Comparison

Local Brain vs Ember

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Local Brain

This app allows you to run powerful AI language models directly on your device, ensuring complete privacy and offline functionality. Select from various models and manage multiple conversations simultaneously for a personalized AI experience.

Highlights
  • Run AI models locally
  • Full offline capability
  • Choose from multiple models
  • Create multiple chat contexts
  • Privacy-focused AI
Features
Read full description

Run Large Language Models locally on your device with full offline capability. You can choose from multiple available models and create multiple chat contexts using different models. The power of AI in your pocket without hurting your privacy.

About

Ember

A fast and organized workspace for writing Markdown notes, storing PDFs, diagrams, and voice memos. It offers a vault for reusable prompts and syncs across Apple devices. Start for free with full editor access.

Highlights
  • Rich Markdown editor
  • Inline PDF and image support
  • Reusable prompt vault
  • Daily notes, folders, and tags
  • Instant search functionality
  • Private iCloud sync
  • Share Extension
Features
Read full description

Your notes should feel like home. Ember is a warm, fast place to think — Markdown notes, PDFs, diagrams, voice memos, and a vault of reusable prompts, all in one calm workspace that syncs across iPhone, iPad, and Mac. WRITE IN RICH MARKDOWN A live editor with real formatting: headings, tables, task lists, links, highlights, footnotes, and code — rendered as you type, never in your way. Bullets, numbers, and checkboxes feel native and effortless. MORE THAN TEXT Drop PDFs, images, diagrams, and voice notes right inline. Your references live beside your writing, so everything about a thought stays in one place. A VAULT FOR YOUR PROMPTS Keep the prompts you reuse for writing, research, and planning in a dedicated Prompt Vault — organized, searchable, and a tap away when you need them. STAY ORGANIZED, STAY FAST Daily notes, folders, tags, smart filters, and pinned notes keep things tidy, and instant search finds anything the moment you look for it. YOURS EVERYWHERE Ember runs natively on iPhone, iPad, and Mac, with optional private iCloud sync, widgets, and a Share Extension for capturing from anywhere. FREE TO START Capture notes, PDFs, prompts, and attachments with the full editor — free, no account required. EMBER PRO Unlock advanced themes and alternate icons, premium writing and organization workflows, and deeper Prompt Vault tools, as a subscription or a one-time lifetime purchase. PRIVATE BY DESIGN No accounts. No ads. No selling your words. Your notes stay on your device and your own iCloud. Make a home for your thinking. Download Ember Notes. TERMS & PRIVACY Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://embernotes.app/privacy

Screenshots

Local Brain2 screens
Ember4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Ember at 5.0 against Local Brain's 1.3. Local Brain's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 3) and iOS requirement (17.0 vs 26.0). On price, ratings volume, update cadence 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Ember sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Local Brain asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Ember holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 1.3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 6 and 3 respectively.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on July 5, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Local Brain versus Ember: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterLocal BrainEmber
PriceFreeFree
Rating1.3 (6 ratings)5.0 (3 ratings) — better
Positive reviews30.4% of reviews
Number of ratings6 — better3
Update frequencyEvery 10 daysEvery 10 days
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFreemium
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS17.0 — better26.0
Further details — not scored
Size8 MB70 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMichal JachRene DeAnda

Customer experience

Local Brain

All ratings6 ratings
Positive0.0%
Neutral16.7%
Negative83.3%
Written reviews23 reviews
Positive30.4%
Neutral4.3%
Negative65.2%

Ember

All ratings3 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

Local Brain

No in-app purchases

3 purchases

Ember

Subscriptions2
  • Ember Pro Monthly$3.991 Month
  • Ember Pro Annual$34.991 Year
One-time1
  • Ember Pro Lifetime$99.99

Questions

Is Local Brain free?
Local Brain is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Ember free?
Ember is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Local Brain or Ember?
Ember is rated higher. Local Brain averages 1.3 out of 5 from 6 ratings, while Ember averages 5.0 from 3 ratings.
Do Local Brain or Ember have ads?
Neither Local Brain nor Ember shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Local Brain or Ember?
Local Brain ships an update every 10 days, and Ember every 10 days. Most recently, Local Brain was updated on July 5, 2026 and Ember on September 23, 2026.

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