# ZenNotes vs HomeLab Watcher

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: ZenNotes at none against HomeLab Watcher's 1. ZenNotes also leads on update cadence (every 2 days vs every 5 days) and ratings volume (12 vs 2). On price, rating, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. HomeLab Watcher sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. ZenNotes asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for ZenNotes against 5.0 for HomeLab Watcher. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: ZenNotes has 12 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two.

ZenNotes ships an update every 2 days, HomeLab Watcher every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on November 13, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ZenNotes | HomeLab Watcher |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.9 (12 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/zennotes-markdown-notes/id6791751575/reviews) | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/homelab-watcher/id6795194546/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **12** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 days** | Every 5 days |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 93 MB | 15 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Lumary Labs LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1874151885) | [YANCY SHEPHERD](https://appshunter.io/developer/1845759346) |

## What reviewers say

### ZenNotes

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/zennotes-markdown-notes/id6791751575)

This app allows you to write, organize, and connect ideas using plain markdown files stored locally or via iCloud. An optional cloud service offers syncing, backups, and web publishing.

**Highlights:** Local-first markdown notes, iCloud Drive integration, Optional cloud sync and backup, Web publishing for notes, Rich markdown editor, Offline preview with math and diagrams, Home screen widgets

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### HomeLab Watcher

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/homelab-watcher/id6795194546)

Monitor the health of your homelab resources with a private, one-glance dashboard. View HTTP services, Beszel machines, and Proxmox VE nodes, with customizable widgets for your home and lock screens. All data and configuration remain on your device.

**Highlights:** Unified dashboard for HTTP, Beszel, and Proxmox VE, Real-time status and observation age, Home Screen, Lock Screen, and interactive widgets, Direct refresh from iPhone, Private by design: no accounts, cloud, or analytics, Read-only status checks

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing, Apple Watch app

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| HomeLab Watcher Lifetime | $4.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ZenNotes free?

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

### Is HomeLab Watcher free?

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

### Which has better reviews, ZenNotes or HomeLab Watcher?

HomeLab Watcher is rated higher. ZenNotes averages 4.9 out of 5 from 12 ratings, while HomeLab Watcher averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do ZenNotes or HomeLab Watcher have ads?

Neither ZenNotes nor HomeLab Watcher shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, ZenNotes or HomeLab Watcher?

ZenNotes ships an update every 2 days, and HomeLab Watcher every 5 days. Most recently, ZenNotes was updated on November 13, 2026 and HomeLab Watcher on October 31, 2026.

---

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