Commonplace vs Notes for Life
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Commonplace
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We are drowning in content, but starving for wisdom. For centuries, history’s greatest minds —from Marcus Aurelius to Virginia Woolf — kept a "Commonplace Book." It was a central archive to curate the quotes, anecdotes, and observations that shaped their worldview and cultivated their wisdom. But today, we have lost this practice. We consume more than ever, but retain less. Our most profound insights are buried in screenshot folders, lost in generic "Notes" apps, or forgotten in the infinite scroll. Commonplace is the return to depth. We have reimagined the historical Commonplace Book for the modern thinker and communicator. We combined the tactile beauty of a personal library with the power of digital recall. WHY COMMONPLACE? - A Sanctuary, Not a Feed Social media is designed to be forgotten. Commonplace is designed to be kept. We replaced the cluttered list view with a calm, editorial-style interface that gives weight and dignity to the words that resonate with you. - Curate, Don't Just Collect. A library is of little use if you never visit it. Unlike a standard notebook, Commonplace uses intelligent recall to gently surface and test you on past entries, ensuring the wisdom you curate today is remembered tomorrow. - A Quiet Place to Think. Beautiful typography on warm cream paper, with a dark mode for late-night reading. When you enter the Writer, the interface fades away — no toolbars, no distractions. Just you and the ideas you want to capture. - For Thinkers & Communicators. Whether you are writing a speech, leading a team, or journaling for clarity, your best ideas are now at your fingertips. Capture instantly; organize effortlessly. • Private & Timeless. Your mind belongs to you. Commonplace is built with a privacy-first architecture. No ads, no tracking, or notifications. Just a quiet space for your thoughts. Start building your collection. Join the tradition. Download Commonplace today.
Notes for Life
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Life is a focused app for managing long-term life goals. Write what truly matters as checkable items and move forward step by step, like using a real life notebook. Key features: Life Notebook Home: a single, realistic notebook-style home view with clear focus. Checkable life items: completed items are automatically archived to your completion log. Task management: create tasks, add notes, complete, and reopen. Completion log: see what you actually finished, organized by completion time. Task comments: each task has its own comment thread for reflection and context. Multi-line notes: edit detailed notes directly in task detail. iCloud sync: keep data consistent across devices. Daily reminders: get notified at your preferred time. Widget: view your next life item from the Home Screen. Life is designed for steady long-term progress, not complexity. Check off one meaningful step each day, and let time compound your growth.
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Verdict
The clearest difference is device support: Notes for Life at 2 against Commonplace's —. Commonplace's advantage is iOS requirement (15.1 vs 17.0). On price 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
| Parameter | Commonplace | Notes for Life |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Update frequency | — | Daily |
| Ads | — | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Devices | — | iPhone, iPad — better |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 — better | 17.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 32 MB | 11 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Mark Connolly | 恩澄 许 |
In-app purchases
Commonplace
No in-app purchases
Notes for Life
No in-app purchases









