# Circlem vs Inkwell

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Circlem at none against Inkwell's 3. Circlem also leads on update cadence (every 2 days vs every 9 days). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Inkwell sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Circlem asks for nothing beyond the download.

Circlem ships an update every 2 days, Inkwell every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on October 10, 2026 and October 22, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Circlem | Inkwell |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[5.0 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/inkwell-private-micro-journal/id6748805942/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **4** |
| Positive reviews | — | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 days** | Every 9 days |
| Monetization | — | Freemium |
| Size | 3 MB | 18 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | 18.0 |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Philipp Lohmar](https://appshunter.io/developer/1786389347) | [Mario Mouris](https://appshunter.io/developer/1376063231) |

## What reviewers say

### Circlem

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/circlem/id6739635242)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Inkwell

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/inkwell-private-micro-journal/id6748805942)

This app offers a private, offline journaling experience with mood tracking and gratitude prompts. Your personal thoughts and entries remain securely on your device, with no internet connection or account required. It's designed for quick daily reflections and capturing fleeting ideas.

**Highlights:** 100% offline journaling, Mood tracking with on-device insights, Instant search of entries, Home screen widget for quick access, Optional iCloud sync, Markdown support, Photo inclusion

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Inkwell Pro (Monthly) | $1.99 | per month |
| Inkwell Pro (Annual) | $14.99 | per year |
| Inkwell Pro (Lifetime) | $29.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Circlem free?

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

### Is Inkwell free?

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

### Do Circlem or Inkwell have ads?

Neither Circlem nor Inkwell shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Circlem or Inkwell?

Circlem ships an update every 2 days, and Inkwell every 9 days. Most recently, Circlem was updated on October 10, 2026 and Inkwell on October 22, 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.*