Comparison

Bookmarks vs Zettel

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

Head to head
About

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.

Highlights
  • 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
Features
Read full description

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!

About

Zettel

This app offers a minimalist note-taking experience, focusing on a single, full-screen note at a time. It features a unique swipe-to-clear gesture with haptic feedback and simple tag functionality for easy organization. Notes are saved as plain Markdown files for versatile use.

Highlights
  • Single full-screen note interface
  • Swipe-to-clear gesture with haptic feedback
  • Simple hashtag tagging system
  • Plain Markdown file export
  • Works with Files app
  • Dark mode support
Read full description

Zettel - Quick Notes for iOS. Write. Swipe to tear. Done. Zettel brings the satisfying feeling of ripping paper to your iPhone. What makes it different: - One note at a time: Full screen. No tabs, no folders, no mess. Just you and your thoughts. - Tear to clear: Swipe from the edge and drag across the screen. Your note tears away with haptic feedback that actually feels real. - Tags that work: Type #anything and it becomes a tag. Find notes instantly without setting up complicated systems. - Your files, anywhere: Notes are plain Markdown files. Edit them in other apps, sync however you want, or just keep them local. Perfect for: - Quick thoughts - Meeting notes - Daily journaling - Project ideas Simple by design: - iPhone only (as it should be) - Works with Files app - Dark mode included - No account required - Zero tracking Built by someone who got tired of overcomplicated note apps. Sometimes the best tools are the simplest ones.

Screenshots

Bookmarks4 screens
Zettel4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Bookmarks at Free against Zettel's $2.99. Bookmarks also leads on update cadence (weekly vs monthly) and iOS requirement (18.0 vs 26.0). Zettel's advantage is rating (4.8 vs 4.2) and in-app purchases (none vs 1). On ratings volume, 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Bookmarks is free to download; Zettel costs $2.99 up front. Bookmarks sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Zettel asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Zettel holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.2. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 6 and 6 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 67% of Bookmarks's written reviews are positive against 89% of Zettel's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Bookmarks ships an update weekly, Zettel monthly. The most recent releases landed on July 4, 2026 and September 8, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard8 real differences · 3 level
Bookmarks versus Zettel: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBookmarksZettel
PriceFree — better$2.99
Rating4.2 (6 ratings)4.8 (6 ratings) — better
Positive reviews66.7% of reviews88.9% of reviews — better
Number of ratings66
Update frequencyWeekly — betterMonthly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFreemiumFree — better
Best chart rank—#190 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, Mac
Requires iOS18.0 — better26.0
Further details — not scored
Size5 MB7 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperGILI SOFTWARE OPCAlexander Moritz Weichart

Customer experience

Bookmarks

All ratings6 ratings
Positive83.3%
Neutral0.0%
Negative16.7%
Written reviews3 reviews
Positive66.7%
Neutral0.0%
Negative33.3%

Zettel

All ratings6 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews27 reviews
Positive88.9%
Neutral11.1%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Bookmarks

One-time1
  • Premium Upgrade$8.99
None

Zettel

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Bookmarks free?
Bookmarks is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Zettel free?
Zettel costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Bookmarks or Zettel?
Zettel is rated higher. Bookmarks averages 4.2 out of 5 from 6 ratings, while Zettel averages 4.8 from 6 ratings.
Do Bookmarks or Zettel have ads?
Neither Bookmarks nor Zettel shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Bookmarks or Zettel?
Bookmarks ships an update weekly, and Zettel monthly. Most recently, Bookmarks was updated on July 4, 2026 and Zettel on September 8, 2026.

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