Bookmarks vs Backyard Journal
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Bookmarks
Save links, notes, PDFs, and photos from any app into a private, searchable messenger-style interface. Organize content with categories and reminders, and sync across Apple devices. The core app is free and ad-free, with an optional one-time purchase for premium features.
- Save from any app
- Organize with categories and notes
- Private and secure data storage
- Syncs across Apple devices
- Offline functionality
- One-time purchase for premium features
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Text yourself that link, note, PDF, or photo with Send To Self and stop losing content you care about. Send to Self is your personal private messenger that mimics the familiar chat interface you love and adds the organization you need with categories, reminders and favorites. It now supports iOS 26’ liquid glass update. Here’s Why You’ll Love This Smart Bookmarking App: - Save in Seconds from Any App Share directly from Safari, Reddit, TikTok, YouTube, and 200+ other websites and apps. One tap and it’s saved! See your newest saves at the bottom. It’s like messaging yourself, but organized and searchable. - Organize Without the Effort Don’t let your bookmarks rot. Add notes to your saves, set reminders and categorize each content instantly with a tap so you can find that reel, article, or image three months from now. - Bookmark With Privacy You love texting yourself reels, passwords, or notes, but you don’t want anyone else to see or own your data. Send-to-Self gives you that familiar chat interface for saving digital finds without the corporate servers. Your data stays on your device and your personal iCloud 100%. No ads, no sign-in, and no sign-ups required, just download the app and start. - Sync Instantly Across Apple Devices Pick up exactly where you left off. Save a long article on your iPhone during a long commute, and it’s waiting on your iPad when you get home. No accounts to manage, no "sync buttons" to press. It just works. - Built for Speed and Focus Designed for your workflow on Mac and iPad with Split-Screen Support. Use split-screen to drag-and-drop links while researching. The app works 100% offline and auto-syncs the moment you’re back online. PREMIUM FEATURES The core app is completely free (no ads!). We believe in owning your software, not renting it. Pay once to unlock Premium features: - Get unlimited categories Don't be forced to choose. Create as many folders as your brain needs, from "Watches to Buy" to "Tax Docs" and color-code them for instant visual recognition. - Private folders with FaceID/TouchID Turn specific folders into a digital vault. Perfect for sensitive medical results, financial screenshots, or surprise gift lists you don't want anyone else to see. - No Subscriptions: One-time purchase. Yours for life. Tired of monthly fees? So are we. Pay one small fee to own Premium for life. No recurring charges, ever. - Support indie development Your purchase of the Premium version directly supports independent software that respects your privacy. Perfect for: - Researchers collecting sources - Students saving study materials - Shoppers tracking product - Content creators gathering inspiration - Anyone who DM's themselves links, notes, PDF's, or photos Send To Self is crafted with love by an independent developer who uses it every day. Your feedback helps shape every update. Download the app now and never lose another great find!
Backyard Journal
Easily document events and changes on your property, from planting to wildlife sightings. Log entries with photos, notes, date, and location, plus current weather. Review your land's history over time with a clean, distraction-free interface.
- Log events with photos and notes
- Automatic date and location recording
- Add current weather and temperature
- Simple, clean interface
- Review land history
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Backyard Journal Your Property, Your Story - One Entry at a Time Backyard Journal is the simplest way to keep track of everything happening around your property. Whether you're planting a new tree, spotting wildlife, fixing the fence, or just capturing a perfect sunset, this app helps you document it all in one place. Features: • Quickly log events with photos and notes • Automatically records date and location • Add current weather and temperature with a tap • Simple, clean interface – no clutter, no distractions • Look back on your land’s history anytime Perfect for homeowners, gardeners, hobby farmers, and anyone who loves watching their space change with the seasons. Keep your yard's story alive with Backyard Journal.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Backyard Journal at 5.0 against Bookmarks's 4.2. Backyard Journal also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 1) and iOS requirement (15.1 vs 18.0). Bookmarks's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs every 3 weeks) and ratings volume (6 vs 1). On price, ads and device support 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. Bookmarks sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Backyard Journal asks for nothing beyond the download.
Backyard Journal holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Bookmarks has 6 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.
Bookmarks ships an update weekly, Backyard Journal every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 11, 2026 and October 10, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Bookmarks | Backyard Journal |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.2 (6 ratings) | 5.0 (1 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 66.7% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 6 — better | 1 |
| Update frequency | Weekly — better | Every 3 weeks |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | 15.1 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 5 MB | 18 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | GILI | Justin Ledvina |
Customer experience
Bookmarks
Backyard Journal
In-app purchases
Bookmarks
- Premium Upgrade$8.99
Backyard Journal
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Bookmarks free?
Is Backyard Journal free?
Which has better reviews, Bookmarks or Backyard Journal?
Do Bookmarks or Backyard Journal have ads?
Which is updated more often, Bookmarks or Backyard Journal?
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