# TheBrain vs Brainstorming

The clearest difference is rating: TheBrain at 4.8 against Brainstorming's 4.1. TheBrain also leads on review sentiment (45% vs 26%). Brainstorming's advantage is update cadence (every 9 days vs monthly). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. TheBrain sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $17.99 per month and Brainstorming sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

TheBrain holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.1. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 150 and 71 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 45% of TheBrain's written reviews are positive against 26% of Brainstorming's.

TheBrain ships an update monthly, Brainstorming every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and September 19, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | TheBrain | Brainstorming |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (150 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/thebrain-smart-notes-and-links/id835873357/reviews)** | [4.1 (71 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/brainstorming/id1438964773/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **150** | 71 |
| Positive reviews | **44.7% of reviews** | 26.1% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Every 9 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Size | 240 MB | 136 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [TheBrain Technologies LP](https://appshunter.io/developer/579909034) | [Guillaume Cendre](https://appshunter.io/developer/1287563086) |

## What reviewers say

### TheBrain

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/thebrain-smart-notes-and-links/id835873357)

This app helps you capture, connect, and visualize all your ideas, notes, and files across devices. It acts as a digital memory, showing related items and allowing for dynamic mind mapping and powerful search to help you recall information instantly.

**Highlights:** Award-winning visualization, Networked notes with backlinks, Dynamic mind mapping, Easy idea capture, Cross-device sync, Powerful search, Visual file management

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| TheBrain Pro Monthly | $17.99 | per month |
| TheBrain Pro Annual | $189.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Seamless navigation
- 🔒 Secure cloud sync
- 👍 Intuitive interface
- 🚀 Powerful features
- 👍 Excellent for knowledge management

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes and freezes
- 🐛 Buggy on iOS 9
- 💰 Expensive subscription
- 🐛 Limited functionality on mobile
- 🐛 Confusing UI and navigation

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes on iOS 9
- Inability to open brains
- Freezing after each action
- Login and account issues
- Sync problems

**Requested features**

- Offline mode
- Improved mobile UI and UX
- Better integration with other apps
- More affordable pricing options
- Enhanced search and filtering


### Brainstorming

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/brainstorming/id1438964773)

This app helps you explore and develop ideas through interactive word clouds and suggestions. You can add various media like images, links, and voice memos to enrich your concepts. It's designed to streamline creative processes for projects, naming, and investigations.

**Highlights:** Interactive idea exploration, Thematic word cloud generation, AI-powered suggestions, Multimedia content integration, Project sharing, Export as image, video, or PDF

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Brainstorming Premium | $1.99 | per month |
| Brainstorming Platinum | $3.99 | per month |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is TheBrain free?

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

### Is Brainstorming free?

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

### Which has better reviews, TheBrain or Brainstorming?

TheBrain is rated higher. TheBrain averages 4.8 out of 5 from 150 ratings, while Brainstorming averages 4.1 from 71 ratings.

### Do TheBrain or Brainstorming have ads?

Neither TheBrain nor Brainstorming shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, TheBrain or Brainstorming?

TheBrain ships an update monthly, and Brainstorming every 9 days. Most recently, TheBrain was updated on September 25, 2026 and Brainstorming on September 19, 2026.

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