# The Stack vs BookStax

The Stack and BookStax both sit at 5.0 stars, but that hides the real split: 100% of The Stack's written reviews are positive against 50% of BookStax's. The Stack also leads on device support (4 vs 2). BookStax's advantage is monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases) and update cadence (every 9 days vs every 5 weeks). On price, rating, ratings volume and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. The Stack sells 3 one-off in-app purchases and BookStax sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for The Stack against 5.0 for BookStax. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1 and 1 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 100% of The Stack's written reviews are positive against 50% of BookStax's.

The Stack ships an update every 5 weeks, BookStax every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | The Stack | BookStax |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-stack-notes-to-self/id6615075283/reviews) | [5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bookstax/id6761068485/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 1 | 1 |
| Positive reviews | **100.0% of reviews** | 50.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks | **Every 9 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 12 MB | 16 MB |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | **18.6** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Elegant Chaos Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/1212020544) | [Sven Uwe Hanold](https://appshunter.io/developer/1887623795) |

## What reviewers say

### The Stack

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-stack-notes-to-self/id6615075283)

This app offers a straightforward approach to managing tasks and capturing thoughts. It utilizes a single list of text-based notes organized with hashtags for easy retrieval and organization.

**Highlights:** Simple text-based notes, Hashtag organization, Easy idea capture, To-do list management, Streamlined interface

**Features:** Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Fresh Straw | $0.99 | one-time |
| A Nice Juicy Carrot | $2.99 | one-time |
| Deluxe Hamster Wheel | $9.99 | one-time |


### BookStax

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bookstax/id6761068485)

Access and manage your self-hosted BookStack knowledge base natively on iPhone. Edit pages with a Markdown editor, search your content, and access it offline. Prioritizes privacy with secure API token storage.

**Highlights:** BookStack hierarchy navigation, Full-text search with filters, Markdown editor with live preview, Offline read access, Secure API token connection, Light/Dark/System mode, Multi-language support

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

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Page | $2.99 | one-time |
| Themes & more Servers | $5.99 | one-time |
| Book | $5.99 | one-time |
| Encyclopaedia | $12.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is The Stack free?

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

### Is BookStax free?

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

### Which has better reviews, The Stack or BookStax?

The Stack and BookStax are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 1 and 1 ratings respectively.

### Do The Stack or BookStax have ads?

Neither The Stack nor BookStax shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, The Stack or BookStax?

The Stack ships an update every 5 weeks, and BookStax every 9 days. Most recently, The Stack was updated on November 3, 2026 and BookStax on October 31, 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.*