Comparison

MindNote vs Koku

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

Head to head
About

MindNote

Visually organize your thoughts and ideas with this intuitive mind mapping application. Create unlimited colorful maps, manage them with folders, and export your work in various formats. Features include auto-layout, outline view, and citation management.

Highlights
  • Unlimited mind map creation
  • Folder organization
  • Auto-layout for tidy maps
  • Outline view
  • Export to PDF/Markdown
  • Footnote citation management
  • iCloud sync
Features
Read full description

MindNote is an elegant, simple, smooth, and efficient mind mapping app designed to help you think clearly, plan effectively, and organize your ideas visually. Features: • Create unlimited mind maps with colorful, connected nodes • Organize maps into folders for easy management • Auto-layout to keep your maps tidy • Outline view for a structured overview of your map • Export to PDF or Markdown • Import from Markdown to generate maps instantly • Footnote citation management with support for APA, MLA, Chicago, and more, also with customizable citation formats • iCloud sync keeps your maps up to date across all your Mac and iPhone devices • Supports both light and dark backgrounds for export • Floating quick actions and keyboard shortcut for fast editing Simple to start, powerful as you grow. Download MindNote and start mapping your thoughts today.

About

Koku

This app helps you focus on tasks with customizable work and rest intervals. It offers a simple, distraction-free interface and integrates with your home screen and Apple Watch for easy access and control. Enjoy deep work without accounts, streaks, or subscriptions.

Highlights
  • Customizable focus and rest sessions
  • Classic Pomodoro rhythm option
  • Home Screen widget for quick access
  • Live Activities on lock screen
  • Apple Watch companion app
  • Minimalist, distraction-free design
Features
Read full description

Koku is a focus timer for deep work. Focus. Rest. Repeat. Set your own session lengths or use the classic rhythm - twenty-five minutes of focus, five minutes of rest, a longer break every four sessions. Each minute is a dot. Watch them fill. - No accounts. - No streaks. - No subscriptions. Just time, and the work in front of you. Add Koku to your Home Screen for quick access - start, pause, and skip sessions right from the widget. Keep the timer visible on your lock screen with Live Activities. Koku also includes an Apple Watch companion app that works with the iPhone app, so you can check your timer and control sessions from your wrist. Designed for iPhone, with an Apple Watch companion. Light and dark mode. Works in any language. Koku (刻) is the Japanese word for a moment of time.

Screenshots

MindNote1 screens
Koku4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: MindNote at 5.0 against Koku's 3.0. MindNote also leads on iOS requirement (17.6 vs 26.4). Koku's advantage is update cadence (every 3 days vs fortnightly). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases 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.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

MindNote holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2 and 1 respectively.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

MindNote ships an update fortnightly, Koku every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on October 2, 2026 and October 11, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
MindNote versus Koku: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMindNoteKoku
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (2 ratings) — better3.0 (1 ratings)
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings2 — better1
Update frequencyFortnightlyEvery 3 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Vision Pro — betteriPhone, Apple Watch
Requires iOS17.6 — better26.4
Further details — not scored
Size6 MB10 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperZhaoyuan ChenRodolfo Alberto Lopez Terriquez

Customer experience

MindNote

Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Koku

All ratings1 ratings
Positive0.0%
Neutral100.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

MindNote

No in-app purchases

None

Koku

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is MindNote free?
MindNote is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Koku free?
Koku is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, MindNote or Koku?
MindNote is rated higher. MindNote averages 5.0 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while Koku averages 3.0 from 1 ratings.
Do MindNote or Koku have ads?
Neither MindNote nor Koku shows ads.
Which is updated more often, MindNote or Koku?
MindNote ships an update fortnightly, and Koku every 3 days. Most recently, MindNote was updated on October 2, 2026 and Koku on October 11, 2026.

Other comparisons