Comparison

Basil vs JotBox

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

Head to head
About

Basil

Features
Read full description

A flexible Pomodoro focus timer with task management, streak tracking, and custom presets. Build better study habits and boost productivity with timed focus sessions that adapt to your workflow. WHO IS BASIL FOR? Basil is built for students, professionals, freelancers, and anyone who wants to take control of their time and focus. Whether you're studying for exams, managing deep work sessions, tracking tasks, or building better time management habits — Basil gives you the structure and flexibility to stay productive. FEATURES • Task Management & Progress Tracking Create tasks and track your progress session by session. Set how many Pomodoros each task needs, organize by status (All, In Progress, Completed), and see exactly how much focused time you've invested. Perfect for managing study projects, work assignments, or personal goals. • Flexible Pomodoro Focus Timer Customize every aspect of your focus sessions. Set work duration, break length, and session count to match your needs — whether that's classic 25/5 Pomodoros for studying, 50/10 for deep work, or quick 15-minute task sprints. Work the way you work best. • Custom Timer Presets Create and save fully customizable timer configurations for different scenarios. Study mode, deep work sessions, quick tasks — switch between your presets in a single tap and adapt throughout your day. • Achievements & Productivity Badges Unlock badges as you hit focus milestones, build study streaks, and grow your productivity habits over time. Every achievement reflects real progress and helps you stay motivated. • Session Statistics & Streak Tracking Track your consistency with detailed session history and streak monitoring. See how your focus habit develops week by week, review time invested per task, and watch your productivity grow. • Task Organization & Filtering Keep your workflow clean with smart filtering. View All tasks, focus on In Progress work, or celebrate your Completed achievements. Quickly see which task is active and how close you are to finishing. • Learn the Pomodoro Technique New to time blocking and focused work sessions? Tap "Why Pomodoro?" for a friendly, guided walkthrough on how and why this proven productivity method works — explained by Basil's mascot. PERFECT FOR: • Students managing study sessions, exam prep, and coursework • Professionals tracking deep work blocks and time management • Freelancers balancing multiple projects with task-based focus • Anyone building concentration habits and fighting distractions • Task-oriented workflows requiring time tracking and accountability WHY POMODORO + TASKS? The Pomodoro Technique is one of the most trusted productivity methods worldwide — but it works even better when paired with clear task goals. Basil combines timed focus sessions with task management, giving you both structure and purpose. Each Pomodoro brings you closer to completing real work, not just running a timer. CONTACT & SUPPORT Have questions, feedback, or encountered an issue? We'd love to hear from you. → support@wolkk.io

About

JotBox

A fast, local-first scratchpad for quick notes, drafts, and lists. Offers rich text formatting, image attachments, and powerful search. Notes are private by default, with optional iCloud sync and backups.

Highlights
  • Rich text formatting
  • Image and camera capture
  • Full-text search and filters
  • Note locking and read-only mode
  • Export to multiple formats
  • Optional iCloud sync and backup
Features
Read full description

JotBox is a fast, local-first scratchpad for the notes that don't need a whole filing cabinet. Open the app and start writing. JotBox keeps a blank page ready, stores notes in a simple timeline, and adds just enough structure when you need it. Use JotBox to: - capture quick notes, measurements, reminders, drafts, and lists - format text with bold, italic, underline, colors, highlights, links, bullets, numbered lists, checkboxes, and indentation - add images from your photo library or pasteboard, with camera capture on iPhone and iPad - save text and links from the Share Sheet where supported - pin, reorder, and find notes with full-text search, snippets, filters, and highlights - lock individual notes locally with a JotBox privacy password and optional biometric unlock where available - mark reference notes read-only so they stay viewable without accidental edits - recover deleted notes from the Recycle Bin - export notes as text, Markdown, PDF, or a restorable backup file - optionally sync through your private iCloud account - optionally create iCloud Drive backup snapshots No account is required. Notes stay on your device unless you turn on Apple's private iCloud sync or iCloud Drive backup. JotBox includes a 7-day app-managed trial. After the trial, JotBox Pro is a one-time $3.99 unlock for editing, creating and managing notes, and rich attachments. Existing notes remain viewable, copyable, shareable, and exportable.

Screenshots

Basil4 screens
JotBox4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is device support: JotBox at 3 against Basil's 1. 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. Basil sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and JotBox sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on July 9, 2026 and September 8, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 8 level
Basil versus JotBox: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBasilJotBox
PriceFreeFree
Rating—5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Number of ratings—1 — better
Update frequencyEvery 5 weeksEvery 5 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
Monetization—Free with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPad, Mac — better
Requires iOS17.617.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size58 MB8 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperWOLKK PTE. LTD.Daniel Bragilevsky

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Basil

One-time1
  • Basil Full Version$3.99
1 purchases

JotBox

One-time1
  • JotBox Pro$3.99

Questions

Is Basil free?
Basil is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is JotBox free?
JotBox is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Basil or JotBox have ads?
Neither Basil nor JotBox shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Basil or JotBox?
Basil ships an update every 5 weeks, and JotBox every 5 weeks. Most recently, Basil was updated on July 9, 2026 and JotBox on September 8, 2026.

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