Vessel Journal vs elsehear
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Vessel Journal
This app acts as a personal thinking partner, allowing users to freely express thoughts and feelings. Its AI builds a searchable memory of experiences, offering summaries and insights into recurring themes for self-discovery.
- Freeform journaling
- AI-powered insights
- Summarized reflections
- Theme discovery
- Searchable memory
- Personal growth tracking
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Vessel is more than just a place to jot down thoughts, it's your personal thinking partner designed to help you understand yourself better. Write freely, expressing your thoughts and feelings without judgement. As you write, Vessel's AI quietly works alongside you, building a rich, searchable memory of your experiences. Shift to the Reflect tab to explore your inner world. See your entries summarized across days, weeks, and months. Discover recurring themes that highlight patterns in your thinking and growth over time. Vessel helps you connect the dots, revealing insights you might otherwise miss. This evolving record becomes a living biography, a powerful tool for self-discovery and prioritizing what truly matters in your life.
elsehear
Explore live soundscapes from real places globally. Discover locations, save favorites, and enjoy immersive audio experiences. Features include Lock Screen Live Activities and Apple Watch integration.
- Live global soundscapes
- Location discovery
- Save favorite places
- Lock Screen Live Activities
- Apple Watch companion app
- Multi-language support
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Listen to real places around the world, live. Browse places around the world and tune into their live soundscapes. Discover the coordinates and stories behind the sounds you hear. Tap "Take me somewhere" and let Elsehear choose your next destination. Save your favorite places and return to them whenever you like. Favorites sync across your iPhones when you sign in with the same Apple account. See your current place and playback status on the Lock Screen with Live Activities. Browse places and control playback on your paired iPhone with the Apple Watch companion. Available in English, Korean, Japanese, Simplified Chinese, Spanish, French, and German. Elsehear is an art project for sharing the sounds of the world. With thanks to Locus Sonus and the contributors who keep these open microphones listening. Sign in with Apple and an internet connection are required. Audio comes from live sources, so sounds and stream availability vary. Be here, hear elsewhere.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Vessel Journal at none against elsehear's 1. elsehear's advantage is update cadence (every 3 days vs every 6 weeks) and device support (3 vs 1). On price, ads 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
Both are free to download. elsehear sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Vessel Journal asks for nothing beyond the download.
Vessel Journal ships an update every 6 weeks, elsehear every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on October 30, 2026 and November 10, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Vessel Journal | elsehear |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 5.0 (3 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | — | 100.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 3 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | Every 3 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free — better | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch — better |
| Requires iOS | 17.6 | 17.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 5 MB | 40 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Something Something LLC | dohyun ahn |
Customer experience
Vessel Journal
elsehear
In-app purchases
Vessel Journal
No in-app purchases
elsehear
- support elsehear$6.99









