# Pensieve vs DotList

The clearest difference is monetization model: DotList at free against Pensieve's free with in-app purchases. Pensieve's advantage is device support (4 vs 2) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 18.2). On price, rating, review sentiment and ratings volume there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Pensieve sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month and DotList sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Pensieve against 4.8 for DotList. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 82 and 56 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 91% of Pensieve's written reviews are positive against 94% of DotList's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and September 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Pensieve | DotList |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (82 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pensieve-email-me-notes/id797364106/reviews) | **[4.8 (56 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dotlist/id6450725266/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **82** | 56 |
| Positive reviews | 91.2% of reviews | **93.8% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | Every 6 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 33 MB | 13 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 18.2 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Window Seat Labs, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/797364109) | [Danz L.L.C.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1694626823) |

## What reviewers say

### Pensieve

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pensieve-email-me-notes/id797364106)

Easily capture fleeting thoughts, ideas, and to-dos by emailing them to yourself. This app provides quick capture tools like audio recording, photo attachments, and text pasting, ensuring your ideas are saved without interrupting your flow. It prioritizes user privacy with no data mining or ads.

**Highlights:** Audio recording with speech-to-text, Built-in camera for photo attachments, Attachment picker for photos and files, Quick paste for text, links, and images, Email from Apple Watch, Share extension for in-app capture, Customizable email formatting, Offline capture

**Features:** Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Boost Monthly | $0.99 | per month |
| All Access Monthly | $2.99 | per month |
| Boost Yearly | $9.99 | per year |
| All Access Yearly | $24.99 | per year |


### DotList

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dotlist/id6450725266)

This digital checklist app helps you organize all your notes and tasks in one place. Manage work, groceries, and plans with customizable lists, sorting, and sharing options. Keep your life organized with an intuitive interface and helpful features like drag-and-drop and undo.

**Highlights:** All-in-one list management, Multi-themed display options, Customizable sorting by status or alphabetically, Personalized list control (rename, reorder, add, delete), Shareable lists via text or email, Drag-and-drop rearranging, Pin important tasks, Undo function for accidental changes

**Features:** Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| DotList Pro | $4.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Pensieve free?

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

### Is DotList free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Pensieve or DotList?

DotList is rated higher. Pensieve averages 4.7 out of 5 from 82 ratings, while DotList averages 4.8 from 56 ratings.

### Do Pensieve or DotList have ads?

Neither Pensieve nor DotList shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Pensieve or DotList?

Pensieve ships an update every 6 weeks, and DotList every 6 weeks. Most recently, Pensieve was updated on October 15, 2026 and DotList on September 30, 2026.

---

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