# Second Brain vs Retro Desktop Notes

The clearest difference is update cadence: Retro Desktop Notes at daily against Second Brain's every 3 months. Second Brain's advantage is iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Second Brain sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Retro Desktop Notes sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Second Brain ships an update every 3 months, Retro Desktop Notes daily. Both last shipped on October 1, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Second Brain | Retro Desktop Notes |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/retro-desktop-notes/id6792271012/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **1** |
| Positive reviews | — | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Daily** |
| Monetization | — | Free |
| Size | 25 MB | 15 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Selahattin Bozat](https://appshunter.io/developer/1895293163) | [MARIE MORIKAGE](https://appshunter.io/developer/1896645636) |

## What reviewers say

### Second Brain

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/second-brain-notes-and-knowledge/id6775839727)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Second Brain Premium | $9.99 | one-time |


### Retro Desktop Notes

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/retro-desktop-notes/id6792271012)

Experience a nostalgic note-taking app that brings the charm of classic desktop computers to your mobile device. Enjoy a distraction-free writing experience with retro themes and essential organizational tools.

**Highlights:** Retro desktop themes, Fast and simple editor, Automatic saving, Pin important notes, Instant search, Trash with restore

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Retroプレミアム | $1.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Second Brain free?

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

### Is Retro Desktop Notes free?

Retro Desktop Notes is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Do Second Brain or Retro Desktop Notes have ads?

Neither Second Brain nor Retro Desktop Notes shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Second Brain or Retro Desktop Notes?

Second Brain ships an update every 3 months, and Retro Desktop Notes daily. Most recently, Second Brain was updated on October 1, 2026 and Retro Desktop Notes 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.*