Trace vs Habit Stacker App
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Trace
A minimalist and private space for capturing thoughts, notes, lists, and memories. It offers a clean interface for free writing and quick searching, with optional Pro features for customization and enhanced security.
- Minimalist and calm interface
- Free writing and reflections
- Bullet and numbered lists
- Quick entry search
- Local-first private storage
- Customizable themes (Pro)
- App Lock with biometric support (Pro)
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Catch a thought in three seconds, by voice or text, then get on with your day. Private by design: no account, no servers, no tracking. Everything stays on your device. No subscription, ever. Pro is a one-time purchase. Trace is a home for passing thoughts: ideas, notes, reflections, lists, and the things you don't want to lose. Open it and write, or just talk. FAST CAPTURE - Open and write. No setup, no folders to choose first - On-device dictation, with optional on-device "Tidy my words" cleanup - "New Trace" control in Control Center (iOS 18) - Drafts save as you type, so a call or a crash can't take them - Bullet and numbered lists that continue as you type FIND IT LATER - Timeline grouped by day - Search everything you've ever written, including by date - Tags to group related thoughts - Reflections that link back to past entries - Traceback resurfaces a past entry every month, free YOURS, NOT OURS - Data Not Collected. Trace runs no servers of its own - Export everything as Markdown or JSON, anytime, free. Great with Obsidian - Deleted something by mistake? It waits 30 days in Recently Deleted BUILT FOR - Brain dumps and racing thoughts - The idea you had in the shower - Something someone said that stuck - The end of a long day TRACE PRO — ONE-TIME PURCHASE, NO SUBSCRIPTION - Extra inks and themes: Cream, Sage, Midnight, Cocoa - Matching alternate app icons - App Lock with Face ID, Touch ID, or passcode - iCloud sync through your own iCloud - Weekly Traceback review Paper and Slate inks, Markdown/JSON export, and monthly Traceback stay free for everyone.
Habit Stacker App
This app helps you build new routines by linking them to existing daily habits. Track your progress and watch your streaks grow as you consistently achieve your goals.
- Habit stacking technique
- Streak tracking
- Habit leveling system
- Custom habit addition
- Daily routine integration
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What is habit stacking? Habit stacking is a proven productivity technique that pairs a new, desired behavior with an existing, automatic daily routine. By using an established habit as a natural trigger, you bypass the need for relying on willpower, making it significantly easier to build consistent routines. After I pour my morning coffee, I will write down my top priority for the day. The coffee is the trigger; the new habit stacks right on top. How the app works? 1. Add a habit and the date you started it. 2. Keep your streak — the app tracks how many days you've kept each habit. 3. Watch habits level up as streaks pass 1, 21, and 365 days.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Habit Stacker App at none against Trace's 1. Habit Stacker App also leads on update cadence (every 2 days vs every 6 weeks). Trace's advantage is ratings volume (3 vs 1). On price, rating, review sentiment and ads 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
Both are free to download. Trace sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Habit Stacker App asks for nothing beyond the download.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Trace against 5.0 for Habit Stacker App. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 3 and 1 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.
Trace ships an update every 6 weeks, Habit Stacker App every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 29, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Trace | Habit Stacker App |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 5.0 (3 ratings) | 5.0 (1 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 3 — better | 1 |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | Every 2 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 — better | 15.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 89 MB | 4 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Pedro Gomes do Nascimento | John Picasso |
Customer experience
Trace
Habit Stacker App
In-app purchases
Trace
- Trace Pro$4.99
Habit Stacker App
No in-app purchases









