Comparison

zines vs elsehear

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

Head to head
About

zines

Features
Read full description

A simple app for keeping track of your everyday life. Write entries, save photos, collect links, and organize the moments that matter to you. Whether it’s a quick note or a detailed journal, Zines gives you a flexible way to keep everything in one place. No complicated setup. No required format. Just capture your day, your way.

About

elsehear

Features
Read full description

Listen to real places around the world, live. Browse places around the world and tune into their live soundscapes. Discover the coordinates and stories behind the sounds you hear. Tap "Take me somewhere" and let Elsehear choose your next destination. Save your favorite places and return to them whenever you like. Favorites sync across your iPhones when you sign in with the same Apple account. See your current place and playback status on the Lock Screen with Live Activities. Browse places and control playback on your paired iPhone with the Apple Watch companion. Available in English, Korean, Japanese, Simplified Chinese, Spanish, French, and German. Elsehear is an art project for sharing the sounds of the world. With thanks to Locus Sonus and the contributors who keep these open microphones listening. Sign in with Apple and an internet connection are required. Audio comes from live sources, so sounds and stream availability vary. Be here, hear elsewhere.

Screenshots

zines4 screens
elsehear4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: elsehear at none against zines's shown. elsehear also leads on device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (17.0 vs 26.4). zines's advantage is update cadence (daily vs every 3 days). On price and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

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

CostPrice Β· In-app purchases Β· Ads Β· Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

zines ships an update daily, elsehear every 3 days. Both last shipped on October 31, 2026.

Scorecard4 real differences Β· 2 level
zines versus elsehear: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
Parameterzineselsehear
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyDaily β€” betterEvery 3 days
AdsYesNo β€” better
In-app purchasesNoNo
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPad, Apple Watch β€” better
Requires iOS26.417.0 β€” better
Further details β€” not scored
Size30 MB40 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMingyu Leedohyun ahn

In-app purchases

None

zines

No in-app purchases

None

elsehear

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is zines free?
zines is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is elsehear free?
elsehear is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do zines or elsehear have ads?
zines shows ads; elsehear does not.
Which is updated more often, zines or elsehear?
zines ships an update daily, and elsehear every 3 days. Most recently, zines was updated on October 31, 2026 and elsehear on October 31, 2026.

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