simREF vs Fern
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
simREF
This app provides quick-reference checklists and operational data for flight simulation on iPad. It features interactive normal and abnormal checklists, essential flight data, and a CG/Trim calculator for takeoff planning in a distraction-free, dark UI optimized for cockpit environments.
- Interactive Normal & Abnormal Checklists
- Operational Data at a glance
- CG/Trim calculator
- Offline functionality
- Dark UI for cockpit environments
- iPad landscape optimized
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simREF is a quick-reference companion for flight simulation on iPad. Navigate realistic normal & abnormal checklists and operational data in a distraction-free UI. Features - Interactive Normal & Abnormal Checklists (A319/A320/A321/A330/A340/A350) - Operational Data at a glance (speeds, limitations, references) - CG/Trim calculator for takeoff planning (non A350) Works offline, designed for iPad in landscape Dark UI optimized for cockpit environments Who it’s for Flight-sim enthusiasts seeking a structured, QRH-style workflow on iPad. Notes For flight simulation use only. Not for real-world flight operations or training. simREF is not affiliated with or endorsed by any aircraft manufacturer or add-on developer.
Fern
This app offers a private journaling experience designed for individuals with ADHD and overthinking tendencies. It allows users to capture thoughts through typing or voice notes, plan their day, and track moods and wins without pressure or guilt.
- Voice notes for quick check-ins
- Morning planner for daily priorities
- Distraction-free daily journaling
- Brain dump feature
- AI-powered wins tracker
- AI-generated weekly summaries
- Personalized daily questions
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Journalling shouldn't feel like another task on your to-do list. Fern is a private journal for busy, ADHD and overthinking minds. Type when you want to write. Speak when you don't. Fern helps you turn your thoughts into journal entries, remember your wins, and can even pull out moods, ideas and action items so you don't have to scroll through past entries to remember what you wanted to do, and how you felt at the time. No streaks. No guilt. No perfect journalling routine required. —— FEATURES • Voice Notes — A two-minute check-in to clear your head and pick your top three priorities. Use it when it helps. Skip it when it doesn't. • Morning Planner — A two-minute check-in to clear your head and pick your top three priorities. Use it when it helps. Skip it when it doesn't. • Daily Journal — A clean, distraction-free space to write whenever you feel like it. No word counts, no prompts you have to answer, no expectations. • Daily Question — Small questions that help you think about your day a little differently. • Brain Dump — Get the noise out of your head and onto the screen. • Today View — See your priorities and recent entries at a glance, without any friction. —— FERN PRO Fern Pro unlocks a suite of AI-powered features designed to help you get more from your journalling, without adding more effort to your day. • Voice Notes — Speak your thoughts, get a journal entry. Capture ideas the moment they arrive — no typing, no friction, no lost thoughts. • Wins Tracker — Your wins are pulled from your entries automatically. See how far you've come without having to go looking for it. • Ideas & Action Items — Everything you capture — ideas, tasks, follow-ups — organised in one place without any extra effort from you. • Weekly Summaries — A short AI-generated summary of your week so you can reflect without re-reading everything. • AI Chat — Ask questions about your own entries, explore patterns, surface insights — like a conversation with your past self. • Personalised Daily Question — Daily questions are personalised based on the week you are having. Fern Pro is available as a monthly subscription. Start free, upgrade whenever you're ready. Early access pricing and a free 30 day trial available. —— YOUR PRIVACY MATTERS Your journal lives on your device. We don't read your entries, there's no advertising, and AI features are processed anonymously. —— WHY FERN? Most journaling apps are built for neurotypical brains. They reward consistency with streaks, overwhelm you with features, or make you feel guilty for missing a day. Fern is different. Fern helps you: • Brain dump your thoughts in seconds • Plan your day without the pressure of a rigid to-do list • Reflect on what went well — not what you didn't finish • Track your mood and spot patterns over time DESIGNED FOR ADHD BRAINS • No streaks or guilt trips — journal when it feels right • Simple morning template to start your day with intention • Change your plan mid-day without judgment • Low-friction writing that takes minutes, not hours PRIVATE BY DEFAULT Your journal is deeply personal. That's why: • Your entries stay on your device — we never see them • No ads, no tracking scripts, no data harvesting • When AI features are used, your data is anonymised View privacy policy here: https://www.fernjournal.com/privacy BEAUTIFUL & SIMPLE • Clean, distraction-free writing interface • Light, dark, and automatic themes • Export your journal as readable files anytime • Designed for iPhone and iPad "This app was a game changer for me. I finally feel satisfied at the end of most days instead of feeling guilty about all the things I didn't do." Fern is a quiet space to think, reflect, and understand yourself. Download free today. Terms of Use: https://www.fernjournal.com/terms
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: simREF at 5.0 against Fern's 4.0. simREF also leads on ratings volume (3 vs 1). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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. simREF sells 2 one-off in-app purchases and Fern sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
simREF holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 3 and 1 respectively.
simREF ships an update every 10 days, Fern every 2 weeks. Both last shipped on November 5, 2026.
| Parameter | simREF | Fern |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 5.0 (3 ratings) — better | 4.0 (1 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 3 — better | 1 |
| Update frequency | Every 10 days — better | Every 2 weeks |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Devices | iPad | iPhone, iPad — better |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 — better | 17.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 148 MB | 34 MB |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Chris-Luca Fischer | KATRINA ANNE WATSON |
Customer experience
simREF
Fern
In-app purchases
simREF
- IndiGo Virtual Integration$2.99
- simREF Full Access$8.99
Fern
- Fern Pro - Monthly14 Days trial$2.991 Month
- Fern Pro - Monthly$4.991 Month








