# ThoughtTrace vs Mena

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: ThoughtTrace at none against Mena's 3. Mena's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 3 days vs fortnightly). On price, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Mena sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. ThoughtTrace asks for nothing beyond the download.

ThoughtTrace ships an update fortnightly, Mena every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on September 30, 2026 and September 28, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ThoughtTrace | Mena |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | **Every 3 days** |
| Size | 19 MB | 48 MB |
| Requires iOS | **17.0** | 18.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [JUNICHI WATANABE](https://appshunter.io/developer/1837543582) | [Cihat Salik](https://appshunter.io/developer/1819820065) |

## What reviewers say

### ThoughtTrace

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/thoughttrace-brain-dump-timer/id6777566567)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Mena

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mena-notes-mind-map-and-study/id6801832470)

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Mena Pro - Monthly | $3.99 | per month |
| Mena Pro - Yearly | $29.99 | per year |
| Mena Pro - Lifetime | $79.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ThoughtTrace free?

ThoughtTrace is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Mena free?

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

### Do ThoughtTrace or Mena have ads?

ThoughtTrace shows ads; Mena does not.

### Which is updated more often, ThoughtTrace or Mena?

ThoughtTrace ships an update fortnightly, and Mena every 3 days. Most recently, ThoughtTrace was updated on September 30, 2026 and Mena on September 28, 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.*