Comparison

Action Journal vs Lapsed

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

Head to head
About

Action Journal

Features
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Action Journal is a clean time-blocking journal that helps you track what you do, understand where your hours go, and stay focused on the projects that actually matter. Plan your day on a timeline · Add events in seconds with start/end time, details, and category · Link entries to projects for long-term tracking · See your day at a glance with a calm, spacious calendar layout Understand your time with analytics · Switch between Week / Month / Year views · View total time and time distribution · Break down your time by category or by project Visualize focus with the Focus Map Action Journal turns your logs into an intuitive bubble map: · Time Share (X-axis): how much of your time a project takes · Accumulation (Y-axis): how meaningful and worth-investing it feels Use Last 30 Days / Last 90 Days / This Year to see how your focus shifts over time, spot hidden gems, and catch time sinks early. Built for clarity · Simple UI, soft colors, and readable typography · Designed to reduce mental overhead and make reflection effortless Action Journal is for anyone who wants less guessing and more clarity - one day, one project, one decision at a time.

About

Lapsed

Features
Read full description

How long has it been since you called Mom? Went to the gym? Watered the plants? Lapsed turns "how long since…?" into something you can see. Items float across a visual canvas — drifting further from today the longer you wait. One tap logs it done, and it springs right back. No spreadsheets. No checklists. Just a calm, colourful way to stay on top of what matters. VISUAL TRACKING THAT FEELS DIFFERENT • Items appear as colourful dots on a scrollable canvas • The further they drift from "today", the more overdue they are • A threshold line marks your limit — cross it and you know you've lapsed • Unlock balloons and hot air balloon styles with Pro TRACK ANYTHING • Social — friend catch-ups, family calls, date nights • Health — gym, dentist, medication, self-care • Chores — watering plants, laundry, cleaning, car maintenance • Habits — reading, meditation, journaling • Organise with colour-coded categories and emoji icons QUIT BAD HABITS TOO • Flip to quitting mode — items float upward the longer you stay clean • Watch your streak grow as days without smoking, junk food, or doomscrolling stack up • Set goal lines and celebrate milestones • You don't want to reset that counter. And that's the point. SMART REMINDERS • Threshold reminders when an item crosses your limit • Recurring reminders — every N days • Date-based reminders for appointments and one-off events LIST VIEW & HISTORY • Switch to a clean list view sorted by urgency, category, or name • 90-day completion heatmap at a glance (Pro) • 7-day week view checklist for your routine (Pro) CHARTS & STATISTICS (PRO) • Current and longest streaks for every item • Weekly and monthly completion trends • 12-week bar chart — spot patterns and stay motivated SET GOALS • Link multiple items to a goal ("Morning routine", "Stay clean") • Track progress across linked habits LAPSED PRO — UNLOCK EVERYTHING • Unlimited items, categories, and goals • All 3 visual styles: dots, balloons, and hot air balloons • All 10 accent colours to personalise your canvas • Charts, statistics, and detailed history views • Data export and import • iOS home screen widgets • Up to 3 reminders per item DESIGNED TO BE CALM • Warm cream light mode, deep dark mode • Glassmorphism design with soft blur effects • Smooth animations and haptic feedback • No ads. Ever. Whether you're counting days sober, tracking a gym streak, or just wondering "when did I last…?" — Lapsed makes it beautiful. Download free and start tracking today. END USER LICENSE AGREEMENT: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Action Journal4 screens
Lapsed4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Action Journal at none against Lapsed's 3. Lapsed's advantage is update cadence (every 2 days vs weekly). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement 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. Lapsed sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Action Journal asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Action Journal ships an update weekly, Lapsed every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on September 11, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 4 level
Action Journal versus Lapsed: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterAction JournalLapsed
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyWeeklyEvery 2 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.115.1
Further details — not scored
Size38 MB58 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperXinyi PangJONATHAN DOUGLAS LAI

In-app purchases

None

Action Journal

No in-app purchases

3 purchases

Lapsed

Subscriptions2
  • Lapsed Pro Monthly$3.991 Month
  • Lapsed Pro Annual7 Days trial$39.991 Year
One-time1
  • Lapsed Pro Lifetime$49.99

Questions

Is Action Journal free?
Action Journal is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Lapsed free?
Lapsed is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Action Journal or Lapsed have ads?
Neither Action Journal nor Lapsed shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Action Journal or Lapsed?
Action Journal ships an update weekly, and Lapsed every 2 days. Most recently, Action Journal was updated on September 11, 2026 and Lapsed on September 24, 2026.

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