Comparison

JUST START vs Trace

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

Head to head
About

JUST START

Features
Read full description

Discipline is the foundation of everything. This app is designed to help you build consistency, eliminate excuses, and take action every single day. Set your challenge, commit to it, and follow through — no shortcuts. FEATURES: • Daily action system to build consistency • Deep focus mode to eliminate distractions • Structured challenges to push your limits • Progress tracking to stay accountable Start simple. Stay consistent. Become disciplined. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

Trace

A minimalist and private space for capturing thoughts, notes, lists, and memories. It offers a clean interface for free writing and quick searching, with optional Pro features for customization and enhanced security.

Highlights
  • Minimalist and calm interface
  • Free writing and reflections
  • Bullet and numbered lists
  • Quick entry search
  • Local-first private storage
  • Customizable themes (Pro)
  • App Lock with biometric support (Pro)
Features
Read full description

Catch a thought in three seconds, by voice or text, then get on with your day. Private by design: no account, no servers, no tracking. Everything stays on your device. No subscription, ever. Pro is a one-time purchase. Trace is a home for passing thoughts: ideas, notes, reflections, lists, and the things you don't want to lose. Open it and write, or just talk. FAST CAPTURE - Open and write. No setup, no folders to choose first - On-device dictation, with optional on-device "Tidy my words" cleanup - "New Trace" control in Control Center (iOS 18) - Drafts save as you type, so a call or a crash can't take them - Bullet and numbered lists that continue as you type FIND IT LATER - Timeline grouped by day - Search everything you've ever written, including by date - Tags to group related thoughts - Reflections that link back to past entries - Traceback resurfaces a past entry every month, free YOURS, NOT OURS - Data Not Collected. Trace runs no servers of its own - Export everything as Markdown or JSON, anytime, free. Great with Obsidian - Deleted something by mistake? It waits 30 days in Recently Deleted BUILT FOR - Brain dumps and racing thoughts - The idea you had in the shower - Something someone said that stuck - The end of a long day TRACE PRO — ONE-TIME PURCHASE, NO SUBSCRIPTION - Extra inks and themes: Cream, Sage, Midnight, Cocoa - Matching alternate app icons - App Lock with Face ID, Touch ID, or passcode - iCloud sync through your own iCloud - Weekly Traceback review Paper and Slate inks, Markdown/JSON export, and monthly Traceback stay free for everyone.

Screenshots

JUST START4 screens
Trace4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: JUST START at weekly against Trace's every 6 weeks. On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support 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. JUST START sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $2.99 per month and Trace sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

JUST START ships an update weekly, Trace every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 6, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 9 level
JUST START versus Trace: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterJUST STARTTrace
PriceFreeFree
Rating—5.0 (3 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings—3 — better
Update frequencyWeekly — betterEvery 6 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
Monetization—Free with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPod
Requires iOS14.0 — better15.1
Further details — not scored
Size43 MB89 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperBenjamin DiazPedro Gomes do Nascimento

In-app purchases

1 purchases

JUST START

Subscriptions1
  • JUST START Premium7 Days trial$2.991 Month
1 purchases

Trace

One-time1
  • Trace Pro$4.99

Questions

Is JUST START free?
JUST START is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Trace free?
Trace is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do JUST START or Trace have ads?
Neither JUST START nor Trace shows ads.
Which is updated more often, JUST START or Trace?
JUST START ships an update weekly, and Trace every 6 weeks. Most recently, JUST START was updated on October 6, 2026 and Trace on October 24, 2026.

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