# Idea Vault vs Zettelkasten

The clearest difference is ads: Zettelkasten at none against Idea Vault's shown. On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Idea Vault sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Zettelkasten sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Idea Vault ships an update every 6 weeks, Zettelkasten monthly. The most recent releases landed on September 17, 2026 and September 8, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Idea Vault | Zettelkasten |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/idea-vault-notes-and-journal/id6572281488/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **1** | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 10 MB | 6 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Kevin Struna](https://appshunter.io/developer/1700293634) | [Phuc Pham](https://appshunter.io/developer/1893081423) |

## What reviewers say

### Idea Vault

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/idea-vault-notes-and-journal/id6572281488)

A secure and intuitive application for capturing, organizing, and protecting your thoughts and ideas. Features rich text editing, powerful search, and cross-device synchronization. Keep your inspiration safe and accessible.

**Highlights:** Rich text editing, Distraction-free interface, Organize with tags, colors, moods, locations, Powerful instant search, On-device AES encryption, iCloud sync across devices, Light and Dark Mode

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove Ads | $0.99 | one-time |


### Zettelkasten

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/zettelkasten-notes-graph/id6771281468)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekly | $9.99 | per 7 days |
| Yearly | $49.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Idea Vault free?

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

### Is Zettelkasten free?

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

### Do Idea Vault or Zettelkasten have ads?

Idea Vault shows ads; Zettelkasten does not.

### Which is updated more often, Idea Vault or Zettelkasten?

Idea Vault ships an update every 6 weeks, and Zettelkasten monthly. Most recently, Idea Vault was updated on September 17, 2026 and Zettelkasten on September 8, 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.*