# Meanwhile vs Unpack

The clearest difference is ratings volume: Meanwhile at 6 against Unpack's 2. Meanwhile also leads on iOS requirement (17.0 vs 26). On price, rating, review sentiment and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Meanwhile sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $19.99 per year and Unpack sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. 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 Meanwhile against 5.0 for Unpack. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 6 and 2 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.

Meanwhile ships an update every 9 days, Unpack weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 30, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Meanwhile | Unpack |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [5.0 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/meanwhile-daily-micro-journal/id6746348960/reviews) | [5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/unpack-micro-journaling/id6762091805/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **6** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 9 days | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 7 MB | 12 MB |
| Requires iOS | **17.0** | 26 |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Max Retik](https://appshunter.io/developer/1816309595) | [Andriy Gordiyenko](https://appshunter.io/developer/1679055949) |

## What reviewers say

### Meanwhile

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/meanwhile-daily-micro-journal/id6746348960)

This app offers a minimalist approach to journaling, allowing users to capture daily thoughts, photos, and dreams. It helps users discover patterns in their lives through gentle analytics and resurfaces past memories to foster reflection and personal growth. All data is kept private and secure via iCloud sync.

**Highlights:** Daily micro-journal entries, Instant photo capture, Dream and gratitude tracking, Pattern analysis and insights, Private iCloud sync, On This Day memories, Customizable themes

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Advanced Features | $19.99 | per year |


### Unpack

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/unpack-micro-journaling/id6762091805)

Capture your life's moments with this journaling app. Log thoughts, track moods, save photos, and organize memories using tags. It offers a flexible, unstructured approach to documenting your experiences, making it easy to revisit your past.

**Highlights:** Quick journaling for thoughts and moods, Tag entries for automatic collection building, Photo journaling for visual memories, Flexible use as diary, planner, or tracker, Unstructured writing with no minimum length, Effortless life capturing and meaningful revisiting

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly | $2.99 | per month |
| Annual | $24.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Meanwhile free?

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

### Is Unpack free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Meanwhile or Unpack?

Meanwhile and Unpack are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 6 and 2 ratings respectively.

### Do Meanwhile or Unpack have ads?

Neither Meanwhile nor Unpack shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Meanwhile or Unpack?

Meanwhile ships an update every 9 days, and Unpack weekly. Most recently, Meanwhile was updated on October 30, 2026 and Unpack 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.*