Comparison

Zettel vs Ember

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

Head to head
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.

About

Ember

A fast and organized workspace for writing Markdown notes, storing PDFs, diagrams, and voice memos. It offers a vault for reusable prompts and syncs across Apple devices. Start for free with full editor access.

Highlights
  • Rich Markdown editor
  • Inline PDF and image support
  • Reusable prompt vault
  • Daily notes, folders, and tags
  • Instant search functionality
  • Private iCloud sync
  • Share Extension
Features
Read full description

Your notes should feel like home. Ember is a warm, fast place to think — Markdown notes, PDFs, diagrams, voice memos, and a vault of reusable prompts, all in one calm workspace that syncs across iPhone, iPad, and Mac. WRITE IN RICH MARKDOWN A live editor with real formatting: headings, tables, task lists, links, highlights, footnotes, and code — rendered as you type, never in your way. Bullets, numbers, and checkboxes feel native and effortless. MORE THAN TEXT Drop PDFs, images, diagrams, and voice notes right inline. Your references live beside your writing, so everything about a thought stays in one place. A VAULT FOR YOUR PROMPTS Keep the prompts you reuse for writing, research, and planning in a dedicated Prompt Vault — organized, searchable, and a tap away when you need them. STAY ORGANIZED, STAY FAST Daily notes, folders, tags, smart filters, and pinned notes keep things tidy, and instant search finds anything the moment you look for it. YOURS EVERYWHERE Ember runs natively on iPhone, iPad, and Mac, with optional private iCloud sync, widgets, and a Share Extension for capturing from anywhere. FREE TO START Capture notes, PDFs, prompts, and attachments with the full editor — free, no account required. EMBER PRO Unlock advanced themes and alternate icons, premium writing and organization workflows, and deeper Prompt Vault tools, as a subscription or a one-time lifetime purchase. PRIVATE BY DESIGN No accounts. No ads. No selling your words. Your notes stay on your device and your own iCloud. Make a home for your thinking. Download Ember Notes. TERMS & PRIVACY Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://embernotes.app/privacy

Screenshots

Zettel4 screens
Ember4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Ember at Free against Zettel's $2.99. Ember also leads on update cadence (every 10 days vs monthly) and rating (5.0 vs 4.8). Zettel's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 3) and chart position (#190 vs unranked). On ratings volume, 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Ember is free to download; Zettel costs $2.99 up front. Ember sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Zettel asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Ember holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 6 and 3 respectively.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Zettel ships an update monthly, Ember every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on September 8, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 5 level
Zettel versus Ember: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterZettelEmber
Price$2.99Free — better
Rating4.8 (6 ratings)5.0 (3 ratings) — better
Positive reviews88.9% of reviews
Number of ratings6 — better3
Update frequencyMonthlyEvery 10 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFreemium
Best chart rank#190 — better
DevicesiPhone, MaciPhone, iPad
Requires iOS26.026.0
Further details — not scored
Size7 MB70 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAlexander Moritz WeichartRene DeAnda

Customer experience

Zettel

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

Ember

All ratings3 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

Zettel

No in-app purchases

3 purchases

Ember

Subscriptions2
  • Ember Pro Monthly$3.991 Month
  • Ember Pro Annual$34.991 Year
One-time1
  • Ember Pro Lifetime$99.99

Questions

Is Zettel free?
Zettel costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Ember free?
Ember is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Zettel or Ember?
Ember is rated higher. Zettel averages 4.8 out of 5 from 6 ratings, while Ember averages 5.0 from 3 ratings.
Do Zettel or Ember have ads?
Neither Zettel nor Ember shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Zettel or Ember?
Zettel ships an update monthly, and Ember every 10 days. Most recently, Zettel was updated on September 8, 2026 and Ember on September 23, 2026.

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