Ordo: Brain Dump is a free iPhone app for capturing mixed thoughts by typing or speaking. It separates a dump into individual items and sorts them into Now, Next, and Someday. No account is required.
Choose Ordo when
You want your dump separated into movable items, sorted automatically, and connected to reminders.
Choose paper when
You want zero data transmission, complete offline use, a free-form page, and no phone distraction.
The main difference
A paper brain dump ends as a page you review yourself. Ordo turns the dump into separate cards and proposes where each belongs: Now, Next, or Someday.
| Need | Ordo | Paper |
|---|---|---|
| Automatic sorting | Yes, with a connection | No |
| Completely offline | Capture works; sorting waits | Yes |
| No data leaves the tool | Dump text is processed to sort it | Yes, unless you share the page |
| Voice capture | Yes | No |
| Reminders | Yes | No automatic reminder |
| Free-form drawing | Not its purpose | Better fit |
Where paper is better
Paper is private by default, fully offline, flexible, inexpensive, and free of notifications or other phone distractions. It is also better for diagrams, arrows, sketches, and spatial thinking.
Where Ordo is better
Ordo handles the review step. It separates one stream into individual cards, proposes when each matters, keeps the list with you, and can turn a time into a reminder or alarm.
Which should you use?
If writing by hand helps you think and you enjoy reviewing the page, use paper. If the paper tends to disappear or the sorting step stops you from starting, try Ordo. Both follow the same useful order: capture first, organize second.
Try a sorted brain dump
Ordo is free on iPhone and does not require an account.
Download on the App Store