Comparison

Lid Quest vs Manhole Notebook

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

Head to head
About

Lid Quest

Explore Japan's unique artistic manhole covers, transforming your travels into an adventure. Discover hundreds of designs with detailed information, track your visited locations, and navigate easily to find these hidden cultural gems.

Highlights
  • Map of artistic manhole covers
  • Search by city, region, or theme
  • Detailed information and facts
  • Track visited locations
  • Add personal photos
  • Integrated navigation
Features
Read full description

Discover Japan from a different angle through its artistic manhole covers. Lid Quest brings artistic manholes, Manhole Card pickup points, events and photo spots together on one map. See what is nearby, open detailed pages, view photos and navigate with your preferred map app. • Explore artistic manholes and nearby places • Switch between manhole locations and Manhole Card pickup points • Browse cards and collections; mark cards you own or want • Save visited places and places you want to visit • Find events by date and view them on the map • Mark “I’m going,” manage your event calendar and set reminders • View photos, ratings and comments • Submit photos and location information for review • Use light or dark mode and choose from multiple interface languages An account is required for some synchronized and contribution features. Location access is optional but improves nearby results and navigation. Coverage varies by region. Event dates and card availability can change; check the details before traveling. Explore with map thumbnails and filter events by choosing a date in the calendar. Refresh the current screen's data whenever needed. Supported photo, video and information submissions are saved on your device while waiting for a connection and can be resumed by the app, allowing you to browse other screens during upload. • Search for manholes on the map by place, city or region. • Explore nearby Spots grouped by theme or traveler, with a point count on the thumbnail. Tap to open a group.

About

Manhole Notebook

Features
Read full description

Japan's streets hide tiny masterpieces beneath your feet — and now you can collect them all. Manhole Cards (マンホールカード) are free collectible cards distributed by municipalities across Japan, each featuring a stunning, one-of-a-kind manhole cover design. From cherry blossoms in Kyoto to samurai crests in Sendai, every card tells the story of its city. Collect Japan's Manhole Cards is the ultimate companion for hunters and travelers alike: - Browse 1,200+ cards spanning all 47 prefectures — filter by region, design, or release date - Find distribution points on a live map so you never miss a card while exploring - Track your collection and watch your map of Japan come to life as you collect - Connect with fellow collectors — add friends and compare collections to see who has what - Get latest news about cards released by municipalities - Works offline — your collection and maps are always with you, even in the countryside Whether you're a seasoned collector or discovering manhole cards for the first time, this app turns every walk in Japan into a treasure hunt. The cards are free. The adventure is priceless. Special thanks to @public_cardigan for providing the latest card news and distribution updates. Terms of Use: https://gabrielbarandiaran.github.io/barandiaran-gp/manhole-notebook/terms-en.html Privacy Policy: https://gabrielbarandiaran.github.io/barandiaran-gp/manhole-notebook/privacy-en.html

Screenshots

Lid Quest4 screens
Manhole Notebook4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Lid Quest at none against Manhole Notebook's 1. Lid Quest also leads on iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.0). On price, update cadence, ads and device support 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. Manhole Notebook sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $14.99 per year. Lid Quest asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Lid Quest ships an update every 8 days, Manhole Notebook weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 8, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 6 level
Lid Quest versus Manhole Notebook: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterLid QuestManhole Notebook
PriceFreeFree
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Update frequencyEvery 8 daysWeekly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.0 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size141 MB15 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperKennedy MurakamiGabriel Barandiaran Silveira

In-app purchases

None

Lid Quest

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

Manhole Notebook

Subscriptions1
  • Pro Yearly$14.991 Year

Questions

Is Lid Quest free?
Lid Quest is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Manhole Notebook free?
Manhole Notebook is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Lid Quest or Manhole Notebook have ads?
Neither Lid Quest nor Manhole Notebook shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Lid Quest or Manhole Notebook?
Lid Quest ships an update every 8 days, and Manhole Notebook weekly. Most recently, Lid Quest was updated on October 24, 2026 and Manhole Notebook on October 8, 2026.

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