# LayerNote vs Shadow Work Journal

The clearest difference is price: LayerNote at Free against Shadow Work Journal's $2.99. LayerNote also leads on update cadence (every 4 days vs every 5 weeks). On ads, in-app purchases, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

LayerNote is free to download; Shadow Work Journal costs $2.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

LayerNote ships an update every 4 days, Shadow Work Journal every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 11, 2026 and October 2, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | LayerNote | Shadow Work Journal |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $2.99 |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 4 days** | Every 5 weeks |
| Size | 8 MB | 1 MB |
| Requires iOS | **17.6** | 18.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Justin Neuman](https://appshunter.io/developer/1859103444) | [Lean Orbit LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1742356045) |

## What reviewers say

### LayerNote

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/layernote/id6757624299)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Shadow Work Journal

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shadow-work-journal-ember/id6762090343)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is LayerNote free?

LayerNote is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Shadow Work Journal free?

Shadow Work Journal costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Do LayerNote or Shadow Work Journal have ads?

Neither LayerNote nor Shadow Work Journal shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, LayerNote or Shadow Work Journal?

LayerNote ships an update every 4 days, and Shadow Work Journal every 5 weeks. Most recently, LayerNote was updated on October 11, 2026 and Shadow Work Journal on October 2, 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.*