Tweek 2.1 review: Relive the paper planner experience

Tweek is a digital planner with a paper experience

In a digital world where traditional paper planners are mostly a foregone relic, Tweek takes a different approach. While many digital planners boast copious features promising to save time and increase productivity, Tweek aims to return to basics and simplify your workflow.

If Tweek's contemporary logo is any clue, this app prides itself in its minimal aesthetic and bare-bones features. This weekly planner app offers limited features on purpose because it endeavors to mimic the experience of using a traditional weekly planner.

Instead of Tweek, users could opt for Apple's Notes or Reminders for free, but those apps lack Tweek's paper-like weekly planner layout. If old-school nostalgia is what you seek, consider this digital planner with basic features.

Weekly planner and sticky notes

Tweek's layout is bare and minimal. The home screen resembles a page of your grandmother's average paper planner. From here, you could directly enter events on thin lines under each month and date.

Planning activities using this app conjures up the nostalgia of simpler times. This can be soothing if you are tired of complex floating boxes and buttons so common in the digital world.

There is an option to print blank templates for your weekly calendar or enter your events into your weekly planner and then print it out. It's a head-scratcher why someone would need to print hard copies while using a digital planner, but it could help those adjusting from solely planning on paper to using a digital planner. Even so, many other apps and software allow you to print weekly templates for free, such as Canva or Pinterest.

Furthering the paper experience on this digital app, Tweek attempts to mimic features reminiscent of classic sticky notes. In addition to boxes that look like neon sticky notes, you can highlight text just like you would on paper.

Understandably, these boxes and highlights come in bright colors, but they might be too jarring when viewed on a screen. Neon colors in real life work well because they aren't as harsh on the eyes, but that's not the case when using a bright screen.

Adding to the issue of ultra-saturated colors that could cause eye strain on a screen, the free version only allows for a white background. Users need to upgrade to the paid version to turn on dark mode.

Limited premium version

Paying for the premium version unlocks features such as adding unlimited calendars, recurring tasks and reminders, and adding notes and subtasks. However, paying for Tweek may not be worth it.

For one thing, upgrading to Tweek's premium version for unlimited calendars seems counterintuitive. If a user's workflow is so complex that it requires more than two calendars, Tweek's scanty features likely won't be enough to keep up.

Another limitation of this app is that it is best used solely on an iPhone. Tweek does have an iPad version, and iCloud syncing was smooth between the iPhone and iPad. However, don't count on using Tweek on your iPad because it is still under construction, according to Tweek's website.

When Tweek was opened on an iPad, there were awkward gaps of white space. Tapping on a line to add text often resulted in everything disappearing, leaving you with a completely blank screen.

If you need a digital planner that works on multiple devices, Tweek is not a viable option at its current development stage.

Using Tweek on an iPhone feels like using a traditional weekly planner, which can be a refreshing change for modern users. While Tweek needs further improvements and current features are scarce, it might be worth a try for those attracted to contemporary designs and who want the experience of primitive planning.

Tweek - Pros

Tweek - Cons

Rating: 2 out of 5

Where to download

Download Tweek for free or subscribe to their premium version, with prices starting at $2.83 per month.