Comparison

ShadowWrite vs Archetype Decks

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

Head to head
About

ShadowWrite

Features
Read full description

ShadowWrite is a private journal for noticing the patterns behind your reactions, relationships, boundaries, and self-talk. Choose a guided question or write freely, then record how you feel before and after the reflection. A calmer way to reflect - Follow a compact seven-day reflection path - Explore 100+ prompts across eight themes - Open any prompt straight in the journal - Track your mood before and after writing - Search, edit, favorite, export, or delete past entries - Keep entries on your device and protect the journal with the private lock Free includes 20 prompts and up to three entries each week. ShadowWrite Premium unlocks unlimited entries, every prompt category, history search, and export. ShadowWrite is a reflective journaling tool, not therapy, diagnosis, treatment, or crisis support. Privacy Policy: https://frexx.top/shadowwrite/privacy.html Terms of Use: https://frexx.top/shadowwrite/terms.html Apple Standard EULA: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Support: https://frexx.top/shadowwrite/support.html

About

Archetype Decks

Features
Read full description

Ask the Archetype is a depth psychology field guide. 78 figures from Carl Jung, Joseph Campbell, James Hillman, Carol Pearson, and Clarissa Pinkola EstΓ©s, one a day, with citations. You draw one card a day. Just one. The deck rests until tomorrow. Each card holds a few things to sit with. A short oracle reading. A scholarly description of the figure, with the thinkers who wrote about it named. A few plain questions in everyday language. A few questions written the way the thinkers wrote them, with citations. A short reading list, if you want to follow a thread further. A note on cultural humility when a figure touches a living tradition. That is the whole app. You pull a card. You read what other people have wondered about it. You leave when you are ready. There are no streaks. No notifications. No badges. No accounts. No data collection. No ads. No subscriptions. The deck does not chase you. If you want to leave a tip, there is a small gratitude jar in Settings. Four tiers, named honestly. A candle for the desk. An afternoon in the stacks. And two for people who really want to send a thank you. 100% of net proceeds go to Nutcracker syndrome research, building toward a dedicated research grant with NORD, the National Organization for Rare Disorders. Nutcracker syndrome is a rare vascular condition most people have never heard of, which is part of why I chose it. Quarterly receipts at sillydroose.com/donations/askthearchetype. All 78 cards are available without paying anything. I built this because I love reading about archetypes, and I wanted somewhere quiet to spend a minute with one each morning. If that sounds like your kind of thing, welcome. Drew

Screenshots

ShadowWrite4 screens
Archetype Decks4 screens

Verdict

The call

ShadowWrite and Archetype Decks are too close to call on the numbers: across 6 compared parameters β€” price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases among them β€” neither pulls far enough ahead to decide it. What separates them is feature set and interface, not measurable difference.

Scored on Price Β· Rating Β· Positive reviews Β· Number of ratings Β· Update frequency Β· Ads Β· In-app purchases Β· Monetization Β· Best chart rank Β· Devices Β· Requires iOS

CostPrice Β· In-app purchases Β· Ads Β· Monetization

Both are free to download. ShadowWrite sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $19.99 per year and Archetype Decks sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 7, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

ScorecardNo meaningful differences
ShadowWrite versus Archetype Decks: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterShadowWriteArchetype Decks
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksEvery 3 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS17.017.0
Further details β€” not scored
Size1 MB202 MB
Age rating4+4+
Developer杰 向Drew Douglass

In-app purchases

1 purchases

ShadowWrite

Subscriptions1
  • Premium β€” Yearly3 Days trial$19.991 Year
4 purchases

Archetype Decks

One-time4
  • A candle for the desk$1.99
  • An afternoon in the stacks$4.99
  • A key to the collection$9.99
Show 1 more
  • A new wing for the library$19.99

Questions

Is ShadowWrite free?
ShadowWrite is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Archetype Decks free?
Archetype Decks is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do ShadowWrite or Archetype Decks have ads?
Neither ShadowWrite nor Archetype Decks shows ads.
Which is updated more often, ShadowWrite or Archetype Decks?
ShadowWrite ships an update every 3 weeks, and Archetype Decks every 3 weeks. Most recently, ShadowWrite was updated on October 7, 2026 and Archetype Decks on September 24, 2026.

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