Comparison

Dotly vs JournalWrite

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

Head to head
About

Dotly

Features
Read full description

Dotly — capture to Workflowy in seconds. A fleeting thought. A sudden idea. A task you can't afford to forget. Dotly helps you capture it instantly and send it straight to Workflowy. Whether you're offline or on the move, Dotly keeps your thoughts safe until you're ready to sync. Designed for speed and calm, it brings the art of writing and the beauty of structure together — in one elegant flow. Features: - Instant Capture: Add notes, ideas, or reminders to Workflowy in seconds. No friction, no fuss. - Offline Outbox: Write anytime, anywhere. Dotly queues your notes and syncs automatically when you're back online. - Minimal Design: A clean, fluid interface that keeps you focused on what matters: your thoughts. - Smart Shortcuts: Capture with a single tap from widgets or keyboard shortcuts. Send instantly, stay in the flow. - History: Review everything you've sent. Your capture timeline, always accessible. - Custom Settings: Choose how and where your dots land inside Workflowy. - Cross-Platform: Available on iPhone, iPad, and Mac. One purchase unlocks all platforms. Dotly is for thinkers, creators, and builders — for anyone who believes that every great project begins with a single thought. Download Dotly and start capturing.

About

JournalWrite

This app offers a private and distraction-free space for writing journal entries. It helps users build consistent habits by tracking streaks and visualizing progress with clear insights, all while remaining fully offline and ad-free.

Highlights
  • Distraction-free writing experience
  • Offline journaling
  • No ads or accounts required
  • Track journaling streaks
  • Visualize progress with insights
  • Explore entry trends
Features
Read full description

JournalWrite provides a clean, distraction-free journaling experience designed to help you stay consistent, reflect privately, and visualize your progress over time. Track streaks, view meaningful insights, and build a stronger journaling habit - all without ads, accounts, or clutter. SIMPLE BY DESIGN - Clean, distraction-free writing experience - No ads, no clutter, no paywalls - Focused journaling for capturing your thoughts and reflecting clearly POWERFUL STATS - Track your journaling streaks and records - Visualize your progress with clean insights - Explore trends across all journal entries - Stay motivated with clear progress over time PRIVATE & OFFLINE - Your entries stay on your device - Fully offline journaling - No account required - No personal data collected If you enjoy journaling, tracking your growth, and keeping your thoughts private, JournalWrite is built for you.

Screenshots

Dotly4 screens
JournalWrite4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: JournalWrite at none against Dotly's 1. JournalWrite also leads on iOS requirement (18.0 vs 26.0). Dotly's advantage is device support (4 vs 2). On price, update cadence 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Dotly sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. JournalWrite asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Dotly ships an update every 5 weeks, JournalWrite every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 6, 2026 and October 9, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 6 level
Dotly versus JournalWrite: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterDotlyJournalWrite
PriceFreeFree
Rating—5.0 (3 ratings) — better
Number of ratings—3 — better
Update frequencyEvery 5 weeks — betterEvery 2 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
Monetization—Free
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS26.018.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size15 MB9 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAndriy BezemchukJacob Kappler

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Dotly

One-time1
  • Dotly Pro (Lifetime)$2.99
None

JournalWrite

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Dotly free?
Dotly is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is JournalWrite free?
JournalWrite is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Dotly or JournalWrite have ads?
Neither Dotly nor JournalWrite shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Dotly or JournalWrite?
Dotly ships an update every 5 weeks, and JournalWrite every 2 months. Most recently, Dotly was updated on October 6, 2026 and JournalWrite on October 9, 2026.

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