# Zettel vs Ember

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.

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.

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.

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

## The numbers

| Metric | Zettel | Ember |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $2.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [4.8 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/zettel-quick-notes/id6748525244/reviews) | **[5.0 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ember-markdown-notes/id6761983097/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **6** | 3 |
| Positive reviews | 88.9% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Every 10 days** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Freemium |
| Best chart rank | **#190** | — |
| Size | 7 MB | 70 MB |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | 26.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, Mac | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Alexander Moritz Weichart](https://appshunter.io/developer/1826067303) | [Rene DeAnda](https://appshunter.io/developer/1414957609) |

## What reviewers say

### Zettel

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/zettel-quick-notes/id6748525244)

**Currently charting:** #190 Top Paid · Productivity (US App Store)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Ember

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ember-markdown-notes/id6761983097)

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:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Ember Pro Monthly | $3.99 | per month |
| Ember Pro Annual | $34.99 | per year |
| Ember Pro Lifetime | $99.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked 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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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*