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Updated July 2026 · real, multi-region App Store reviews
Head-to-head

Drafts vs Checkers

Drafts 4.8★ · Free + IAP 85
Winner Drafts
Checkers 4.8★ · Free + IAP 30

Drafts is the clear winner for productivity and note-taking, offering powerful customization and seamless syncing, while Checkers suffers from pervasive technical issues, aggressive ads, and poor moderation.

Full reviews: Drafts · Checkers

Drafts is a highly versatile and customizable text editor, praised for its speed, automation, and seamless syncing across Apple devices, despite some user interface and subscription model criticisms. Checkers, a game app, is plagued by excessive and intrusive ads, frequent connection issues, unfair draw mechanics, and a lack of moderation for offensive content.

Head to head

Features & Functionality edge: DraftsR2R5R8R10
Drafts Drafts is lauded as a powerful, extensible, and automatable text capture and editing tool, with users discovering new functionality regularly R2R8R53. It's described as an 'all-in-one text utility' perfect for organizing life, planning, and quick input R5. Many appreciate its ability to strip formatting and integrate with other apps and services like Shortcuts and Web APIs . However, some find its menu system messy and user interface unfriendly, especially for simple needs R10R19.
Checkers Checkers offers online multiplayer gameplay, but users report significant issues with core functionalities. The automatic draw setting is heavily criticized for ending games prematurely and unfairly, especially when a player is winning R67R72. There are also complaints about the inability to change names or participate in events , and a lack of a feature to count opponent captures .
Ease of Use edge: DraftsR5R10R16R19
Drafts Many users find Drafts incredibly user-friendly and simple for quick text entry and organization R5R53. It's praised for being a 'frictionless writing' environment R16 and the fastest way to get ideas out . However, some casual users find it 'bizarre' and 'user-unfriendly,' feeling it's primarily for those used to coding tools R10. The menu system is described as messy, and the UI design is criticized for poor typography and discoverability R19.
Checkers Checkers is generally seen as a straightforward game, but its usability is severely hampered by technical glitches and intrusive elements. Ads frequently cover menu buttons, making it difficult to interact with the game R63R76. Users also report issues with the app not loading, freezing, or timing out during games R79.
Reliability & Performance edge: DraftsR4R5R13R15
Drafts Drafts is generally considered reliable, with seamless syncing across devices R5R29 and being 'rock solid' for quick input . However, recent updates have introduced significant bugs for some users, including freezing and crashing with external keyboards R13, invisible text in the editor R4, issues with cursor placement R15, and the app crashing when using timestamps . Some older iPads experience slow startup times with new versions .
Checkers Checkers suffers from widespread reliability and performance issues. Users frequently report connection glitches, servers being down, and the game freezing or timing out, leading to losses R66R79. There are also complaints about the app not loading or displaying a constant 'WiFi and !' error . Several users claim the app is glitchy and crashes, making it unplayable R85.
Price & Value edge: DraftsR5R29R33R36
Drafts Drafts is a free app with in-app purchases, and its subscription model is a major point of contention. Many users express frustration with the recurring subscription cost, especially after having purchased previous versions R33R36. Some feel it's too expensive for a notes app or for casual users, preferring a one-time purchase option R36. However, paying users find the subscription worthwhile for its extensive features, seamless syncing, and essential role in their workflow R5R29.
Checkers Checkers is a free app with in-app purchases, but its value is severely undermined by aggressive advertising and broken VIP features. Many users complain about excessive ads, including banners that cover game controls R61R63R76. Paying for VIP to remove ads often fails, with users reporting ads still appearing or VIP perks not working, and no refunds or support R71R76. The app also attempts to collect personal information via cookies with no 'reject all' option .
Support & Communication edge: DraftsR1R9R21R22
Drafts Drafts' developer has shown some responsiveness, with one user updating their review to 5 stars after the developer explained how to turn off rating pushes R22. However, some users report losing all notes after reinstalling on a new phone , and issues with Dropbox connection R1 or cross-platform compatibility R9R21 suggest limitations in integration or support for non-Apple ecosystems.
Checkers Checkers' support appears to be severely lacking. Users report no response from support after purchasing VIP and experiencing issues . There are complaints about the developers not fixing known flaws like the forced draw issue and a perceived lack of developer activity, with clubs and rankings being unavailable . The app also has issues with account recovery, such as inability to log in with Facebook to retrieve coins .
Community & Moderation edge: DraftsR53R69R70R85
Drafts Drafts does not have a significant community aspect mentioned in reviews, but it benefits from user-submitted actions R53.
Checkers Checkers has a significant problem with moderation. Users report seeing groups and usernames containing slurs and rape threats with no repercussions R69. There are also widespread complaints about bots in the game and leaving fake positive reviews R70R85.
Pick Drafts if

You need a highly customizable, powerful text editor for quick capture, organization, and automation across Apple devices, and are willing to pay a subscription for advanced features R2R5R8.

Pick Checkers if

You are looking for a very basic, casual checkers game and are prepared to endure frequent ads, potential technical glitches, and a problematic online environment .

Evidence note: Drafts has a higher volume of detailed reviews, both positive and negative, providing a comprehensive view of its strengths and weaknesses. Checkers' reviews are heavily skewed towards negative experiences, particularly concerning ads, technical issues, and moderation, making it difficult to find positive feedback beyond generic statements.

Frequently asked

Is Drafts worth the subscription cost?
For many power users and those who integrate it deeply into their workflow, Drafts is considered worth the subscription for its extensive features, seamless syncing, and automation capabilities, with some users paying $1.99 R5R29. However, casual users and those who prefer one-time purchases often find the annual cost (e.g., £17.50 or nearly £20 mentioned by users) too high for a notes app R33R36.
Does Checkers have too many ads?
Yes, Checkers is heavily criticized for having too many ads, which are often intrusive, cover game controls, and appear even after users have paid for a VIP membership to remove them R61R63R71R76.
Can I use Drafts on non-Apple devices?
No, Drafts is primarily an Apple-only app, with users expressing disappointment about the lack of cross-platform compatibility, such as Windows or web versions R9R21.
Are there issues with online play in Checkers?
Yes, online play in Checkers is plagued with issues, including frequent connection glitches, servers being down, games freezing and timing out, and an unfair 'draw' feature that allows opponents to force a draw even when losing R66R67R72R79.

What reviewers actually said

Built only from these 110 real reviews (foreign ones translated). Superscripts jump to the quote here. Apple has no per-review links, so [ref] opens that app's reviews on the App Store.

  1. [R2] Drafts 5/5 · US A text editor on steroids.: I have never used anything like this. I’ve been using it for years now. It’s one of my most used apps. I discover new functionality that I didn’t know. existed on a regular basis in this app.
  2. [R5] Drafts 5/5 · US “It feels like a safe place for creativity and organization to coexist.”: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ I’ve tried a lot of note-taking apps, but Drafts has become my favorite. I love that it’s only $1.99, and everything syncs seamlessly between my iPhone and MacBook. That alone makes it worth it for me. I use it for all kinds of things, planning systems, planning guides, bills, important dates, routines, and regimens.
  3. [R8] Drafts 5/5 · US Never lose text you need: Simple, extensible, automatable, text capture and editing
  4. [R10] Drafts 1/5 · US Whut: Bizarre little app in how user-unfriendly it is. I suppose this is primarily for people that write code and are used to those sort of tools. I just wanted a straightforward app to write out full chapters of fanfic and my original stories. Guess I simply picked the wrong app. Idk. 🤷🏾‍♂️
  5. [R16] Drafts 1/5 · US Stop with the pop ups: I only use this for frictionless writing that doesn’t distract me so I can get my idea out before it goes because I have significant brain damage. If you cease to provide this functionality and make me lose another good idea I will cease to find this app relevant. I want an option to see updates WHEN I FEEL LIKE IT. Otherwise I DO NOT CARE. I ONLY care about not having a dis
  6. [R19] Drafts 1/5 · US Messy menu system: I’ve used this app for around a year or more and I still can’t make sense of how the menu system works
  7. [R4] Drafts 1/5 · US Everything is invisible: Something happened that I didn't do and now everything in the editor window is invisible. I cannot access any notes because the content is invisible. Adding content is invisible too. I tried toggling the modern editor (new TextKit) but that didn't change things.
  8. [R13] Drafts 1/5 · US Freezes in iPad IOS26.1 with External Kayboard: I have been a user for several years. That is until IOS26.0 and it freezing and crashing with external keyboard. They said it would be fixed in IOS26.1, but the problem still exists. I will be switching to Obsidian which is not as straight forward or simple to use, but at least it works.
  9. [R15] Drafts 3/5 · US New bug in v40 can’t placed cursor: I love this app. It’s my go-to when other apps aren’t letting me type out my ideas because of poorly designed interfaces or character restrictions. I can get just what I want here, then copy and paste where I need it. And until today it was 100% reliable. Now I can’t place the cursor back in my text where I want it. If I touch where I want it, it lands 5-6 l
  10. [R29] Drafts 5/5 · US Indispensable to my workflow: I use Drafts every day to switch seamlessly between my iPhone, iPad and MacBook to work on anything from short posts to long articles. It is a critical part of my workflow and one I pay for gladly.
  11. [R33] Drafts 3/5 · GB Coulda been a contender....: This is an upgrade I’d pay for ... but not month after month for the rest of my life.
  12. [R36] Drafts 3/5 · GB Priced for power users: I like Drafts 4 and would be happy to pay an upgrade feeof 9.99 or maybe even 14.99, but 17.50 a year recurring feels too much. I know it does great things and am sure it is worth it for some people, but I fear it's overshooting it for most users.
  13. [R1] Drafts 1/5 · US Absolutely Worthless wth Dropbox: This app will not connect in any way, shape, or form to Dropbox. If you use Dropbox for anything, hard pass on this. That’s not necessarily bad, but they advertise that it connects to Dropbox. Stole my money.
  14. [R9] Drafts 3/5 · US Not cross platform: Great app but not cross platform. Sadge.
  15. [R21] Drafts 3/5 · US Good app but lacks non-iOS compatibility: Overall I really like this app and want to use it more but the lack of support for a Windows version or Web version that could be accessed from a Windows PC is the main drawback. Hopefully the developers will add this functionality so the app could become even more of a core piece to my productivity stack.
  16. [R22] Drafts 1/5 · US pop up ratings push: I automatically give three stars to any app that interrupts me to try and get me to give it a rating. UPDATE the developer sent an email, explaining how to turn off the ratings push. Thank you. Back to a five star rating.
  17. [R53] Drafts 5/5 · US An unrivaled Swiss army knife for text: Drafts can be as simple as a blank page for superfast text entry or you can be a sophisticated system to manage notes hyperlinks, and all of it neatly organized within the system of works space and tags and super flexible filters. Because it is text everything you enter here can go anywhere. And you can transform the text using actions. There are hundreds o
  18. [R69] Checkers 3/5 · US It’s a good game with bad moderation: You guys should really moderate what group and user names can be, I’ve seen many groups contain litteral slurs and rape threats in their names and remain there with no repercussions. You should restrict derogatory names in general if you’re trying to be a professional and welcoming app, but at the very least you should have a mod. Not cool and can b trigger fo
  19. [R70] Checkers 1/5 · US bots: easy mode equals extreme hard mode
  20. [R85] Checkers 1/5 · US Glitchy and crashes: Bots are definitely giving this app fake positive reviews because there is so much wrong with this app it’s unplayable. DO NOT DOWNLOAD THIS APP
  21. [R61] Checkers 1/5 · US Too much advertising: Too much advertising
  22. [R63] Checkers 3/5 · US New update puts ads in inconvenient locations: Recently ad banners have began to appear at the bottom of the screen. while this is common for many game apps, these ones cover menu buttons while playing an online games, making it difficult to communicate with the other players or offer a draw, as these ads are laid directly overtop of these buttons.
  23. [R71] Checkers 5/5 · US Use to be a fun game: I paid my money not to have ads and I still get ads and I can’t create or join clubs no more I need this app to be what it use to be or I’m gone and I don’t have my refund
  24. [R76] Checkers 2/5 · US SCAM!!!!: I paid for the app which was “supposed” to remove the dreaded annoying adds. And it did for a small time. Skip to a few days later I’m in an intense game and I’m crunched on time I have to leave so I wanted to offer my opponent a draw and WHAT US BLOCKING THE BUTTON THATS ALLOWS TO YOU OFFER A DRAW A BODER ADD. I tried clicking it 5 times and it popped up the App Store for the stupid ga
  25. [R66] Checkers 3/5 · US Won’t connect online: Worked initially. Then I played offline. I wont go back online. Reinstalled, and still having the same issue
  26. [R67] Checkers 1/5 · US FIX YOUR AUTOMATIC DRAW SETTING!!: How many times do I have to absolutely beat someone only for the game to end in a draw because your settings are wack. If I have more checkers than someone and they start “offering a draw” that’s how the game ends if I don’t finish the game in less than 20 moves?! Countless times has this happened. The latest was the icing on the cake. I had 4 checkers and the op
  27. [R72] Checkers 3/5 · US Fix the draw issue please, this is a great game though: .. need to fix the unfair draw issue or allow more moves when the opponent is trying to draw. I seem to need at least 10 more moves to win yet the game ends in a draw because opponents keep hitting the draw button. Aside from that it’s a great game. This hasn’t been addressed so I have to reduce to 3 stars.
  28. [R79] Checkers 2/5 · US A lot of connection glitches: Need to fix that asap like come on. I can’t count how many times I had my opponent beat and then the connection mess up and time out and I loses. Please fix that

Synthesized from 110 recent App Store reviews · updated July 2026 · View on the App Store