# Author vs Zavala

The clearest difference is price: Zavala at Free against Author's $19.99. Zavala also leads on rating (4.8 vs 3.0) and in-app purchases (none vs 2). On ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Zavala is free to download; Author costs $19.99 up front. Author sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Zavala asks for nothing beyond the download.

Zavala holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Zavala has 67 ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 73% of Author's written reviews are positive against 88% of Zavala's.

Author ships an update every 2 months, Zavala every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and September 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Author | Zavala |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $19.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [3.0 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/author/id951792010/reviews) | **[4.8 (67 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/zavala/id1546457750/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 5 | **67** |
| Positive reviews | 73.1% of reviews | **87.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 4 MB | 18 MB |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | 26.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Mac, Vision Pro** | iPhone, iPad, Mac |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [The Augmented Text Company LTD](https://appshunter.io/developer/459748478) | [Vincode, Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1434335357) |

## What reviewers say

### Author

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/author/id951792010)

This app serves as a companion to its macOS counterpart, offering a minimalist and powerful writing experience on iOS devices. It allows users to create and manage their written content seamlessly across platforms.

**Highlights:** Minimalist writing interface, Powerful writing tools, iOS companion app, Syncs with macOS version

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Export & AI | Free | one-time |
| Eng | $1.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- ✨ Clean, minimalist interface design
- 💡 Innovative concept mapping and mind mapping features
- 📚 Excellent citation and reference management
- ⌨️ Useful keyboard shortcuts and productivity features
- 🎯 Powerful outlining and document folding capabilities

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and data loss issues
- 📱 iOS/iPad app severely broken and non-functional
- 🔄 Syncing problems between devices
- 🎨 Limited formatting and customization options
- 📊 Poor image handling capabilities

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes frequently, causing data loss
- iOS app shows blank screen and won't open documents
- iPad app completely non-functional
- Text disappears or becomes greyed out during iCloud saves
- Vision OS app lacks cursor for text input

**Requested features**

- iPad and iOS app that actually works
- Typewriter scrolling mode
- Variable screen width for large displays
- Complete LaTeX export with full file support
- Markdown support


### Zavala

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/zavala/id1546457750)

This app offers a modern approach to outlining, providing a full suite of features. It supports gestures, keyboard shortcuts, and multiple windows for efficient organization and content creation. Easily import and export in various formats, sync across devices, and customize your outlining experience.

**Highlights:** OPML Import & Export, Markdown Export, iCloud Syncing & Sharing, Nested Tags, Image Embedding, Keyboard Shortcuts, Drag and Drop

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Author free?

Author costs $19.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Is Zavala free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Author or Zavala?

Zavala is rated higher. Author averages 3.0 out of 5 from 5 ratings, while Zavala averages 4.8 from 67 ratings.

### Do Author or Zavala have ads?

Neither Author nor Zavala shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Author or Zavala?

Author ships an update every 2 months, and Zavala every 2 weeks. Most recently, Author was updated on September 22, 2026 and Zavala on September 25, 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.*