Comparison

Present Past vs Inkdale

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

Head to head
About

Present Past

Features
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Present Past is a simple journaling app built around a timeline. It helps you capture small moments as they happen and quietly brings them back later, when they feel new again. Instead of long, structured entries, you can write short notes throughout the day. Thoughts, events, or even something you don’t want to forget. Over time, they form a personal history you can revisit anytime. ### Key Features - Timeline-based journaling Your entries are organized in a clean, chronological timeline, making it easy to browse your past. - Quick capture Open the app and start writing immediately. No friction, no setup. - Hashtags for flexible organization Add tags to your entries and follow threads across time. - Resurface past moments Revisit entries from the past and rediscover thoughts you’ve forgotten. - Text-first experience Designed to keep your focus on thoughts rather than media. - Private and simple Your data stays on your device. No accounts, no distractions.

About

Inkdale

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Private, encrypted notes that can answer your questions, right on your iPhone. Inkdale keeps your notes yours: encrypted on your device, synced through a cloud folder you already own, and never seen by us. No account, no subscription, no servers. ASK YOUR NOTES Type a question in plain English and get an answer drawn from your own notes, powered by Apple's on-device AI. Nothing is uploaded. The model runs entirely on your iPhone. (Requires iPhone 15 Pro or later.) PRIVATE BY DESIGN β€’ AES-256 encryption on your device, unlocked with Face ID or your password. Only you hold the key. β€’ No account, no sign-up, no servers. Nothing of yours on our machines, because there are none. β€’ Lock the whole vault, a folder, or a single note behind Face ID. YOUR NOTES, YOUR CLOUD β€’ Sync through iCloud, Dropbox, or any folder you already use. β€’ Encrypted files you own. Move them or walk away anytime. No lock-in. A QUIET PLACE TO WRITE β€’ A fast, clean editor: checklists, folders, photos, Markdown. β€’ Quick to open, quick to write, out of your way. Free on iPhone. The full writing studio, with note summaries and more, lives on the Mac as Inkdale for Mac.

Screenshots

Present Past4 screens
Inkdale4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Present Past at every 4 days against Inkdale's every 10 days. Present Past also leads on iOS requirement (15.1 vs 17.6). On price, ads, in-app purchases 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Present Past ships an update every 4 days, Inkdale every 10 days. Both last shipped on October 31, 2026.

Scorecard2 real differences Β· 4 level
Present Past versus Inkdale: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPresent PastInkdale
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 4 days β€” betterEvery 10 days
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
DevicesiPhone, iPod β€” betteriPhone
Requires iOS15.1 β€” better17.6
Further details β€” not scored
Size33 MB2 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperSeungEun LeeJatin Shah

In-app purchases

None

Present Past

No in-app purchases

None

Inkdale

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Present Past free?
Present Past is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Inkdale free?
Inkdale is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Present Past or Inkdale have ads?
Neither Present Past nor Inkdale shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Present Past or Inkdale?
Present Past ships an update every 4 days, and Inkdale every 10 days. Most recently, Present Past was updated on October 31, 2026 and Inkdale on October 31, 2026.

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