# Ari Helper vs BastionChat

The clearest difference is update cadence: Ari Helper at every 5 days against BastionChat's every 6 months. Ari Helper also leads on device support (4 vs 2). BastionChat's advantage is price ($9.99 vs $14.99) and iOS requirement (18.0 vs 26.0). On ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Ari Helper costs $14.99 and BastionChat $9.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Ari Helper ships an update every 5 days, BastionChat every 6 months. Both last shipped on September 10, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Ari Helper | BastionChat |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $14.99 | **$9.99** |
| Rating | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ari-helper/id6480045555/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **1** | — |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 days** | Every 6 months |
| Monetization | Paid | — |
| Size | 75 MB | 79 MB |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | **18.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Blaine Miller](https://appshunter.io/developer/1348196068) | [Frederic Ayala Heinrich](https://appshunter.io/developer/1823688846) |

## What reviewers say

### Ari Helper

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ari-helper/id6480045555)

This AI assistant operates entirely offline, prioritizing user privacy by not collecting personal data. It integrates with Siri for hands-free activation and offers text-to-speech capabilities. Users can manage conversations, download custom models, and even interact with self-hosted or cloud-based AI services.

**Highlights:** Offline AI operation, Siri and App Intents integration, Privacy-focused, no data collection, Text-to-Speech with voice options, Conversation history sync via iCloud, Downloadable custom AI models, Code syntax highlighting

**Features:** Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### BastionChat

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bastionchat/id6747981691)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Ari Helper free?

Ari Helper costs $14.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is BastionChat free?

BastionChat costs $9.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Do Ari Helper or BastionChat have ads?

Neither Ari Helper nor BastionChat shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Ari Helper or BastionChat?

Ari Helper ships an update every 5 days, and BastionChat every 6 months. Most recently, Ari Helper was updated on September 10, 2026 and BastionChat on September 10, 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.*