Data Jar vs AI Actions for Shortcuts
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Data Jar
This app acts as a persistent data store for your automation workflows. It allows you to save and retrieve various data types, including text, numbers, lists, dictionaries, and files, directly from your automation tools. Data is synced across devices via iCloud and can be accessed from the Files app.
- Persist key-value pairs
- Supports text, numbers, booleans, lists, dictionaries, and files
- Direct integration with automation tools
- iCloud Drive storage and sync
- Multi-window and drag-and-drop support on iPad
- Access via Files app
Read full descriptionHide full description
Data Jar is a data store designed to be used with Shortcuts. The data store lets you persist key-value pairs. If you have used dictionaries and lists in Shortcuts, then you’ll find that the data format used by Data Jar is very similar. - Extensive support for Shortcuts, enabling you to read and update data directly from Shortcuts. - Store text, numbers, booleans, lists, dictionaries and even files. - Files are stored in iCloud Drive and can be accessed from the Files app. - Support for multiple windows and drag and drop on the iPad. - Synchronisation between devices using iCloud. Data Jar is free to use but contains a tip jar where users can pay a few bucks to support the developer.
AI Actions for Shortcuts
Enhance your iOS Shortcuts with advanced AI capabilities. This app integrates with your existing OpenAI API key to provide powerful new actions for your automations. Note that it does not support Apple Watch or HomePod.
- AI-powered actions for Shortcuts
- Integrates with OpenAI API key
- Adds new automation capabilities
- Supports iPhone and iPad
Read full descriptionHide full description
Supercharge your shortcuts with useful AI-powered actions. It provides additional actions for the Shortcuts app. Note: The app requires you to specify your own OpenAI API key. The actions are not able to run on Apple Watch or HomePod. Restart your device if the actions don't show up in the Shortcuts app.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: AI Actions for Shortcuts at none against Data Jar's 3. Data Jar's advantage is ratings volume (868 vs 27) and rating (4.9 vs 4.6). On price and ads there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Data Jar sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. AI Actions for Shortcuts asks for nothing beyond the download.
Data Jar holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Data Jar has 868 ratings behind it against 27, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 89% of Data Jar's written reviews are positive against 77% of AI Actions for Shortcuts's.
Data Jar ships an update every 9 days, AI Actions for Shortcuts every 4 weeks. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.
| Parameter | Data Jar | AI Actions for Shortcuts |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.9 (868 ratings) — better | 4.6 (27 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 89.1% of reviews — better | 77.3% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 868 — better | 27 |
| Update frequency | Every 9 days — better | Every 4 weeks |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 — better | 27.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 7 MB | 7 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Simon B. Støvring | Sindre Sorhus |
Customer experience
Data Jar
AI Actions for Shortcuts
Bugs and requests
Data Jar
Reported bugs
2 issues- Files getting automatically deleted with large numbers
- Issues with saving base64 encoded images
Requested features
5 requests- Ability to add individual values to existing dictionaries
- Device-specific variables
- Folder organization for values
- Boolean action to set values
- Widget support
AI Actions for Shortcuts
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Data Jar
- Small Tip$0.99
- Medium Tip$2.99
- Large Tip$4.99
AI Actions for Shortcuts
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Data Jar free?
Is AI Actions for Shortcuts free?
Which has better reviews, Data Jar or AI Actions for Shortcuts?
Do Data Jar or AI Actions for Shortcuts have ads?
Which is updated more often, Data Jar or AI Actions for Shortcuts?
Other comparisons
