Comparison

Back to This vs ThoughtTrace

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

Head to head
About

Back to This

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You save a link "for later." Later never comes. Back to This fixes that. Instead of dumping links into a bookmark folder you'll never open again, Back to This reminds you โ€” again and again โ€” until you actually open the link or delete it. It's a link inbox with a nudge, not a graveyard. THE 15 RULE Your inbox holds up to 15 active links. Save a 16th and the oldest quietly moves to your Archive. A short, finishable list instead of an endless pile โ€” because if everything is saved, nothing is. HOW IT WORKS โ€ข Paste or share a link from any app โ€ข Tag WHY you saved it โ€” Read Later, Learn, Work, Idea, Buy, Watch, Reference โ€ข Pick WHEN and HOW OFTEN to be reminded โ€ข Get repeated reminders until you open it or let it go BUILT TO BE FAST โ€ข Save from any app with the Share extension โ€ข Tap a reminder to jump straight to the link โ€ข Open in the related app, or read inside the app โ€ข Clean, distraction-free, light and simple WHY PEOPLE LOVE IT โ€ข No feeds, no ads, no social clutter โ€ข No account required โ€” your links stay on your device โ€ข Reminders that don't let you forget โ€ข A calm inbox that stays small on purpose Stop bookmarking things into the void. Save it, and let Back to This bring you back. โ€” Back to This Pro Try everything free for 7 days. After the trial, keep Pro for the listed price per month. Payment is charged to your Apple Account at confirmation of purchase. The subscription automatically renews unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period; your account is charged for renewal within 24 hours prior to the end of the period. Manage or cancel anytime in your Apple Account settings. https://getbacktothis.com/terms

About

ThoughtTrace

Features
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"Think analog, save digital." ThoughtTrace is a seamless tool to digitally save and organize the deep thoughts you've written down with pen and paper. Some ideas are only born when you freely move a pen across a blank sheet of paper, rather than typing on a keyboard. ThoughtTrace maximizes this "handwritten thought process" and securely manages your notes afterward. โ—† 3 Core Features of ThoughtTrace โ—† 1. "Intelligent Timer" for Deep Thinking Place your iPhone or iPad on the corner of your desk and set the focus timer. Setting a time limit flips the switch in your brain to "just write." 2. "High-Quality Continuous Scan" for Handwritten Notes Once you finish writing, simply point the app's camera. It automatically detects document edges, removes hand shadows and wrinkles, and instantly converts your notes into crisp, highly legible black-and-white data. You can also continuously scan multiple pages without closing the camera. 3. Reflect and Organize (Folders, Tags, PDF Export) Beautifully organize your scanned notes using folders and tags. Look back on the trajectory of your thoughts through a chronological timeline. You can also combine multiple notes and export them as a single PDF (*Pro feature). โ—† Privacy First โ—† All your ideas and notes are saved strictly on your device. They are never sent to external servers, allowing you to write down your thoughts with complete peace of mind. *The free version has a daily limit on the number of scans. Upgrade to the Pro version with a one-time purchase to unlock "Unlimited Saves," "No Ads," and the "PDF Export" feature. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Back to This4 screens
ThoughtTrace4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: ThoughtTrace at none against Back to This's 1. Back to This's advantage is ads (none vs shown). On price, update cadence, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

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

CostPrice ยท In-app purchases ยท Ads ยท Monetization

Both are free to download. Back to This sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $4.99 per month. ThoughtTrace asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 12, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences ยท 4 level
Back to This versus ThoughtTrace: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBack to ThisThoughtTrace
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksEvery 3 weeks
AdsNo โ€” betterYes
In-app purchasesYesNo โ€” better
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPad โ€” better
Requires iOS18.617.0 โ€” better
Further details โ€” not scored
Size6 MB19 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperQuanite FZEJUNICHI WATANABE

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Back to This

Subscriptions1
  • Back to This Pro7 Days trial$4.991 Month
None

ThoughtTrace

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Back to This free?
Back to This is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is ThoughtTrace free?
ThoughtTrace is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Back to This or ThoughtTrace have ads?
ThoughtTrace shows ads; Back to This does not.
Which is updated more often, Back to This or ThoughtTrace?
Back to This ships an update every 3 weeks, and ThoughtTrace every 3 weeks. Most recently, Back to This was updated on October 12, 2026 and ThoughtTrace on October 16, 2026.

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