# TheBrain vs BerryBox

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: BerryBox at none against TheBrain's 2. BerryBox also leads on update cadence (every 4 days vs monthly) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). TheBrain's advantage is ads (none vs shown). On price and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. TheBrain sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $17.99 per month. BerryBox asks for nothing beyond the download.

TheBrain ships an update monthly, BerryBox every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and September 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | TheBrain | BerryBox |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (166 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/thebrain-smart-notes-and-links/id835873357/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **166** | — |
| Positive reviews | 44.3% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Every 4 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Ad-supported** |
| Size | 261 MB | 76 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [TheBrain Technologies LP](https://appshunter.io/developer/579909034) | [Seungrae Cho](https://appshunter.io/developer/1620778100) |

## 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


### BerryBox

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/berrybox-second-brain/id6463117324)

Organize your thoughts, ideas, and to-dos with this digital notes app. AI can summarize your notes, and you can recreate content based on saved information. Manage everything in one place to maximize productivity.

**Highlights:** AI note summarization, Toodle List organization, Eisenhower matrix view, Highlight important to-dos, Recurring appointments, Recreate notes with CODE METHOD

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is TheBrain free?

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

### Is BerryBox free?

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

### Do TheBrain or BerryBox have ads?

BerryBox shows ads; TheBrain does not.

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

TheBrain ships an update monthly, and BerryBox every 4 days. Most recently, TheBrain was updated on October 17, 2026 and BerryBox on September 30, 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.*