Comparison

Ephemeral Trace vs Questr

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

Head to head
About

Ephemeral Trace

Features
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Photos and videos that delete themselves. Ephemeral Trace is a private camera for media that only needs to exist for a while. Choose a timer before you shoot or import. Each item counts down, then deletes itself when time runs out. No account. No analytics. No tracking. FOR PHOTOS THAT HAD ONE JOB A parking spot. A whiteboard after the meeting. A guest Wi-Fi card. A locker number. A document you are sending once. Capture it. Use it. Let it go. CAPTURE OR IMPORT Shoot in the app, pick specific photos and videos with Apple's system picker, or send them from another app with the Share sheet. Ephemeral Trace cannot browse your photo library. If you pick an item stored only in iCloud, Apple may download that item first. SET THE TIMER FIRST Choose 30 seconds, 5 minutes, 1 hour, or 24 hours. Every item shows a live countdown and a decay ring. Local notifications can warn you before time runs out. USE WHAT IT SAYS Copy the text in any photo. Point the camera at a QR code, or open a photo that has one, and a button joins the Wi-Fi network, saves the contact, adds the event to Calendar, or opens the link. Show Code puts a ticket's code on screen, flat and bright, for the scanner. When a ticket or coupon shows its end time, the app can offer that moment as the photo's expiry. One tap applies it. FIND WHAT IS STILL HERE Search your notes and folder names, or by date, like “yesterday” or “September”, then filter by type, expiry, folder, or whether an item has a note. With Pro, Text in Photos reads the words in your photos on your iPhone, so you can find a receipt, label, or whiteboard without uploading anything. PRIVATE BY DESIGN • No accounts • No analytics or tracking • No advertising identifiers • No crash reporting • No app-operated cloud storage or servers Media stays in the app's private storage, protected by iOS Data Protection. When expiry completes, the file and its encryption key are removed together. Media is excluded from iCloud and iTunes backups, so a capture doesn't outlive its timer inside a backup. There is no trash, Recently Deleted collection, or undo path. A LIBRARY THAT EMPTIES ITSELF See what is still alive at a glance. Extend an expiry, move an item, add a note, share it, save it to Photos, or delete it early. Statistics show how much you have already let go. FOLDERS WITHOUT THE PILE-UP Organize media into folders, choose a default folder, and capture straight into it. The free version includes up to two folders. ONE-TIME PRO Pro unlocks: • Keep Forever • Custom timers up to one year • Unlimited folders • A Face ID or Touch ID gallery lock, plus individually locked folders • Text in Photos: search the words in your photos • Folder rules that file new photos by their text • Redact the numbers, codes, faces, and lines of text it finds, or draw a box over anything else, before you share or save a photo • Straighten a receipt, ticket, or page • A custom accent color One purchase. No subscription. No ads. Free includes unlimited capture, the four standard timers, automatic deletion, expiry warnings, import, notes, search, filters, statistics, text and QR code actions, widgets, the Open Camera control, up to two folders, and export to Photos. Your privacy is not a feature. It is the foundation.

About

Questr

This app provides small, real-life challenges designed to encourage outdoor activity, creativity, movement, and social connection. Completing these quests helps you nurture a virtual cow, which grows and levels up with your progress, earning you rewards.

Highlights
  • Daily real-life side quests
  • Raise and customize a virtual cow
  • Earn XP, coins, and climb ranks
  • Share quest progress with friends
  • Build daily streaks
  • Photo and video quest proof
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Meet your cow. Questr gives you small real life side quests. Little challenges that nudge you to get outside, make something, move your body, or reach out to someone. The twist is that you are doing it for your cow. Complete quests to feed it, watch it grow, level it up, and earn coins along the way. Tap to get a quest. Go do it. Snap a photo or film it. Share it with the world, or just your friends, and your cow celebrates right there with you. WHAT YOU DO • Get fresh side quests made to actually improve your day • Raise and dress up your own cow as you complete them • Earn XP and coins, then climb the monthly ranks • Scroll a feed of real people doing real quests • Build daily streaks that keep you showing up Do more with your life, one tiny quest at a time. Questr Plus Questr Plus is an optional auto renewable subscription that unlocks extra perks like more daily quests, double coins, and premium customisation. It is offered monthly or yearly and includes a 7 day free trial. The price is shown in the app and may vary by region. Payment is charged to your Apple Account at purchase, and the subscription renews automatically unless you turn it off at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. You can manage or cancel any time in your Apple Account settings. Terms of Use: https://questr.tv/terms Privacy Policy: https://questr.tv/privacy

Screenshots

Ephemeral Trace4 screens
Questr4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is iOS requirement: Questr at 15.1 against Ephemeral Trace's 26.0. 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Ephemeral Trace sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Questr sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Ephemeral Trace ships an update every 11 days, Questr every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 5, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 9 level
Ephemeral Trace versus Questr: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterEphemeral TraceQuestr
PriceFreeFree
Rating—5.0 (2 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings—2 — better
Update frequencyEvery 11 days — betterEvery 2 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
Monetization—Freemium
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPod — better
Requires iOS26.015.1 — better
Further details — not scored
Size10 MB174 MB
Age rating4+17+
DeveloperEphemeral Trace LDAViralCow LTD

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Ephemeral Trace

One-time1
  • Ephemeral Trace Pro$9.99
10 purchases

Questr

Subscriptions4
  • Questr Plus Monthly7 Days trial$3.991 Month
  • Questr Plus Monthly7 Days trial$6.991 Month
  • Questr Plus Annual7 Days trial$24.991 Year
Show 1 more
  • Questr Plus Annual7 Days trial$49.991 Year
One-time6
  • 100 Coins$0.99
  • 350 Coins$2.99
  • 650 Coins (Best Value)$4.99
Show 3 more
  • 1400 Coins$9.99
  • 50 Pixels$19.99
  • 1000 Pixels$249.99

Questions

Is Ephemeral Trace free?
Ephemeral Trace is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Questr free?
Questr is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Ephemeral Trace or Questr have ads?
Neither Ephemeral Trace nor Questr shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Ephemeral Trace or Questr?
Ephemeral Trace ships an update every 11 days, and Questr every 2 weeks. Most recently, Ephemeral Trace was updated on November 5, 2026 and Questr on October 31, 2026.

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