Comparison

Jargon vs Justdown

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

Head to head
About

Jargon

Features
Read full description

Jargon is a fully offline reader for the Jargon File β€” the hacker culture dictionary that gave the word "hacker" its original meaning, decades before it came to mean "cracker." Compiled by Eric S. Raymond and Guy L. Steele and continued today as a community project, it's the closest thing hacking has to an etymology. Over 2,300 entries, all bundled in the app: * Browse alphabetically with a fast-scroll index * Instant search across terms and definitions, with your recent lookups kept handy * Tap any cross-referenced term to jump straight to it * Share or copy any definition * Favorite entries for quick access later * "Surprise me" with a random entry β€” or long-press the app icon for one Zero permissions. Zero network access, ever β€” the dictionary ships inside the app, favorites stay on your device, nothing is ever sent anywhere. No accounts, no ads, no analytics. Dictionary content is CC BY-SA 4.0 from the Jargon File community edition (github.com/agiacalone/jargonfile). App source is GPL-3.0.

About

Justdown

Features
Read full description

Justdown is a markdown note-taking app built for Japanese language learners. - Aozora Bunko / Pixiv notation: ζΌ’ε­—γ€Šγ‹γ‚“γ˜γ€‹ renders as ruby text over the kanji - Use the vertical bar to mark the base explicitly - Standard HTML ruby tags are also supported for pasted content - Quotation marks γ€Œγ€γ€Žγ€ are never touched, so you can write natural Japanese freely MARKDOWN EDITOR - Live preview with GitHub-flavored markdown: headings, lists, tables, quotes - Syntax-highlighted code blocks (light and dark themes) - Keyboard toolbar for one-tap input of furigana brackets, headings, bold, and code blocks, so you never fight the Japanese keyboard for special characters BUILT FOR STUDYING - Table of contents panel: jump to any heading instantly - In-note search with match count, working in both editor and preview - Full-text search across all notes - Auto-save as you type PRIVATE BY DESIGN - All notes are stored locally on your device - No account, no ads, no analytics, no network access

Screenshots

Jargon4 screens
Justdown4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Justdown at every 2 days against Jargon's fortnightly. On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support 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

Jargon ships an update fortnightly, Justdown every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on October 25, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference Β· 5 level
Jargon versus Justdown: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterJargonJustdown
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyFortnightlyEvery 2 days β€” better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS17.016.4 β€” better
Further details β€” not scored
Size2 MB31 MB
Age rating12+4+
DeveloperMathew BrownHyungwon Jang

In-app purchases

None

Jargon

No in-app purchases

None

Justdown

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Jargon free?
Jargon is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Justdown free?
Justdown is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Jargon or Justdown have ads?
Neither Jargon nor Justdown shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Jargon or Justdown?
Jargon ships an update fortnightly, and Justdown every 2 days. Most recently, Jargon was updated on October 25, 2026 and Justdown on October 15, 2026.

Other comparisons