# Zen Slate vs Retro Desktop Notes

The clearest difference is update cadence: Retro Desktop Notes at daily against Zen Slate's every 6 days. On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Zen Slate sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $19.99 per year and Retro Desktop Notes sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Zen Slate ships an update every 6 days, Retro Desktop Notes daily. The most recent releases landed on November 9, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Zen Slate | Retro Desktop Notes |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/retro-desktop-notes/id6792271012/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **1** |
| Positive reviews | — | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 days | **Daily** |
| Monetization | — | Free |
| Size | 23 MB | 15 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Mac** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [ZenProducts Technologies Pvt. Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1849997461) | [MARIE MORIKAGE](https://appshunter.io/developer/1896645636) |

## What reviewers say

### Zen Slate

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/zen-slate-notes-and-to-dos/id6754855420)

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Zen Slate Pro Annual | $19.99 | per year |
| Zen Slate, bought once | $49.99 | one-time |


### Retro Desktop Notes

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/retro-desktop-notes/id6792271012)

Experience a nostalgic note-taking app that brings the charm of classic desktop computers to your mobile device. Enjoy a distraction-free writing experience with retro themes and essential organizational tools.

**Highlights:** Retro desktop themes, Fast and simple editor, Automatic saving, Pin important notes, Instant search, Trash with restore

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Retroプレミアム | $1.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Zen Slate free?

Zen Slate is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Retro Desktop Notes free?

Retro Desktop Notes is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Do Zen Slate or Retro Desktop Notes have ads?

Neither Zen Slate nor Retro Desktop Notes shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Zen Slate or Retro Desktop Notes?

Zen Slate ships an update every 6 days, and Retro Desktop Notes daily. Most recently, Zen Slate was updated on November 9, 2026 and Retro Desktop Notes on October 31, 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.*