Comparison

Sorting Thoughts vs Scout

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

Head to head
About

Sorting Thoughts

This app helps you organize your thoughts, tasks, and projects with a focus on privacy and security. It offers features like color-coding, password protection, and end-to-end encrypted syncing across devices.

Highlights
  • Private note-taking
  • End-to-end encrypted sync
  • Password protection
  • Color markers
  • Multiple collections
  • Task and project management
  • Attachments
Features
Read full description

Simple, practical, private and sync-able that is Sorting Thoughts - a note taking app for private notes. Sorting Thoughts is a personal information and knowledge management app. It is designed to manage your thoughts such as moments of sudden inspirations, tasks, events, projects and anything else you may think of. The main aim of Sorting Thoughts is on delivering a trustworthy tool for your daily life in the knowledge-based society through security and simplicity. Furthermore, the sync service of Sorting Thoughts lets you sync all entries between multiple iOS devices and the desktop version. Privacy is a high value and for an app which collects personal notes essential. Sorting Thoughts abstains on cloud storage. All entered data stay on your device. The optional sync service used encrypted communication and a full end-to-end encryption. Only the device owner with the private key can decrypt the synced data. Additionally, the sync service collects no personal data like email addresses and the synced data will be automatically removed after a successful sync. The ensuring of privacy is a big concern for me as developer of Sorting Thoughts, because I'm a user too and enter my notes every day in Sorting Thoughts. Security feature summary: - no cloud storage - usage of Apple Data Protection - password protection (available with the Min Pack) - the optional sync service used a full end-to-end encryption with standardized technologies like RSA, AES and SSL/TLS Sorting Thoughts provides the following feature packs which are available via in-app purchasements: == 1. Free Pack == With the free feature package you can manage simple thoughts in a single thought collection. This package provides only the basic features and it is ideal to testing Sorting Thoughts. == 2. Min Pack == This package contains the password lock and color marker feature. It is ideal for users who want only manage simple thoughts with a password lock. == 3. Max Pack == This package contains all features of Sorting Thoughts but without the sync service. It is ideal for user who needs a powerful note taking app for the daily life. Feature list: Color marker - lets you mark thoughts with colors in the thought navigation tree Password lock - allows the locking of a collection Muliple collections - create multiple collections to separate work and private thoughts Projects, tasks and events - manage your projects, tasks and events and see what are your next tasks Attachments - add photos to your thoughts Tagging - use tags to find thoughts quicker Sub thoughts - create thought trees for a better thought structure Thought versions - remember the thought changes to reconstruct a train of thought == 4. Max Pack + Sync Service == With a one month or one year subscription you get all features of the "Max Pack" and the sync service. The sync service let's you sync thoughts between iOS devices and the desktop version of Sorting Thoughts 2.0. Your thought collections are synchronously on all your iOS devices and you can work across multiple devices. The service is developed by the 'privacy first' principle, that means no personal data are needed and the data transfer is completely end-to-end encrypted. Only the device owner can decrypt the sync data because only the owner holds the private key. Furthermore, the sync data will be deleted after a successful sync or after 30 days if the target device don't pick-up the data. The sync service fulfilled the strict European and German data protection guidelines. Sorting Thoughts required iOS / iPadOS 15.6 or newer. It comes in German or English. Privacy Policy: https://www.sortingthoughts.de/blog/datenschutz/ Terms of Service: https://www.sortingthoughts.de/blog/agb/

About

Scout

This app offers a frictionless note-taking experience using the Zettelkasten method. It focuses on quick idea capture and instant linking to build a connected web of knowledge, optimized for mobile use.

Highlights
  • Zero-friction note capture
  • Superconductive idea linking
  • iPhone-first design
  • Minimalist interface
  • Zettelkasten method implementation
Features
Read full description

FROM CHAOS TO SUPERCONDUCTIVITY As a leader, your greatest asset is your thought process. But traditional note-taking apps are viscous—full of friction, complexity, and noise. Scout is different. Built by a mathematician for strategic thinkers, it brings the Zettelkasten method to your iPhone in its purest form. Why Scout? - Zero-Viscosity Capture: Open and write. No folders to manage, no loading screens to wait for. - Superconductive Linking: Connect ideas instantly. Create a web of knowledge that grows stronger over time. - iPhone-First Philosophy: While others build complex desktop suites, Scout is designed for the device in your pocket—where your best ideas actually happen. - Academic & Minimal: No distractions. Just you and your logic. Stop losing your best ideas to friction. Scout: Your pocket superconductor. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Sorting Thoughts4 screens
Scout4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Sorting Thoughts at 3.5 against Scout's 1.0. Sorting Thoughts also leads on review sentiment (40% vs 0%) and ratings volume (4 vs 1). Scout's advantage is update cadence (every 5 weeks vs every 4 months). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Sorting Thoughts sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month and Scout sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Sorting Thoughts holds the better App Store score, 3.5 against 1.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 4 and 1 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 40% of Sorting Thoughts's written reviews are positive against 0% of Scout's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Sorting Thoughts ships an update every 4 months, Scout every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and October 2, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Sorting Thoughts versus Scout: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSorting ThoughtsScout
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.5 (4 ratings) — better1.0 (1 ratings)
Positive reviews40.0% of reviews — better0.0% of reviews
Number of ratings4 — better1
Update frequencyEvery 4 monthsEvery 5 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFreemium
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.6 — better26.2
Further details — not scored
Size3 MB4 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperHendrik EbelCHIYODA NAME PLATE SEISAKUSHO, K.K.

Customer experience

Sorting Thoughts

All ratings4 ratings
Positive50.0%
Neutral25.0%
Negative25.0%
Written reviews5 reviews
Positive40.0%
Neutral40.0%
Negative20.0%

Scout

All ratings1 ratings
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%

In-app purchases

6 purchases

Sorting Thoughts

Subscriptions2
  • Max Pack + Sync 1 month$1.991 Month
  • Max Pack + Sync 1 year$13.991 Year
One-time4
  • Min Pack$0.99
  • Max Pack + Sync 1 month$1.99
  • Max Pack$6.99
Show 1 more
  • Max Pack + Sync 1 year$13.99
3 purchases

Scout

Subscriptions2
  • Scout Premium Monthly$9.991 Month
  • Scout Premium Yearly$99.991 Year
One-time1
  • Lifetime VIP pass$199.99

Questions

Is Sorting Thoughts free?
Sorting Thoughts is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Scout free?
Scout is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Sorting Thoughts or Scout?
Sorting Thoughts is rated higher. Sorting Thoughts averages 3.5 out of 5 from 4 ratings, while Scout averages 1.0 from 1 ratings.
Do Sorting Thoughts or Scout have ads?
Neither Sorting Thoughts nor Scout shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Sorting Thoughts or Scout?
Sorting Thoughts ships an update every 4 months, and Scout every 5 weeks. Most recently, Sorting Thoughts was updated on September 25, 2026 and Scout on October 2, 2026.

Other comparisons