# Trace vs Persista

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Persista at none against Trace's 1. Persista also leads on update cadence (every 2 days vs every 2 months). Trace's advantage is ratings volume (3 vs 1). On price, rating, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Trace sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Persista 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 Persista. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 3 and 1 respectively.

Trace ships an update every 2 months, Persista every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and October 1, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Trace | Persista |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [5.0 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/trace-thought-log/id6762246222/reviews) | [5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/persista-consistency-solved/id6794993312/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **3** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 2 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 49 MB | 4 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Pedro Gomes do Nascimento](https://appshunter.io/developer/1893532153) | [Mohamed Addoun](https://appshunter.io/developer/6794993314) |

## What reviewers say

### Trace

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/trace-thought-log/id6762246222)

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.

**Highlights:** 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)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Trace Pro | $2.99 | one-time |


### Persista

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/persista-consistency-solved/id6794993312)

This app uses AI to understand your struggles and provides personalized, small actions to help you build consistency. It guides you when motivation is low, making any goal feel achievable one step at a time.

**Highlights:** AI-powered guidance, Personalized next-step suggestions, Distraction-free experience, Build consistency one action at a time, Works with any goal or habit

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Trace free?

Trace is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Persista free?

Persista is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Trace or Persista?

Trace and Persista are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 3 and 1 ratings respectively.

### Do Trace or Persista have ads?

Neither Trace nor Persista shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Trace or Persista?

Trace ships an update every 2 months, and Persista every 2 days. Most recently, Trace was updated on October 13, 2026 and Persista on October 1, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*