Comparison

Cache vs OffShelf

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

Head to head
About

Cache

This app offers a private and secure way to manage your notes and tasks using Markdown and Git for synchronization. It prioritizes user control, speed, and offline access, ensuring your data is always yours and accessible.

Highlights
  • Private notes and tasks
  • Markdown format
  • Git synchronization
  • Version control
  • Offline access
  • Instant search
  • Task tracking
Features
Read full description

For users who value complete control over their knowledge. Powerful personal knowledge management with no vendor lock-in, no privacy compromises—just fast, portable notes synced through git. --- **Highlights & Features** ## Your Notes, Your Data You are in total control of your notes and privacy. Your notes never touch our servers - everything stays on your devices, synced through your own git server. Complete privacy. No tracking. No exceptions. ## Beautiful Markdown Your notes are stored, viewed and edited as clean portable markdown. No proprietary formats, no lock-in. Your knowledge remains accessible forever in files you own, readable in any text editor. ## Git Sync Cache is a Git client - use GitHub, GitLab, Gitea, your own server, or any Git service. Version control built-in means you never lose your work and you control who has access. ## Every Task, Tracked Every checkbox across every note, individually tracked with due dates and priorities. Cache surfaces what's overdue, due today, or coming soon — so nothing slips through the cracks. ## Lightning Fast Built around speed to get ideas out of your head quickly. Fluid touch gestures or comprehensive keyboard shortcuts, minimal interface, instant search - nothing slows you down on any device. ## Instant Search Find anything instantly across your entire knowledge base. Line-level results show context immediately and feel magical. No waiting, no indexing delays, no network requests, just results. ## First-Class Journaling Date-based notes with first-class support for effortless journaling. Browse, search, and edit your daily entries seamlessly. Journals and reference notes coexist with fully configurable categories. ## Modal Editing (Alpha) Optionally use powerful modal editing with Vim and Helix motions. For power users who want maximum efficiency, or stick with simple mode for traditional editing. ## Offline First Carry your notes with you. Your devices always have your full notes repository. Work anywhere, anytime, without depending on internet connectivity. ## Seamless on iPhone & Mac Optimized for iPhone with a minimal interface that feels right at home. Your notes sync across all your Apple devices through Git. ## Opinionated Minimalism Every feature serves one purpose: managing your markdown notes faster and better. No plugins means no bloat, no distractions, no performance compromises. Just powerful note-taking, nothing more. --- Terms of service: https://www.cachenotes.app/docs/terms-of-service/ Privacy policy: https://www.cachenotes.app/docs/privacy-policy/

About

OffShelf

This app helps you focus by blocking distracting applications during timed study sessions. Track your progress, set goals, and study with friends to improve your productivity.

Highlights
  • Pomodoro and deep-work timer modes
  • App blocking during focus sessions
  • Study progress tracking by topic
  • Daily streaks and weekly planner
  • Co-study sessions with friends
  • Live activity and home screen widgets
  • Offline functionality
Features
Read full description

OffShelf is a study timer and study tracker for anyone whose phone keeps winning. Start a focus session, block the apps that pull you away, and watch your study hours add up, alone or with friends. Pick a topic. Press start. That is the whole ritual. — A FOCUS TIMER THAT KEEPS COUNTING — • Pomodoro (25/5), long deep-work blocks, or open-ended sessions • Face-down mode: the timer only runs while your phone lies face down. Pick it up and it pauses. • Runs on wall-clock time, so locking your phone or taking a call can't pause it or inflate it • Live on your Lock Screen, in a Live Activity and on your Home Screen widget • Timer styles you'll want to look at: a candle under the night sky, a train, a gravity timer that tilts with your phone, an hourglass and more • Study to rain, white noise, a fireplace or the forest — BLOCK DISTRACTING APPS (PREMIUM) — Pick the apps that steal your time, like TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat or Netflix, and OffShelf blocks them with Screen Time for as long as your session runs. — A STUDY TRACKER THAT KEEPS THE RECEIPTS — Every finished session is filed under a topic, so your progress stacks up into a record you can actually look at: • Study hours per topic, with levels that climb as they add up • A daily streak, with a weekly Streak Freeze so one bad day doesn't erase a month • An activity heatmap and a daily study chart • Milestones, achievements, coins and Focus XP • Tap "Distracted" to log what pulled you away — STUDY WITH FRIENDS — • Pair with a study buddy: see when they're studying and what they finished today, and nudge them when they go quiet • Start a live co-study session and share one clock • Take on your friends in weekly focus competitions • Climb Today's Focus League, a daily leaderboard of real focus minutes — PLAN YOUR WEEK — • One weekly planner for every topic: tap to add a study block, drag to move or resize, repeat it weekly or keep it to one day • Daily focus goals for the things that can't wait • Don't know where to start? "Pick for me" chooses your next topic based on what you've been neglecting — A STUDY FRIEND THAT CHEERS YOU ON — Your study mascot keeps you company while you focus and talks to you about your day. — WORKS OFFLINE — OffShelf starts fast and works without a connection. A weak signal never stands between you and a focus session. OFFSHELF PREMIUM • Block distracting apps during focus sessions • Distraction patterns: see what actually pulls you away • Planning and focus insights • A monthly report with PDF export • Two streak rest days every week • More timer styles • The Royal Magic mascot collection • No ads Your topics, sessions, notes and schedules stay private to your account. Notification controls, account reset and full account deletion are in Settings. Start your next session in two taps. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://brjoub.com/offshelf-privacy

Screenshots

Cache4 screens
OffShelf4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: OffShelf at 100% against Cache's 0%. OffShelf also leads on rating (5.0 vs 3.0) and update cadence (weekly vs every 3 weeks). Cache's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 4). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement 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. OffShelf sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per 7 days. Cache asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

OffShelf holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: OffShelf has 5 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 0% of Cache's written reviews are positive against 100% of OffShelf's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Cache ships an update every 3 weeks, OffShelf weekly. Both last shipped on October 31, 2026.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
Cache versus OffShelf: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterCacheOffShelf
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.0 (1 ratings)5.0 (5 ratings) — better
Positive reviews0.0% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings15 — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksWeekly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFreemium
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Mac — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS16.015.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size39 MB145 MB
Age rating4+12+
DeveloperRocketware LimitedBasheer Rjoub

Customer experience

Cache

All ratings1 ratings
Positive0.0%
Neutral100.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral100.0%
Negative0.0%

OffShelf

All ratings5 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

Cache

No in-app purchases

4 purchases

OffShelf

Subscriptions3
  • OffShelf Premium — Weekly$2.997 Days
  • OffShelf Premium$6.991 Month
  • OffShelf Premium — Annual$19.991 Year
One-time1
  • OffShelf Premium Lifetime$39.99

Questions

Is Cache free?
Cache is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is OffShelf free?
OffShelf is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Cache or OffShelf?
OffShelf is rated higher. Cache averages 3.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while OffShelf averages 5.0 from 5 ratings.
Do Cache or OffShelf have ads?
Neither Cache nor OffShelf shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Cache or OffShelf?
Cache ships an update every 3 weeks, and OffShelf weekly. Most recently, Cache was updated on October 31, 2026 and OffShelf on October 31, 2026.

Other comparisons