Design Fee vs Astari
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Design Fee
Streamline your design fee calculations with this powerful tool. Generate professional PDF estimates, manage job details visually, and utilize advanced calculators for materials and labor. Syncs seamlessly across iOS devices via iCloud.
- CloudKit integration for cross-device sync
- Card-based job management with visual identification
- Expandable project summary sections
- Professional PDF estimate generation
- Email integration for client communication
- Advanced material and labor calculators
- Customizable pricing and cost controls
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MODERN ARCHITECTURE Completely rewritten in SwiftUI with SwiftData and CloudKit integration for seamless synchronization across all your iOS devices through iCloud. Start an estimate on your iPhone at the job site, refine it on your iPad in the office, and everything stays perfectly in sync. Your estimates, photos, and client information are automatically backed up to iCloud. ENHANCED JOB MANAGEMENT Jobs now features a card-based interface with cover photos for visual identification. Each card displays project name, client, color-coded status badge (Estimating, Approved, In Progress, Completed), and total in an elegant layout. REVOLUTIONARY PROJECT SUMMARY Completely redesigned with expandable sections replacing old page-by-page navigation. Materials, Labor, Equipment, and Plant Material are organized into collapsible categories. The Materials section intelligently groups similar items with automatic subtotals. Every line item shows quantity, unit, rate, and comprehensive calculator details. PROFESSIONAL PDF GENERATION Generate client-ready PDF estimates with one tap. PDFs include your company logo, detailed line items organized by category, complete cost analysis with taxes and overhead, and professional formatting. Share via Files, email, AirDrop, or print directly from your device. EMAIL INTEGRATION Send estimates directly to clients with pre-formatted professional emails. The system auto-fills client email addresses, creates compelling subject lines, and generates beautiful HTML emails with your company branding. ADVANCED CALCULATORS - Imperial or Metric Paving Stone Calculator - Complete six-layer hardscape system including excavation, gravel base with compaction, leveling course, geotextile fabric, polymeric sand and edge restraint calculations in ONE STEP. Separate, detailed line items represent individual waste percentages. Topsoil Calculator - Multiple areas with individual depth control, automatic calculations, configurable waste percentages Gravel Calculator - Driveways, pathways, drainage with depth and compaction considerations INTELLIGENT LINE ITEMS Items are automatically categorized by type with automatic subtotals. Edit quantities, rates, and notes directly while maintaining detailed calculator information for complete transparency. ENHANCED COST CONTROLS Separate tax rates for labor and materials. Configurable overhead and contingency percentages. Fixed or percentage-based profit margins. Real-time grand total updates. Default rates are stored in Settings and auto-applied to new jobs. CUSTOMIZABLE PRICING Set default pricing for all materials, including sod rolls, grass seed, topsoil, mulch, beach stone, decorative rocks, boulders, paving stone, gravel base, sand leveling course, and geotextile fabric. Prices saved in Settings apply automatically to future estimates. COMPANY SETTINGS Centralized company information, including business name, estimator name, contact details, and logo upload. Your logo appears on all client PDF estimates and emails for consistent professional branding. Currency symbols automatically display based on your country. PHOTO MANAGEMENT Add multiple photos per job from the camera or photo library. Set cover photos for job cards. All photos sync via iCloud across all your devices automatically. PLANT LIST & COSTING Dedicated Plant Material category with detailed plant lists and individual plant costing, a much-requested feature now fully integrated. IMPROVED INTERFACE Full dark mode support with a custom contractor orange theme. Smooth animations and intuitive gestures. Floating action buttons reduce taps needed. Optimized for all iPhone and iPad sizes. Clean, modern design focused on efficiency.
Astari
Record your voice and let AI transform it into organized, searchable text notes and summaries. This app helps you stay focused by handling transcription and summarization in real-time, saving you time and boosting productivity.
- One-tap voice recording
- Real-time AI transcription
- AI-powered summaries
- Distraction-free interface
- Voice journaling
- Content creation dictation
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Record your voice. Let AI handle the rest. Astari is your AI-powered notetaker that records, transcribes, and summarizes your voice — so you can stay focused, not distracted. Whether you're in meetings, lectures, or capturing ideas on the go, Astari turns spoken words into organized, searchable notes in real time. No typing. No missed details. Just tap to record, and Astari delivers clean transcripts and smart summaries in seconds. Why Astari? ◽ Saves Time & Boost Productivity Reclaim up to 15–20 hours a month — that’s over $1,200 per year in productivity value. Stay present in the moment while Astari takes care of the notes. ◽ Designed for Everyone Whether you’re a professional, student, or creator, Astari is your voice-first workspace — built for how you think and work. Key Features - One-Tap Voice Recording Start recording instantly. Ideal for capturing quick thoughts, meetings, or interviews. - AI Transcription Clean, accurate transcripts — no filler words or messy formatting. - AI-Powered Summaries Skip the full transcript. Get quick, actionable highlights from your recordings. - Distraction-Free Interface Minimal design. Maximum focus. Just open, record, and speak. Use Astari For ◽ Meetings & Calls – Capture conversations and get instant summaries ◽ Lectures & Classes – Turn lessons into clear, searchable notes ◽ Voice Journaling – Speak freely and document your thoughts ◽ Content Creation – Dictate blog, video, or social media ideas ◽ Everyday Productivity – Stay organized without ever typing Your Privacy Comes First Your recordings and transcripts are encrypted in transit and at rest. We never sell your data or use it to train AI models — and you're always in full control, with the ability to permanently delete any recording or transcript at any time. Download Astari now and discover a faster, smarter way to take notes — using just your voice. Privacy Policy: https://www.grifaloplimited.com/privacy-policy Terms of Service: https://www.grifaloplimited.com/terms-of-service Subscription Terms: https://www.grifaloplimited.com/subscription-terms
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: Design Fee at 100% against Astari's 41%. Design Fee also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.5) and monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases). Astari's advantage is update cadence (every 11 days vs every 8 months) and ratings volume (424 vs 1). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support 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. Design Fee sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Astari sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
Design Fee holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Astari has 424 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 100% of Design Fee's written reviews are positive against 41% of Astari's.
Design Fee ships an update every 8 months, Astari every 11 days. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Design Fee | Astari |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 5.0 (1 ratings) — better | 4.5 (424 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better | 40.7% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 1 | 424 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 8 months | Every 11 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free — better | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, Apple Watch |
| Requires iOS | 26.2 | 16.6 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 3 MB | 118 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | John Lein | Grifalop Limited |
Customer experience
Design Fee
Astari
In-app purchases
Design Fee
- Premium Access$2.99
Astari
- Weekly Access$9.997 Days
- Monthly Access$21.991 Month
- Annual Special Deal$83.991 Year
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- Yearly 80% off$89.991 Year
- Yearly Access$119.991 Year
- Annual Access$129.991 Year
- Lifetime Access$149.99
- Lifetime Access$169.99
- Lifetime Access$179.99
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- Lifetime Access$199.99









