Comparison

TXBoard vs HelixNotes

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

Head to head
About

TXBoard

Features
Read full description

TXBoard turns your iPad into an always-on home information display. Mount it on a wall, place it on a desk, or keep it by the entryway: time, date, and weather stay readable at a glance, even from across the room. Core panels Clock: bigger and clearer Large digital clock faces are easy to read from a distance. The layout adapts to portrait and landscape, with optional seconds, lunar date, and seasonal term information. Calendar: the whole month on one screen A full monthly calendar shows holidays, lunar dates, solar terms, custom anniversaries, and countdowns. On Apple platforms, it can also surface today's incomplete Reminders so important plans stay visible. Weather: quiet and glanceable See current temperature, feels-like temperature, conditions, and the next few days of forecast. Use automatic location or add cities manually; updates stay useful without getting in your way. Built for long-running displays - Low CPU and network usage to help reduce power consumption - Stable always-on operation for older iPads - Automatic panel rotation, so the display keeps working without manual switching - Low-interaction design: set it up once and let it stay useful Thoughtful details - Light, dark, and system theme modes - Simplified Chinese, English, and Japanese interface support - Custom backgrounds and colors to match your space - Clear information hierarchy for both close-up and distance viewing Great for - Entryways, living rooms, bedrooms, and studies - Desks and workspaces where an old device can become useful again - Guest rooms, shops, classrooms, and other always-on information boards Privacy - We do not collect personal information - Location is used only after your permission and only for local weather - Your configuration stays on your device Give an unused iPad a practical second life as a calm, readable home screen.

About

HelixNotes

A private, open-source Markdown note-taking app that keeps your data on your device. Organize notes with notebooks, tags, and wiki links, and utilize advanced features like mathematical notation and diagrams.

Highlights
  • Local Markdown storage
  • Visual and source code editor
  • Notebooks, tags, and wiki links
  • Task management and calendar views
  • KaTeX and Mermaid diagram support
  • Version history and backups
  • Optional WebDAV sync
Features
Read full description

HelixNotes is a private, open-source Markdown notes app. Your notes remain standard Markdown files under your control. No account is required, and HelixNotes has no company-operated cloud. Write with a clean visual editor or switch to source mode when you want direct access to the Markdown. Organize your work with notebooks, tags, wiki links and full-text search. Features include: • Tasks collected from checklists across your notes • List and calendar views with priorities and due dates • Wiki links and an interactive graph view • Daily notes with a built-in calendar • Markdown tables, code blocks and syntax highlighting • KaTeX mathematical notation and Mermaid diagrams • Outline navigation and tag autocomplete • Version history and automatic backups • Light, dark and customizable themes • Optional WebDAV sync with your own server • Optional AI tools using your own provider Nothing leaves your device unless you enable a feature that connects to an external service. Your notes stay readable outside HelixNotes, without a proprietary format or platform lock-in. HelixNotes is free software released under the GNU AGPLv3. Its source code is publicly available on GitLab.

Screenshots

TXBoard3 screens
HelixNotes2 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: HelixNotes at none against TXBoard's shown. TXBoard's advantage is update cadence (every 2 weeks vs monthly). On price, in-app purchases, 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

TXBoard ships an update every 2 weeks, HelixNotes monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 7 level
TXBoard versus HelixNotes: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTXBoardHelixNotes
PriceFreeFree
Rating—5.0 (3 ratings) — better
Number of ratings—3 — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeks — betterMonthly
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesNoNo
Monetization—Free
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS13.0 — better14.0
Further details — not scored
Size55 MB20 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMianchi TianXin Technology Co., Ltd.Yuri Karamian

In-app purchases

None

TXBoard

No in-app purchases

None

HelixNotes

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is TXBoard free?
TXBoard is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is HelixNotes free?
HelixNotes is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do TXBoard or HelixNotes have ads?
TXBoard shows ads; HelixNotes does not.
Which is updated more often, TXBoard or HelixNotes?
TXBoard ships an update every 2 weeks, and HelixNotes monthly. Most recently, TXBoard was updated on October 24, 2026 and HelixNotes on October 31, 2026.

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