# NIPE vs Cortex Designer

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Cortex Designer at none against NIPE's 1. NIPE's advantage is iOS requirement (12.0 vs 14.0). On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. NIPE sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $14.99 per year. Cortex Designer asks for nothing beyond the download.

NIPE ships an update every 2 months, Cortex Designer every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 26, 2026 and October 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | NIPE | Cortex Designer |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 months** | Every 3 months |
| Size | 67 MB | 50 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 14.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 17+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Intergence](https://appshunter.io/developer/6776703275) | [Sense Medical Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1551768763) |

## What reviewers say

### NIPE

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nipe-textbook-in-a-pocket/id1471004084)

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Subscription | $14.99 | per year |


### Cortex Designer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cortex-designer/id1555563880)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is NIPE free?

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

### Is Cortex Designer free?

Cortex Designer is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do NIPE or Cortex Designer have ads?

Neither NIPE nor Cortex Designer shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, NIPE or Cortex Designer?

NIPE ships an update every 2 months, and Cortex Designer every 3 months. Most recently, NIPE was updated on October 26, 2026 and Cortex Designer on October 3, 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.*