Comparison

STARTED vs A5 Journal

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

Head to head
About

STARTED

Features
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You don't need another goal-setting app. You need to get STARTED. You've had the dream. The vision board. The 47 open tabs. The "I'll start Monday" that turned into months. You know exactly what you want, you just haven't done the thing yet. STARTED is different. No 90-day plans. No habit trackers you'll abandon by Tuesday. Just one small, specific Power Move delivered to you every single day, designed for the exact gap standing between you and your goal. 5 to 15 minutes. That's it. That's the move. HERE'S HOW IT WORKS Tell Abby, your AI star companion, what you've been putting off. She'll figure out what's actually holding you back (spoiler: it's not motivation) and build you a personalized path of daily micro-actions that close the gap. - Want to build a business? Your first move might be: "Write one sentence describing what you'd sell. Not a business plan. One sentence." - Want financial freedom? "Check your bank balance and write down the number. No judgment. Just awareness." - Want to put yourself out there? "Send one message to someone you admire. Just say hi." Each Power Move takes 5-15 minutes, is tied to a real skill gap, and is generated specifically for where you are today. Not where some generic app thinks you should be. WHY IT ACTUALLY WORKS Most people don't lack ambition. They lack a first step small enough to actually take. STARTED removes the overwhelm and replaces it with momentum. - One move per day, never overwhelming, always meaningful - Your growth dimensions tracked (confidence, networking, skills, time, finances, and more) - Level up as you go. Watch your progress light up like a constellation - Skip a day? No guilt. Abby gets it. Life happens. - Complete your goal and earn a permanent Star. Then dream bigger. *All of the above features require an active subscription.* WHAT MAKES IT FEEL DIFFERENT STARTED doesn't nag you. It doesn't send passive-aggressive push notifications. Your AI companion Abby celebrates when you show up and holds space when you don't. She's coached thousands of women through moves just like yours. Every completion triggers a ritual, visualize your progress, and get a message from Abby that actually lands. Because progress should feel like something. FOCUS MODE When it's go time, tap Focus Mode. Your screen goes dark. Just you, your move, and a clock. No distractions. No excuses. Just doing the thing. YOUR NORTH STAR Your dream becomes a literal star. A unique constellation you build move by move, day by day. Look back at your Blueprint anytime to see how far you've come. Future you is smiling right now. --- Start your free trial. Get your first Power Move in under 2 minutes. The hardest part was never the goal. It was getting STARTED. *Note: STARTED requires an active subscription to access Power Moves and AI coaching.* Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula Privacy Policy: https://startedapp.com/privacy

About

A5 Journal

Features
Read full description

A5 JOURNAL Your Records. Your Proof. Your Story. Your life deserves more than another notes app. A5 Journal combines the warmth of traditional journaling with powerful digital documentation tools. Build your own beautiful library, create notebooks, and capture everything from everyday memories to important professional records. YOUR HISTORY, PRESERVED Every entry is timestamped and permanently recorded. Once saved, it cannot be edited or rewritten, helping you preserve an authentic history of what happened and when. EVERYTHING IN ITS PLACE Create notebooks for personal journaling, work documentation, project tracking, incident reports, memories, and more. FEATURES YOU'LL LOVE โ€ข Beautiful digital libraries and notebooks โ€ข Permanent, timestamped entries โ€ข Photos and supporting attachments โ€ข Customizable forms and reports โ€ข Offline mobile journaling with automatic synchronization โ€ข Shared journals for families and teams โ€ข A5 Mailroom for sharing letters and records โ€ข Search, starred entries, and reminders โ€ข Export your records whenever you need them โ€ข Memberships for individuals, families, and businesses BUILT FOR LIFE AND WORK Whether you're preserving memories, tracking personal goals, documenting workplace events, or collaborating with your team, A5 Journal keeps your records organized and accessible. Start building your library today. A5 Journal โ€” Your Records. Your Proof. Your Story. Important Notice: A5 Journal is a documentation and organizational tool, not a legal service. Records are not guaranteed to be legally admissible. A 7-day free trial is available for eligible individual subscriptions. An active subscription is required after the trial. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

STARTED4 screens
A5 Journal4 screens

Verdict

The call

STARTED and A5 Journal are too close to call on the numbers: across 6 compared parameters โ€” price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases among them โ€” neither pulls far enough ahead to decide it. What separates them is feature set and interface, not measurable difference.

Scored on Price ยท Rating ยท Positive reviews ยท Number of ratings ยท Update frequency ยท Ads ยท In-app purchases ยท Monetization ยท Best chart rank ยท Devices ยท Requires iOS

CostPrice ยท In-app purchases ยท Ads ยท Monetization

Both are free to download. STARTED sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per 7 days and A5 Journal sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

STARTED ships an update every 5 days, A5 Journal weekly. The most recent releases landed on November 9, 2026 and October 28, 2026 respectively.

ScorecardNo meaningful differences
STARTED versus A5 Journal: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSTARTEDA5 Journal
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 5 days โ€” betterWeekly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod โ€” better
Requires iOS15.115.0 โ€” better
Further details โ€” not scored
Size63 MB95 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperEric Abraham Vargas FloresThinkFULL Holdings Inc.

In-app purchases

2 purchases

STARTED

Subscriptions2
  • Unlimited Weekly7 Days trial$0.997 Days
  • Unlimited Yearly7 Days trial$34.991 Year
10 purchases

A5 Journal

Subscriptions10
  • A5 Journal Monthly7 Days trial$2.991 Month
  • A5 Journal Members - Monthly7 Days trial4 variants$2.991 Month
  • A5 Journal Family Plan$10.991 Month
Show 7 more
  • A5 Journal Business Plan Monthly$25.991 Month
  • A5 Journal Annual7 Days trial$29.991 Year
  • A5 Journal Members - Yearly7 Days trial4 variants$29.991 Year
  • A5 Journal Business+ Plan Monthly$49.991 Month
  • A5 Journal Family Plan Yearly$109.991 Year
  • A5 Journal Business Plan Yearly$259.991 Year
  • A5 Journal Business+ Plan Yearly$499.991 Year

Questions

Is STARTED free?
STARTED is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is A5 Journal free?
A5 Journal is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do STARTED or A5 Journal have ads?
Neither STARTED nor A5 Journal shows ads.
Which is updated more often, STARTED or A5 Journal?
STARTED ships an update every 5 days, and A5 Journal weekly. Most recently, STARTED was updated on November 9, 2026 and A5 Journal on October 28, 2026.

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