PlanCoach vs MindBack
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
PlanCoach
This app helps users overcome procrastination and ADHD by breaking down tasks into manageable steps. It uses principles of CBT and cognitive offloading, offering customizable coaches and a growth system to make progress visible and enjoyable.
- AI task breakdown
- Customizable coaches
- Cognitive offloading
- Growth system
- Navigation mode for focus
- Idea capture
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PlanCoach helps you get through everything you thought was too hard, one thing at a time, and actually enjoy the process. Built on CBT and cognitive offloading: serious about beating procrastination, and ADHD-friendly. What makes PlanCoach different from its many imitators? ================================= 1. A larger community. Since a viral post in July 2025 (300K likes, 3M+ views), PlanCoach has grown to hundreds of thousands of users. 2. Built with the community. Shaped by 1,000+ pieces of community feedback, with constant iteration and great reviews. 3. Covers the whole task cycle (start, execute, focus, capture distracting thoughts, record reflections, time receipts), so you can get back on track from any stage. 4. Deep customisation. Coaches, personal profiles, per-coach rewrites and lorebooks give you huge freedom and fun. The Psychology Behind It ======== 1. Zeigarnik effect: unfinished tasks keep occupying your mind. Making a plan lets you put them down, and once you start, you want to finish. → AI breaks tasks into steps, with a first step small enough to start now; widgets, Live Activities and persistent reminders keep it in sight. 2. Cognitive offloading: your mind is for thinking, not for storing. → Shake to save a thought to Idea Capture; Navigation Mode keeps the current step on screen, so you only need to look, not remember; lorebooks and your profile remember your context. 3. CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy): act first, and your mood will follow. → Coaches turn tasks into concrete actions and answer self-doubt with encouragement; "Explain it" shows the reasoning behind each step, dissolving resistance. 4. Tiny starts (Atomic Habits): make the bar so low you can't fail. → Revise steps until they are small enough; Shortcuts can start a routine on a schedule or with an NFC tap. 5. Instant positive feedback: make progress visible. → Check-ins, the Growth System and time receipts turn your real-world effort into results you can see. Key Features ====== 1. Multiple Coaches 4 carefully selected built-in coaches: Coach W gets you started, the cool big sister is blunt and balanced, Miss S handles chained tasks, and the NPC Mage turns boring tasks into role-playing adventures. 2. Coach DLC Download the coaches you like: a minister, a butler, a communication coach, a sleep coach, even a chef… one app, endless ways to play. 3. Growth System Make your real-world effort visible inside the app, so you fall in love with the version of yourself that keeps improving. 4. Personal Profile Coaches refer to your profile every time they plan, so steps fit your situation and encouragement hits home. Each coach can see its own rewrite of your profile (the "Master Chef" sees your food preferences; the "Minister" sees that you are a Spanish princess). 5. Navigation Mode (Focus) An ADHD-friendly focus mode: large always-visible text (GTD-inspired), progressive step disclosure and course correction, so focus comes naturally. 6. Idea Capture (Not a TODO List) "Your mind is for having ideas, not holding them." Shake firmly on any screen to capture an idea instantly. You don't need a brilliant idea every time. Keep capturing them, and the rare good ones will eventually connect into real change. 7. Lorebook Define a dictionary for your own world, packaging complex instructions, technical terms and personal SOPs into reusable entries. 8. Apple Watch Support! Great for cooking, exercising or walking, when you can't keep looking at your phone. 9. Iterative Revision Good plans are made by revising. Refine yours endlessly with AI until it truly fits. ==== The app price is increasing month by month, and the lifetime purchase will gradually rise to ¥268. The earlier you buy, the better the deal! Website: https://plancoach.app/ Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
MindBack
Effortlessly capture fleeting thoughts, ideas, and content without the pressure of organization. This app uses AI to connect your scattered notes, creating unexpected insights and summaries. Rediscover your memories and information through a timeline view and AI-powered queries.
- Flow state recording (text, voice, photo, file)
- AI-powered content connection and insights
- Personal AI memory assistant for queries
- Automatic content summarization
- Timeline-based organization and archive
- Activity heatmap
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Where do you keep the fleeting moments, random ideas, and content that don't fit anywhere else? Welcome to MindBack. MindBack is designed for pure, pressure-free recording. There are no complex folders, no tags to manage, and no anxiety about organization. You simply record life as if you were messaging yourself, and leave the rest to us. We believe the best recording is effortless, and the best reflection is serendipitous. Key Features: · Flow State Recording Just type, speak, or upload. Whether it's a sudden inspiration, a voice note, a photo, or a file—capture it as easily as chatting. Let your recording return to its simplest form. · Await the Echoes No manual organizing required. MindBack quietly connects your scattered thoughts behind the scenes. It might weave your travel photos into a "Memory Movie" or turn saved links into a "Reading List." Expect unexpected insights and serendipitous moments. · Ask MindBack Anything Your personal AI memory assistant is always ready. Ask "What was that movie I wanted to watch last year?" or "Summarize this article for me." MindBack retrieves answers based on your exclusive history. · Instant Clarity Paste any article or web link directly into the chat. MindBack automatically generates a content summary, helping you grasp the essence of your "Read Later" list instantly. · Trace Your Journey All your records and AI echoes are automatically organized by time. View your life's rhythm through the activity heatmap and rediscover every image and link in your personal archive.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: MindBack at none against PlanCoach's 7. MindBack also leads on iOS requirement (14.0 vs 17.0). PlanCoach's advantage is update cadence (every 2 days vs weekly) and review sentiment (84% vs 73%). On price, rating, ratings volume and ads 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. PlanCoach sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. MindBack asks for nothing beyond the download.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.5 for PlanCoach against 4.5 for MindBack. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 21 and 17 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 84% of PlanCoach's written reviews are positive against 73% of MindBack's.
PlanCoach ships an update every 2 days, MindBack weekly. Both last shipped on November 5, 2026.
| Parameter | PlanCoach | MindBack |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.5 (21 ratings) | 4.5 (17 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 84.2% of reviews — better | 72.5% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 21 — better | 17 |
| Update frequency | Every 2 days — better | Weekly |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch | iPhone, iPod, Apple Watch |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 14.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 56 MB | 431 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | 晓江 苏 | 开若图科技(上海)有限公司 |
Customer experience
PlanCoach
MindBack
In-app purchases
PlanCoach
- Premium - Monthly$2.991 Month
- Premium - Quarterly$6.993 Months
- Premium - Yearly$29.991 Year
- 500 Coffee Beans$1.99
- Essentials - Lifetime$9.99
- Upgrade to Premium$19.99
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- Premium-Lifetime$29.99
MindBack
No in-app purchases







