Truly Simple Timeline vs CRPL
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Truly Simple Timeline
Build and visualize narrative arcs, story beats, and character involvement across novels or any project. Its drag-and-drop interface supports various event types and date spans, with cross-device functionality for easy planning and adjustments.
- Drag-and-drop interface
- Narrative arc and story beat tracking
- Single-date and duration events
- BC/AD date support
- Vertical and horizontal modes
- Cross-device functionality
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Truly Simple Timeline was built by a professional author to keep track of narrative arcs, story beats, and character moments across a novel. It’s a clean, tactile workspace where you can add events individually or in bulk, drag and drop them across centuries or hours, and adjust all your milestones whenever and however you please. Features: • Intuitive interface: Drag and drop events across hours, days, or centuries. • Flexible event types: Mix large-scale narrative arcs, single-date events, and duration periods seamlessly. • Paper-like design: Organize with a curated color palette of warm creams, slate blues, and earthy greens, paired with your own custom hues. • Reliable device sync: Your data flows effortlessly between your Mac, iPad, and iPhone, and your sync status is viewable any time. • Fully accessible: Built natively for Apple devices with full VoiceOver support, Dynamic Type, and high-contrast readability. • Share timelines: Export timelines, which can then be imported into another device running TS Timeline (where it can be viewed, edited, etc) • Pay once, keep forever: All core features are free. Unlock unlimited timelines with a single one-time, lifetime in-app purchase. No subscriptions, no ads, no hidden fees.
CRPL
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CRPL is a personal text expander for iOS. Define short codes like ;sig or ;feat and have them expand into longer snippets — anywhere you can type, in any app. WHY CRPL? You write the same things over and over: email signatures, commit messages, code boilerplate, addresses, replies. CRPL turns those into a few keystrokes you actually remember. HOW IT WORKS 1. Create groups of codes in the app — Git & Commits, Email Signatures, Code Snippets, whatever you need. 2. Each entry has a trigger code and a replacement. 3. Switch to the CRPL keyboard using the globe key. 4. Type your code, then press space (or any other trigger you've enabled) — the code is replaced by the full snippet. FEATURES • Short, memorable trigger codes; replacements of any length • Multiple groups, each individually toggleable • Built-in variables: {datum}, {tijd}, {clipboard} insert dynamic values • Suggestion bar shows partial matches as you type • Long-press a key for accented alternates (é, è, ñ, ç…) • Custom emoji row in the keyboard • iCloud sync — your snippets follow you across devices • Import / export as plain text • Dark, editorial design built for people who type a lot PRIVACY CRPL stores your data on your device and, if you enable iCloud sync, in your private iCloud container. Nothing is ever sent to us or to anyone else. No analytics, no tracking, no accounts. Requires iPhone or iPad on iOS / iPadOS 17 or later. Full Access for the keyboard is required only for the {clipboard} variable..
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: Truly Simple Timeline at Free against CRPL's $1.99. CRPL's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1). On ads, device support 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
Truly Simple Timeline is free to download; CRPL costs $1.99 up front. Truly Simple Timeline sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. CRPL asks for nothing beyond the download.
| Parameter | Truly Simple Timeline | CRPL |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free — better | $1.99 |
| Rating | 4.3 (4 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 50.0% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 4 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | — |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Mac — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 17.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 2 MB | 3 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Colin Wright | Tom Bode Multimedia B.V. |
In-app purchases
Truly Simple Timeline
- Unlock Pro$4.99
CRPL
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Truly Simple Timeline free?
Is CRPL free?
Do Truly Simple Timeline or CRPL have ads?
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