Action Journal vs Lapsed
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Action Journal
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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.
Lapsed
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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
Verdict
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
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.
Action Journal ships an update weekly, Lapsed every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on September 11, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Action Journal | Lapsed |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Update frequency | Weekly | Every 2 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 | 15.1 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 38 MB | 58 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Xinyi Pang | JONATHAN DOUGLAS LAI |
In-app purchases
Action Journal
No in-app purchases
Lapsed
- Lapsed Pro Monthly$3.991 Month
- Lapsed Pro Annual7 Days trial$39.991 Year
- Lapsed Pro Lifetime$49.99
Questions
Is Action Journal free?
Is Lapsed free?
Do Action Journal or Lapsed have ads?
Which is updated more often, Action Journal or Lapsed?
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