# TheBrain vs Rippin

TheBrain and Rippin both sit at 4.8 stars, but that hides the real split: 100% of Rippin's written reviews are positive against 44% of TheBrain's. Rippin also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 2). TheBrain's advantage is update cadence (fortnightly vs every 6 months) and ratings volume (171 vs 2). On price, rating, ads 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. Rippin asks for nothing beyond the download.

Rippin holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: TheBrain has 171 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 44% of TheBrain's written reviews are positive against 100% of Rippin's.

TheBrain ships an update fortnightly, Rippin every 6 months. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and October 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | TheBrain | Rippin |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (171 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/thebrain-smart-notes-and-links/id835873357/reviews) | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/rippin/id6759805369/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **171** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 44.3% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 6 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 254 MB | 12 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 18.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [TheBrain Technologies LP](https://appshunter.io/developer/579909034) | [Idessa LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/355788402) |

## 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


### Rippin

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/rippin/id6759805369)

Capture thoughts instantly with a blank page and keyboard ready. Swipe left to turn them into urgent tasks with alarms, or swipe right to save them as notes. Organize effortlessly with colorful folders and smart lists, all synced privately via iCloud.

**Highlights:** Instant thought capture, Swipe to task or note, Urgent task alarms, Folder organization, Smart lists, iCloud sync

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is TheBrain free?

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

### Is Rippin free?

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

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

Rippin is rated higher. TheBrain averages 4.8 out of 5 from 171 ratings, while Rippin averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do TheBrain or Rippin have ads?

Neither TheBrain nor Rippin shows ads.

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

TheBrain ships an update fortnightly, and Rippin every 6 months. Most recently, TheBrain was updated on November 1, 2026 and Rippin on October 7, 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.*