BrainDump vs GoodNote
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
BrainDump
This app helps you manage tasks by allowing you to speak your thoughts, worries, and ideas. It transforms your spoken input into simple, manageable task cards, presenting them one at a time to avoid overwhelm and promote focused execution. Features include smart time estimates, gentle task resurfacing, and ADHD-friendly notifications.
- Voice input for tasks and ideas
- Single task display to reduce overwhelm
- Integrated task timer for focused work
- Automatic smart time estimates
- Gentle task resurfacing
- Deep linking for reminders
- ADHD-friendly notifications
Read full descriptionHide full description
BrainDump is the productivity app built for how your brain actually works. Most apps give you lists. BrainDump gives you momentum. Hold one button. Speak whatever's on your mind — tasks, worries, ideas, everything. BrainDump turns it into simple, swipeable task cards. One at a time. No overwhelm. Just the next thing. VOICE EVERYTHING Stop typing tasks. Just talk. BrainDump captures everything you say and organizes it instantly — so you spend zero energy on setup and all your energy on doing. ONE TASK AT A TIME No more staring at a 47-item to-do list. BrainDump shows you one card at a time. Swipe right to start. Swipe down when done. Simple enough to actually use. TASK TIMER — EXECUTION MODE Swiping "do it now" gives you a starting line. See the task title, a suggested time estimate, and one big Done button. Nothing else. No distractions. SMART ESTIMATES BrainDump suggests realistic time estimates automatically. Quick calls? 5 min. Medium tasks? 20 min. Tap to adjust instantly — no menus, no friction. GENTLE RESURFACING If you swipe right but don't finish, the task quietly comes back later. No guilt. No shame spiral. Just a nudge when your brain has space again. SMART REMINDERS + DEEP LINKING Set a reminder on any task. Tap the notification and land directly on that card — full screen, ready to act. No digging. No searching. No context switching. ADHD-FRIENDLY NOTIFICATIONS "Hey — [task] is waiting for you." "[task] slipped through. No biggie — here it is again." "What's weighing on you? Dump it." Supportive. Not guilt-inducing. THE EXECUTION LOOP 1. Dump everything on your mind 2. Get one clear task 3. Swipe "do it now" — timer starts 4. Finish — instant completion feedback 5. Not done? It resurfaces gently 6. Reminder brings you back to exactly the right card You're never abandoned mid-task again. BrainDump. One button. One task. Go.
GoodNote
Read full descriptionHide full description
Forget the tab graveyard. GoodNote saves every article, link, and story you want to read later - then strips away the clutter so you can actually read it. A clean, distraction-free reader. Your whole library synced across iPhone, iPad, and Mac. And it all stays offline, forever. SAVE FROM ANYWHERE - Share any page from Safari or any app straight into GoodNote - On Mac, drag a link in from your browser or just press ⌘N - Add links by hand, or let Shortcuts and App Intents do it for you - Everything is stored offline, so it's yours to read on a plane, a subway, or a dead-zone cabin READ THE WAY YOU LIKE - A beautiful reader view with no ads, popups, or cookie banners - Five reading themes and full typography control - text size, line spacing and typeface (Premium) - One tap flips back to the original web page whenever you want it - Highlight passages in six colors and add your own notes - Every highlight collects into a per-article Notebook FIND IT IN A SECOND - Full-text search reaches the title, the author, the tags, and the entire body of every article - not just titles - Organize with tags, custom lists, and stars - Smart lists gather what's unread, starred, untagged, or highlighted, with no setup at all - The Home Screen widget counts what's still waiting and shows the next few titles - A gentle daily reminder nudges you back to your reading PICK UP EXACTLY WHERE YOU LEFT OFF - Articles, highlights, tags, and your reading position all sync between devices - Start an article on iPhone, finish it on Mac at the very same paragraph - Syncs through your own iCloud - no account to create, no password, no email TAKE YOUR HIGHLIGHTS WITH YOU - Export any article and its highlights as clean Markdown (Premium) - Drops straight into Obsidian, Notion, or whichever editor you already live in MADE FOR THE MAC, NOT JUST RESIZED - A real three-column window: your lists, your articles, and the reader side by side - Full menu bar, keyboard shortcuts, and articles that open in their own windows - Bought GoodNote already? The Mac app is included. PRIVATE BY DESIGN - No account, no tracking, no analytics, no ads - Your reading list is yours alone. We never see it. START FREE. PAY ONCE IF YOU STAY. - Your first 30 articles are free - no trial countdown, no card up front - One payment unlocks unlimited articles, reading customization and Markdown export - No subscription, ever. Buy it once and GoodNote is yours to keep. Built natively for Apple - fast, light, and right at home on iOS, iPadOS, and Mac. Available in 12 languages.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is iOS requirement: BrainDump at 15.1 against GoodNote's 17.0. On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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. BrainDump sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per 7 days and GoodNote sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
BrainDump ships an update every 3 weeks, GoodNote every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | BrainDump | GoodNote |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 2.3 (3 ratings) — better | — |
| Number of ratings | 3 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | Every 2 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Freemium | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad, Mac — better |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 — better | 17.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 37 MB | 4 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Greg Besoni | Dang Nam Nguyen |
In-app purchases
BrainDump
- BrainDump Pro Weekly$2.997 Days
- BrainDump Pro$29.991 Year
GoodNote
- GoodNote Premium$5.99









