Comparison

Etched vs Vanta

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

Head to head
About

Etched

Features
Read full description

Stop losing your own notes. Etched finds what you wrote by meaning — not just by keyword. Ask for "the note about slowing down to think" and it surfaces, even if those exact words were never written. Everything runs on your device. Write in plain markdown and watch it render as you type — no symbols, no preview pane, no modes. What you see is the file. Your notes stay portable .md, yours forever. FREE, and complete: • On-device semantic search — find notes by meaning • Live WYSIWYG markdown — bold, headings, lists, quotes, code • Tables, callouts, code blocks, footnotes, highlights, links • iCloud sync across your devices • Export to .md (raw or with rendered images), PDF, plain text ETCHED PRO — one-time purchase, yours forever: • Flashcards + spaced repetition — turn notes into memory • Diagrams from plain text (flowcharts, sequences, mind maps) • Typeset math and chemistry (LaTeX) • Charts from a few rows of data • Sheet music from ABC notation • Handwriting / sketches • Present mode — turn a note into full-screen slides • Per-note themes Reading every format is always free — Pro unlocks creating them. No subscription, ever. Pay once and keep it. Coming from Apple Notes, Obsidian, or Bear? Your markdown imports as plain .md, and you finally get search that finds notes by meaning — privately, with no account. Private by design: your notes never leave your devices except through your own iCloud. No account, no tracking, no ads. Your notes, etched in memory. — Made by Hyojin Mo. Support: support@vibeland.app

About

Vanta

Capture ideas and organize tasks with a clean, distraction-free notes app. Features include reminders, checklists, and dark mode for a focused experience. It's completely free and easy to use for all ages.

Highlights
  • Distraction-free interface
  • Reminders
  • Checklists
  • Dark mode
  • Simple organization
  • Formatting tools
Features
Read full description

Capture ideas, organize tasks, and stay focused with Vanta—a clean, distraction-free notes app with reminders, lists, dark mode, and no ads. Includes multiple features such as reminders, checklists, and various other formatting tools. It's easy to use and understand for users of all ages. Has zero micro transactions or ads being run making it a completely distraction free experience that is completely free to use. Has two different tabs for different types of notes being short term and long term. No overcomplex systems just simple minimalism in a dark mode.

Screenshots

Etched4 screens
Vanta4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Vanta at none against Etched's 1. Etched's advantage is device support (3 vs 1). On price, update cadence, 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Etched sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Vanta asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Etched ships an update every 2 days, Vanta every 4 days. Both last shipped on October 31, 2026.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Etched versus Vanta: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterEtchedVanta
PriceFreeFree
Rating—5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings—1 — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 days — betterEvery 4 days
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
Monetization—Free
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Mac — betteriPhone
Requires iOS17.0 — better18.0
Further details — not scored
Size87 MB1 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperSoyeon NohASTRID MARIE MINONDO WRIGHT-CROWE

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Etched

One-time1
  • Etched Pro$14.99
None

Vanta

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Etched free?
Etched is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Vanta free?
Vanta is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Etched or Vanta have ads?
Neither Etched nor Vanta shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Etched or Vanta?
Etched ships an update every 2 days, and Vanta every 4 days. Most recently, Etched was updated on October 31, 2026 and Vanta on October 31, 2026.

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