Beaver Notes vs Next Thing
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Beaver Notes
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Beaver Notes is a fast, native client for the open-source Beaver Notes server — a self-hosted note wall you run on your own infrastructure. Write markdown notes. Drop in photos, videos and files. Everything lands on your server, nowhere else. No accounts to sign up for, no third-party services, no analytics, no telemetry. FEATURES • Multi-server — connect to as many self-hosted Beaver Notes servers as you need and switch between them from the sidebar. • Local-first sync — an outbox queue keeps everything working offline and catches up the moment the server comes back. • Markdown editor — bold, italic, code, lists, links, headings, with live preview. • Attachments — photos, videos, and arbitrary files. Images appear in an adaptive grid with a fullscreen viewer. Inline video playback. • Upload progress — per-file and per-message progress overlays, including retry on failure. • Image editor — crop, draw, filters, and optional optimization before upload. • Video trim & optimize — HEIC and H.265 encoding to keep uploads small. • Quick input — a compact composer at the bottom of the wall for fast capture. • Search — local full-text search with type, tag, pinned and date filters. • Spotlight — your notes are findable from the system search. • Privacy — biometric lock with Face ID / Touch ID, auto-lock timeout, and the option to hide previews in the App Switcher. • Storage controls — per-server cache size limit and one-tap erase. • Multi-platform — adapted layouts for iPhone, iPad, and Mac, with native sidebar, context menus, swipe actions, and keyboard shortcuts. PRIVACY The app talks only to the self-hosted server you configure. No analytics SDKs. No third-party services. No developer-side backend. Read the full privacy policy at https://eduard256.github.io/beaver-notes-apple/PRIVACY.md REQUIREMENTS You need a running Beaver Notes server. The server is open source — see https://github.com/eduard256/beaver-notes
Next Thing
This app helps you focus on one task at a time using the simple Ivy Lee Method. Prioritize your top tasks each evening and tackle them sequentially the next day, reducing stress and boosting effectiveness. Ideal for those who find traditional to-do lists overwhelming.
- Ivy Lee Method task prioritization
- Single-task focus
- Evening task selection
- Daily habit building
- Lock screen widgets
- Home screen widgets
- Focus bell reminders
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Most productivity apps make you more stressed, not less. Endless lists, complex systems, notifications pulling you in every direction. Next Thing is different: one list, one task at a time. Built on the Ivy Lee Method, a century-old system famously used by Charles Schwab, Next Thing strips productivity down to its most powerful form. Each evening, choose your most important tasks and rank them in order of priority. The next day, focus on one thing at a time. That's it. We've heard from users with ADHD that this single-task approach is a game changer. No overwhelming lists, just the next thing in front of you. How it works: - Add tasks to your list anytime a thought crosses your mind - Each evening, pick your top 6 and rank them by priority - The next day, focus on one task at a time. Done or skip. Nothing else. - Build the habit with streaks and satisfying completion moments - Optional morning and evening reminders, off unless you turn them on NEW: Projects Some work is bigger than a day. Tap the pill in the corner to switch to Projects mode, with the same calm, one-thing-at-a-time focus. - Break projects into tasks and subtasks - Add owners, start dates, and due dates - Progress rings fill as you check off subtasks - Rank your projects and see each one's next step on your focus screen - Check off the next step with one tap, right from the focus screen - Archive finished projects and restore them anytime Free to use, including one active project. Upgrades are one-time purchases. No subscription, ever. Ivy Lee Pro: - Live Activity and Dynamic Island - your current task, always in view - Lock screen widgets - see your #1 task without unlocking your phone - Home screen widget - see your #1 task without opening the app - Focus bell - set a reminder to check in on your current task - Streaks heatmap - track your consistency over time - Recurring tasks - daily habits auto-return to your list - Custom app icons and focus screen themes - Unlimited task list Projects Pro: - Unlimited active projects Complete: - Everything in Ivy Lee Pro and Projects Pro, for less than buying both Already own Pro from an earlier version? Thank you. Projects Pro is included, free. Your privacy matters. No account required, no login, no data sharing. Your tasks live on your device and nowhere else. Stop managing your productivity system. Start doing your next thing.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Beaver Notes at none against Next Thing's 1. Beaver Notes also leads on device support (3 vs 1). On price, ads 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
Both are free to download. Next Thing sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Beaver Notes asks for nothing beyond the download.
| Parameter | Beaver Notes | Next Thing |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | 5.0 (4 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | — | 100.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | — | 4 — better |
| Update frequency | — | Every 11 days |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | — | Freemium |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Mac — better | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 — better | 17.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 2 MB | 5 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Artur Jeremicz | JEREMIAH DANIEL ROBERTS |
In-app purchases
Beaver Notes
No in-app purchases
Next Thing
- Next Thing Pro$2.99









