Comparison

Vessel Journal vs elsehear

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

Head to head
About

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.

Highlights
  • Freeform journaling
  • AI-powered insights
  • Summarized reflections
  • Theme discovery
  • Searchable memory
  • Personal growth tracking
Features
Read full description

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.

About

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.

Highlights
  • Live global soundscapes
  • Location discovery
  • Save favorite places
  • Lock Screen Live Activities
  • Apple Watch companion app
  • Multi-language support
Features
Read full description

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

Vessel Journal4 screens
elsehear4 screens

Verdict

The call

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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. elsehear sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Vessel Journal asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

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.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Vessel Journal versus elsehear: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterVessel Journalelsehear
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (3 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings3 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 6 weeksEvery 3 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPad, Apple Watch — better
Requires iOS17.617.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size5 MB40 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperSomething Something LLCdohyun ahn

Customer experience

Vessel Journal

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

elsehear

Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

Vessel Journal

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

elsehear

One-time1
  • support elsehear$6.99

Questions

Is Vessel Journal free?
Vessel Journal is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is elsehear free?
elsehear is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Vessel Journal or elsehear have ads?
Neither Vessel Journal nor elsehear shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Vessel Journal or elsehear?
Vessel Journal ships an update every 6 weeks, and elsehear every 3 days. Most recently, Vessel Journal was updated on October 30, 2026 and elsehear on November 10, 2026.

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