Comparison

Best Calendar vs Zettel

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

Head to head
About

Best Calendar

Features
Read full description

A modern, beautiful, and unique calendar designed specifically for iPhone and very easy to use. Has day, week, month, and year views. Also includes an innovative clock view making day planning easy. Fast and easy navigation and built for any number of calendars and events on any size screen. Supports large text sizes for easy viewing and with a georgeous dark mode.

About

Zettel

This app offers a minimalist note-taking experience, focusing on a single, full-screen note at a time. It features a unique swipe-to-clear gesture with haptic feedback and simple tag functionality for easy organization. Notes are saved as plain Markdown files for versatile use.

Highlights
  • Single full-screen note interface
  • Swipe-to-clear gesture with haptic feedback
  • Simple hashtag tagging system
  • Plain Markdown file export
  • Works with Files app
  • Dark mode support
Read full description

Zettel - Quick Notes for iOS. Write. Swipe to tear. Done. Zettel brings the satisfying feeling of ripping paper to your iPhone. What makes it different: - One note at a time: Full screen. No tabs, no folders, no mess. Just you and your thoughts. - Tear to clear: Swipe from the edge and drag across the screen. Your note tears away with haptic feedback that actually feels real. - Tags that work: Type #anything and it becomes a tag. Find notes instantly without setting up complicated systems. - Your files, anywhere: Notes are plain Markdown files. Edit them in other apps, sync however you want, or just keep them local. Perfect for: - Quick thoughts - Meeting notes - Daily journaling - Project ideas Simple by design: - iPhone only (as it should be) - Works with Files app - Dark mode included - No account required - Zero tracking Built by someone who got tired of overcomplicated note apps. Sometimes the best tools are the simplest ones.

Screenshots

Best Calendar4 screens
Zettel4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Zettel at $2.99 against Best Calendar's $4.99. Best Calendar's advantage is iOS requirement (18.0 vs 26.0). On update cadence, ads, in-app purchases 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

Best Calendar costs $4.99 and Zettel $2.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Best Calendar ships an update every 3 weeks, Zettel monthly. Both last shipped on October 28, 2026.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Best Calendar versus Zettel: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBest CalendarZettel
Price$4.99$2.99 — better
Rating—4.8 (6 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—88.9% of reviews
Number of ratings—6 — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeks — betterMonthly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
Monetization—Free
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, Mac — better
Requires iOS18.0 — better26.0
Further details — not scored
Size3 MB7 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperErik JensenAlexander Moritz Weichart

In-app purchases

None

Best Calendar

No in-app purchases

None

Zettel

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Best Calendar free?
Best Calendar costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Zettel free?
Zettel costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.
Do Best Calendar or Zettel have ads?
Neither Best Calendar nor Zettel shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Best Calendar or Zettel?
Best Calendar ships an update every 3 weeks, and Zettel monthly. Most recently, Best Calendar was updated on October 28, 2026 and Zettel on October 28, 2026.

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