Comparison

Only Three vs Barely Notes

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

Head to head
About

Only Three

Features
Read full description

Most to-do lists don’t work. They capture tasks, but don't help you complete them. Only Three is different. Instead of endless tasks and cluttered lists, you choose just three things to complete each day. That’s it. Simple, focused, and effective. Clarity, not clutter. Why it works Plan your priorities the night before. No more long lists. Just the three things that actually matter. Built for focus. Feel accomplished daily. Review your History and keep across completed tasks. Finish your three tasks and end the day with a clear win. No accounts, no distractions. Your tasks stay on your device. Open the app and go. Stop planning everything. Start finishing what matters. Let's start, with Only Three.

About

Barely Notes

Features
Read full description

Barely is a minimalist note app. One note at a time. No folders. No tags. No noise. Write what matters right now. Archive when done. Start fresh. Time-aware The app shifts with you. Warm mornings. Clean middays. Deep evenings. The tone changes automatically, or set it manually. Weekly surface Your archived notes surface back to you for seven days. Review, restore, or let them fade away. After a week, they're gone. Camera Capture a photo or record a video directly into your note. Share it however you want. Widgets See your active note at a glance. Small, medium, and large home screen widgets. Lock screen widgets. Live Activity on your lock screen and Dynamic Island. Bokashi themes Five curated color gradients inspired by the traditional color vocabulary of Japan. Sakura, Matcha, Sumi, Kumo, and Akatsuki. Each theme changes your app icon to match. One-time purchase. No subscription. Barely enough. Exactly right.

Screenshots

Only Three4 screens
Barely Notes4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Only Three at none against Barely Notes's 1. Only Three also leads on iOS requirement (15.1 vs 26.0). On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

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

CostPrice Β· In-app purchases Β· Ads Β· Monetization

Both are free to download. Barely Notes sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Only Three asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Only Three ships an update every 2 weeks, Barely Notes every 11 days. Both last shipped on October 31, 2026.

Scorecard2 real differences Β· 4 level
Only Three versus Barely Notes: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterOnly ThreeBarely Notes
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeksEvery 11 days β€” better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo β€” betterYes
DevicesiPhone, iPod β€” betteriPhone
Requires iOS15.1 β€” better26.0
Further details β€” not scored
Size32 MB1 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAlan PooleyAshley Cornette

In-app purchases

None

Only Three

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

Barely Notes

One-time1
  • Bokashi Themes$2.99

Questions

Is Only Three free?
Only Three is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Barely Notes free?
Barely Notes is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Only Three or Barely Notes have ads?
Neither Only Three nor Barely Notes shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Only Three or Barely Notes?
Only Three ships an update every 2 weeks, and Barely Notes every 11 days. Most recently, Only Three was updated on October 31, 2026 and Barely Notes on October 31, 2026.

Other comparisons