# Ai Search 2 vs MarginNote 4

The clearest difference is rating: MarginNote 4 at 4.5 against Ai Search 2's 3.6. MarginNote 4 also leads on ratings volume (716 vs 17). Ai Search 2's advantage is monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases) and review sentiment (80% vs 59%). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Ai Search 2 sells 2 one-off in-app purchases and MarginNote 4 sells 12 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

MarginNote 4 holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 3.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: MarginNote 4 has 716 ratings behind it against 17, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 80% of Ai Search 2's written reviews are positive against 59% of MarginNote 4's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Ai Search 2 ships an update fortnightly, MarginNote 4 every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on August 16, 2026 and September 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Ai Search 2 | MarginNote 4 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.6 (17 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ai-search-2-batch-browser/id1301128732/reviews) | **[4.5 (716 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/marginnote-4-ai-notesmindmap/id1531657269/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 17 | **716** |
| Positive reviews | **80.0% of reviews** | 58.8% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 12 MB | 330 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, Mac |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [YuanJing Co.,Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1113361349) | [Beijing Yunsi Software Technology Co., Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/723205556) |

## What reviewers say

### Ai Search 2

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ai-search-2-batch-browser/id1301128732)

This app offers a customizable search experience, allowing users to create personalized search workflows and query directly on trusted websites. It features batch searching, speed dial for frequently visited sites, and keyword-based search routing.

**Highlights:** Customizable search workflows, Batch searching on trusted websites, Speed dial for quick website access, Keyword-based search routing, iCloud sync across devices, System share extension for bookmarks

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Ai Search Pro - Coupon | $2.99 | one-time |
| Ai Search Pro | $3.99 | one-time |


### MarginNote 4

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/marginnote-4-ai-notesmindmap/id1531657269)

This app integrates reading, note-taking, mind mapping, and flashcards into a unified study environment. It supports active learning with features like study sets, book compilation, and dual-article views. Enhance your understanding with visual learning tools and AI-powered content extraction for long-term memory retention.

**Highlights:** Integrated reading, note-taking, mind mapping, and flashcards, Quick Extend Note and Handwriting Layers for annotation, Study Set for organizing PDFs, EPUBs, videos, and audio, Mind Map and Concept Diagram for visual learning, AI Content Detection for formula and chart extraction, FSRS spaced-repetition algorithm for reviews, iCloud sync across Apple devices

**Features:** Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (12)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Subscription to MAX (Monthly) | $1.99 | per month |
| Subscription to MAX (3 months) | $4.99 | per 3 months |
| Subscription to MAX (6 months) | $7.99 | per 6 months |
| Subscription to MAX (Annually) | $12.99 | per year |
| MarginNote Max Annual | $16.99 | per year |
| 14 days Free Trial | Free | one-time |
| Upgrade to PRO from MN3(iOS) | $4.99 | one-time |
| Unlock PRO Forever (New) | $12.99 | one-time |
| Upgrade to MAX from MN3(macOS) | $19.99 | one-time |
| Unlock MAX based on PRO | $39.99 | one-time |
| Unlock MAX based on PRO (New) | $40.00 | one-time |
| Unlock MAX Forever (New) | $51.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Powerful features
- 📚 Great for academic/research use
- 👍 Useful note-taking and organization
- 🖊️ Improved handwriting and annotation

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy and crashes frequently
- 🕰️ Slow and laggy sync between devices
- 🤯 Steep learning curve, poor documentation
- 💰 Expensive upgrade from previous version

**Reported bugs**

- Disappearing annotations when using extend function
- Inability to restore accidentally deleted mind maps
- Inconsistent behavior with PDF file management

**Requested features**

- Improved iCloud/cloud sync reliability
- More intuitive and user-friendly interface
- Better support for external document libraries
- Ability to disable auto-excerpt selection


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Ai Search 2 free?

Ai Search 2 is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is MarginNote 4 free?

MarginNote 4 is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Ai Search 2 or MarginNote 4?

MarginNote 4 is rated higher. Ai Search 2 averages 3.6 out of 5 from 17 ratings, while MarginNote 4 averages 4.5 from 716 ratings.

### Do Ai Search 2 or MarginNote 4 have ads?

Neither Ai Search 2 nor MarginNote 4 shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Ai Search 2 or MarginNote 4?

Ai Search 2 ships an update fortnightly, and MarginNote 4 every 3 weeks. Most recently, Ai Search 2 was updated on August 16, 2026 and MarginNote 4 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.*