status and backups before changing devices. ■ Recover deleted notes Recover notes within 30 days of deletion from Recently Deleted in Settings. ■ Remove ads with a one-time purchase Core features are free. Premium removes ads with a one-time purchase, not a subscription. After changing devices, use Restore Purchases with the Apple Account used for your purchase. Over 2 million downloads worldwide. Rated 4.7 out of 5 from over 21,000 ratings across all countries and regions (October 2026). Capture your everyday moments, one page at a time.

About

Brain Dump

This app transforms spoken thoughts into organized, structured notes with automatic formatting. Capture ideas, journal, or draft content hands-free, receiving clean output without manual editing. It's designed for those who think faster than they type.

Highlights
  • Speech to structured notes
  • Automatic formatting (headings, bullets)
  • On-device transcription (offline)
  • Export and share notes
  • AI rewrite features (Pro)
  • Voice journaling
Read full description

Brain Dump is a voice-first notes app that converts speech into clean, structured notes. Unlike traditional voice recorders or journaling apps that give you raw audio or walls of unformatted text, Brain Dump organizes your thoughts automatically. How it works: - Tap record and speak naturally - Brain Dump transcribes and organizes your voice into notes - Get headings, bullet points, and clean formatting - Export/share anywhere Why people choose Brain Dump: - Capture ideas on walks, commutes, or between tasks - Voice journaling that produces notes you can actually use - No cognitive overhead - just speak and get structured output - On-device transcription (works offline once a model is downloaded) Great for: - Daily voice journaling with structured output - Capturing ideas and thoughts on the go - Drafting blog posts, meeting notes, or content - Anyone who thinks faster than they type SUBSCRIPTION & TRIAL Brain Dump is free to download. Some features require a Pro subscription. What's free: - On-device transcription (works offline once a model is downloaded) - Create/edit notes, export/share - Optional iCloud sync Pro subscription unlocks: - Unlimited AI rewrite features (templates, polished notes, summaries) Trial & billing: - A 7-day free trial may be available (varies by plan/region) - Payment is charged to your Apple ID account at confirmation of purchase - Subscription automatically renews unless canceled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period - Manage or cancel in Settings > Apple ID > Subscriptions US prices: $2.99/week, $6.99/month, $44.99/year. Prices vary by country/region. Terms of Use: https://voicebraindump.com/tos Privacy Policy: https://voicebraindump.com/privacy

Screenshots

Notebook4 screens
Brain Dump4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: Brain Dump at none against Notebook's shown. Brain Dump also leads on review sentiment (81% vs 72%) and device support (3 vs 1). Notebook's advantage is ratings volume (14K vs 38) and rating (4.7 vs 4.5). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model and iOS requirement 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. Notebook sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Brain Dump sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Notebook holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Notebook has 14K ratings behind it against 38, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 72% of Notebook's written reviews are positive against 81% of Brain Dump's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Notebook ships an update weekly, Brain Dump fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
Notebook versus Brain Dump: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterNotebookBrain Dump
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (14K ratings) — better4.5 (38 ratings)
Positive reviews72.5% of reviews80.6% of reviews — better
Number of ratings14K — better38
Update frequencyWeekly — betterFortnightly
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFreemium
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPad, Mac — better
Requires iOS17.017.0
Further details — not scored
Size25 MB41 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperKoji ItoSaravanan Pitchaimani

Customer experience

Notebook

All ratings14,321 ratings
Positive94.1%
Neutral3.2%
Negative2.8%
Written reviews276 reviews
Positive72.5%
Neutral12.3%
Negative15.2%

Brain Dump

All ratings34 ratings
Positive85.3%
Neutral0.0%
Negative14.7%
Written reviews31 reviews
Positive80.6%
Neutral3.2%
Negative16.1%

Bugs and requests

Notebook

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Deleting entries causes the app to crash
  • Long entries can cause the app to become unresponsive
  • Password feature doesn't always work as expected

Requested features

5 requests
  • Add ability to insert photos and attachments
  • Implement cloud sync and backup
  • Allow more formatting options (font, size, color, bold, italic, etc.)
  • Develop an iPad version with optimized layout
  • Add a search function to easily find past entries

Brain Dump

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Notebook

One-time1
  • Remove Ads$6.99
3 purchases

Brain Dump

Subscriptions3
  • Weekly7 Days trial$2.997 Days
  • Monthly7 Days trial$6.991 Month
  • Yearly7 Days trial$44.991 Year

Questions

Is Notebook free?
Notebook is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Brain Dump free?
Brain Dump is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Notebook or Brain Dump?
Notebook is rated higher. Notebook averages 4.7 out of 5 from 14K ratings, while Brain Dump averages 4.5 from 38 ratings.
Do Notebook or Brain Dump have ads?
Notebook shows ads; Brain Dump does not.
Which is updated more often, Notebook or Brain Dump?
Notebook ships an update weekly, and Brain Dump fortnightly. Most recently, Notebook was updated on November 1, 2026 and Brain Dump on October 24, 2026.

Other comparisons