# Local Brain vs Ember

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.

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.

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.

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

## The numbers

| Metric | Local Brain | Ember |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [1.3 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/local-brain/id6476066730/reviews) | **[5.0 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ember-markdown-notes/id6761983097/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **6** | 3 |
| Positive reviews | 30.4% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 10 days | Every 10 days |
| Monetization | **Free** | Freemium |
| Size | 8 MB | 70 MB |
| Requires iOS | **17.0** | 26.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Michal Jach](https://appshunter.io/developer/1474348197) | [Rene DeAnda](https://appshunter.io/developer/1414957609) |

## What reviewers say

### Local Brain

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/local-brain/id6476066730)

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:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Ember

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ember-markdown-notes/id6761983097)

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:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Ember Pro Monthly | $3.99 | per month |
| Ember Pro Annual | $34.99 | per year |
| Ember Pro Lifetime | $99.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked 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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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*