# Shell Notes vs Think First

The clearest difference is update cadence: Think First at every 5 days against Shell Notes's every 5 weeks. Shell Notes's advantage is iOS requirement (15.1 vs 17.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Shell Notes sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per 7 days and Think First sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Shell Notes ships an update every 5 weeks, Think First every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on November 10, 2026 and November 5, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Shell Notes | Think First |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks | **Every 5 days** |
| Size | 47 MB | 6 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.1** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Ivan Dotsenko](https://appshunter.io/developer/551628923) | [HBJ Solutions](https://appshunter.io/developer/6788348274) |

## What reviewers say

### Shell Notes

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shell-notes-encrypted-vault/id6777039055)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Shell Notes Pro Weekly | $0.99 | per 7 days |
| Shell Notes Pro Yearly | $9.99 | per year |
| Shell Notes Pro Lifetime | $17.99 | one-time |


### Think First

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/think-first-screen-time/id6789266589)

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

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Think First Premium | $5.99 | per month |
| Think First Premium | $44.99 | per year |
| Think First Premium | $3.99 | one-time |
| Think First Premium | $79.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Shell Notes free?

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

### Is Think First free?

Think First is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Do Shell Notes or Think First have ads?

Neither Shell Notes nor Think First shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Shell Notes or Think First?

Shell Notes ships an update every 5 weeks, and Think First every 5 days. Most recently, Shell Notes was updated on November 10, 2026 and Think First on November 5, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*