Comparison

Hacker Notes Pro vs StoicLock

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

Head to head
About

Hacker Notes Pro

Features
Read full description

Hacker Notes brings a bold, terminal-inspired aesthetic to your everyday note-taking. Designed for developers, tech enthusiasts, and anyone who prefers a clean, dark workspace — it combines powerful editing tools with a visual style straight out of the command line. RICH TEXT EDITING Write and format your notes with full rich text support — headings, bold, italic, underline, strikethrough, ordered and unordered lists, checkboxes, code blocks, blockquotes, and inline links. Everything you need to capture thoughts, tasks, or technical notes. HACKER TERMINAL AESTHETIC The app's signature neon-on-black look is fully customizable. Choose from 12 preset accent colors — green, cyan, magenta, amber, teal, purple, and more — or dial in your exact shade using the HSL color sliders. Every screen, button, and dialog reflects your chosen color. ORGANIZE WITH TAGS Attach multiple tags to any note and filter your collection instantly. Combine tag filtering with real-time search across titles and content to find exactly what you need. EXPORT & SHARE Long-press any note to export it as a formatted PDF or share it as plain text. Great for sending quick summaries or keeping formatted copies of your notes. PRIVACY BY DESIGN All notes are stored locally on your device using an embedded database — no account required, no cloud sync, no data sent anywhere. Your notes stay yours. GRID & LIST VIEWS Switch between a compact list layout and a spacious grid view to browse your notes the way that works best for you. SORT YOUR WAY Sort notes by creation date or last modified date, in ascending or descending order, so your most relevant notes are always at the top. LIGHTWEIGHT & FAST No background syncing, no bloat. Notes open and save instantly because everything lives on your device. Whether you use it for daily journaling, coding notes, task lists, or just keeping track of ideas — Hacker Notes gives you a tool that looks as sharp as the work you do in it. -------------------------- Disclaimer Hacker Notes stores all content locally on your device. The app does not require an account, does not provide cloud backup, and does not transmit your notes to external servers. Users are responsible for maintaining their own device backups to prevent data loss. Features, performance, and availability may vary depending on device, operating system version, and user settings. Exported files and shared content are handled through your device’s native sharing options and may be subject to third-party apps or services. Hacker Notes is intended as a productivity and note-taking tool only and does not provide professional, legal, financial, or medical advice. Users are solely responsible for how they use, store, and share their content. By using the app, you acknowledge and accept that the developer is not liable for data loss, device issues, or outcomes resulting from the use or misuse of the application. “Hacker” refers strictly to the visual style and theme of the app (terminal-inspired design, colors, and typography). Hacker Notes does not promote, support, or encourage illegal activity of any kind. Users are expected to use the app responsibly and in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations.

About

StoicLock

This app offers a unique approach to digital detox by integrating Stoic philosophy with app blocking. Instead of just timers, it uses philosophical exercises and reflections to help users build attention and discipline when they reach for distracting apps.

Highlights
  • Stoic philosophical interventions
  • Customizable app blocking
  • Daily philosophical prompts
  • Progress tracking based on virtues
  • Pomodoro and deep focus timers
  • Lock screen widgets and Live Activities
Features
Read full description

You checked your phone 150 times yesterday. Marcus Aurelius ran an empire and wrote: "Confine yourself to the present." StoicLock gives you the philosophy — and the architecture — to do it. Start your 7-day free trial. No card required. THE PRACTICE OF ATTENTION Other apps block your phone. StoicLock transforms why you reach for it. Every time you open a blocked app, a Stoic intervention begins — breathing, virtue reflection, mortality visualization, or a philosophical challenge from 2,000 years of Stoic teaching. One question: who are you choosing to be right now? Not a timer. A practice. THE SIX STOIC EXERCISES RESPIRATIO — Box breathing (4-4-4-4) calms the dopamine impulse in 48 seconds before you decide whether to continue. QUATTUOR VIRTUTES — Reflect on the four Stoic virtues: Wisdom, Courage, Justice, Temperance. Which do you need now? PROPOSITUM — Write your intention in Latin before you scroll. Not a rule. An oath. MEMENTO MORI — Your life as a grid. 80 years × 52 weeks = 4,160 dots. Lived weeks are dark. The current week glows gold. Is this app worth three of your remaining days? PROVOCATIO — Complete Marcus Aurelius quotes, identify philosophers, sort virtues. 2,000 years of wisdom in a 30-second challenge. SAPIENTIA STOICA — A Stoic quote with source and theme. Reflect on 2,000 years of wisdom before you continue. Free for all users. Every exercise is randomized. Every urge becomes a different practice. YOUR STOIC ARCHETYPE A quiz reveals your archetype — Sage, Soldier, or Emperor — and personalizes your practice with its own philosophical framing and progression path. THE PHILOSOPHER'S JOURNAL Daily prompts from Marcus Aurelius and Seneca. Rate your four virtues. Track gratitude. Record voice notes. 210+ curated quotes from six Stoic philosophers, each with source and theme. A new quote on your Home Screen every day. Morning practice. Evening examination. The rituals the Stoics never skipped. FOCUS LIKE A PHILOSOPHER Pomodoro and Deep Focus timers with a sundial interface. Block distracting apps during sessions. Schedule blocking automatically — morning, midday, evening — the schedule holds whether you feel like it or not. WIDGETS & LIVE ACTIVITIES Stoic quotes on your Lock Screen. Discipline streak as a widget. Live Activities show focus sessions in real time on the Lock Screen and Dynamic Island. DESIGNED FOR ADHD StoicLock does not rely on willpower. Interventions trigger automatically when you open a blocked app. Nothing to remember, configure, or maintain. The system works for you. Scheduled blocks hold structure — even when your attention does not. YOUR PROGRESS Track your level from Aspirant to Sage. Earn drachma through discipline, not dopamine. Monitor virtue averages and streaks. Your metrics are virtue records, not screen time statistics. ROOTED IN SCIENCE Stoicism is the direct historical source of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. StoicLock's approach combines ancient practice with clinically validated methods. Available in 7 languages. PRIVACY Apple FamilyControls. Your app list never leaves your device. No VPN. No traffic routing. Encrypted on-device by Apple. STOICLOCK PRO Unlock the full Stoic toolkit: — Unlimited app and website blocking with custom schedules — All six Stoic interventions (Respiratio, Virtutes, Propositum, Memento Mori, Provocatio, Sapientia Stoica) — Philosopher's Journal with daily prompts and voice notes — Memento Mori life grid with mortality counter — Widgets, Live Activities, and daily quote rotation — Full progress tracking, virtue analytics, and streaks Free trial included. Annual, weekly, and lifetime plans available. Auto-renews unless cancelled 24 hours before period ends. Payment charged to Apple ID. Manage subscriptions in Account Settings. Privacy: http://stoiclock.vercel.app/privacy Terms: http://stoiclock.vercel.app/terms

Screenshots

Hacker Notes Pro4 screens
StoicLock4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Hacker Notes Pro at none against StoicLock's 3. Hacker Notes Pro also leads on ads (none vs shown). StoicLock's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs monthly). On price, 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. StoicLock sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per 7 days. Hacker Notes Pro asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Hacker Notes Pro ships an update monthly, StoicLock weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 5, 2026 and October 2, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Hacker Notes Pro versus StoicLock: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterHacker Notes ProStoicLock
PriceFreeFree
Rating—5.0 (2 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings—2 — better
Update frequencyMonthlyWeekly — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
Monetization—Free with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15 — better16.1
Further details — not scored
Size23 MB72 MB
Age rating4+9+
DeveloperSherry Games Private LimitedRamin Afandiyev

In-app purchases

None

Hacker Notes Pro

No in-app purchases

3 purchases

StoicLock

Subscriptions2
  • StoicLock Pro — Weekly$3.997 Days
  • StoicLock Pro — Annual$49.991 Year
One-time1
  • StoicLock Pro — Lifetime$99.99

Questions

Is Hacker Notes Pro free?
Hacker Notes Pro is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is StoicLock free?
StoicLock is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Hacker Notes Pro or StoicLock have ads?
StoicLock shows ads; Hacker Notes Pro does not.
Which is updated more often, Hacker Notes Pro or StoicLock?
Hacker Notes Pro ships an update monthly, and StoicLock weekly. Most recently, Hacker Notes Pro was updated on October 5, 2026 and StoicLock on October 2, 2026.

Other comparisons