Comparison

Orc Mode vs GoodNote

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

Head to head
About

Orc Mode

A distraction-free task manager that helps you organize your work with clear task states, due dates, and recurring schedules. Track your progress through different workflows and review completed items.

Highlights
  • Task states (TODO, NEXT, WAITING, DONE)
  • Due dates and recurring schedules
  • Tagging and filtering
  • Notes and task details
  • Task history review
  • Light and dark mode support
Features
Read full description

Orc Mode is a focused task manager inspired by Emacs Org Mode. Organize your work with clear task states, due dates, tags, and recurring schedules. Track what needs attention now, what is waiting, and what is already done. Features: Create, edit, and delete todos; Use TODO, NEXT, WAITING, and DONE workflows; Add notes, due dates, and tags; Filter tasks by tag; Set recurring daily, weekly, monthly, or yearly tasks; Review completed items in history; Supports light and dark mode. Orc Mode is designed for people who want a simple, structured, and distraction-free way to manage personal tasks on iPhone.

About

GoodNote

Features
Read 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

Orc Mode4 screens
GoodNote4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Orc Mode at none against GoodNote's 1. Orc Mode also leads on iOS requirement (15.1 vs 17.0). On price, ads 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. GoodNote sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Orc Mode asks for nothing beyond the download.

Scorecard2 real differences · 7 level
Orc Mode versus GoodNote: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterOrc ModeGoodNote
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (1 ratings) — better—
Number of ratings1 — better—
Update frequency—Every 2 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad, Mac — better
Requires iOS15.1 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size41 MB4 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperPatrick OBoyleDang Nam Nguyen

In-app purchases

None

Orc Mode

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

GoodNote

One-time1
  • GoodNote Premium$5.99

Questions

Is Orc Mode free?
Orc Mode is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is GoodNote free?
GoodNote is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Orc Mode or GoodNote have ads?
Neither Orc Mode nor GoodNote shows ads.

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