# PILE vs CRTX

The clearest difference is rating: CRTX at 5.0 against PILE's 1.6. PILE's advantage is update cadence (every 3 days vs every 5 months) and ratings volume (24 vs 1). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. PILE sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month and CRTX sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

CRTX holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 1.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: PILE has 24 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

PILE ships an update every 3 days, CRTX every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on November 4, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | PILE | CRTX |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [1.6 (24 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pile-private-cloud-organizer/id6480300610/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/crtx/id6761746898/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **24** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 7.4% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 days** | Every 5 months |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 48 MB | 25 MB |
| Requires iOS | **17.0** | 26.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Mac** | iPhone, Apple Watch |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Awesome Apps Company Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/889715463) | [Lars Janssen](https://appshunter.io/developer/1891252260) |

## What reviewers say

### PILE

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pile-private-cloud-organizer/id6480300610)

Organize notes, photos, links, and files privately and securely using your iCloud Drive. Access your organized content across Mac, iPhone, and iPad with seamless syncing. Enjoy a distraction-free experience with no ads and customizable features.

**Highlights:** Private & Secure iCloud storage, Organized content retrieval, Flexible storage for various file types, Customizable tags and pinning, Seamless cross-device syncing, Distraction-free, ad-free experience

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly for Students | $2.99 | per month |
| Monthly for Professionals | $3.99 | per month |
| Yearly Offer | $12.99 | per year |
| Yearly - Offer | $12.99 | per year |
| Yearly for Everyone | $22.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🌟 Very well thought and sync

**What reviewers complain about**

- ⛔️ Bait and switch tactics for lifetime users
- ⛔️ No free upgrade code for former lifetime users
- ⛔️ Scam pricing and multiple subscriptions needed
- ⛔️ Difficulty importing from previous version
- ⛔️ Glitches causing items to disappear


### CRTX

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/crtx/id6761746898)

This app acts as a shared digital memory for your household, allowing you to save voice notes, photos, links, and documents. You can then ask questions in plain English to retrieve information saved by anyone in your group.

**Highlights:** Capture voice notes, photos, links, and PDFs, Search contents using natural language, Create private or shared memory pools, Assign and track tasks within shared pools, Automatic recognition of people in saved items, Apple Watch and share extension support

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support, iPhone Duo support

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| CRTX Personal Monthly | $7.99 | per month |
| CRTX Family Monthly | $12.99 | per month |
| CRTX Personal Annual | $69.99 | per year |
| CRTX Family Annual | $119.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is PILE free?

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

### Is CRTX free?

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

### Which has better reviews, PILE or CRTX?

CRTX is rated higher. PILE averages 1.6 out of 5 from 24 ratings, while CRTX averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do PILE or CRTX have ads?

Neither PILE nor CRTX shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, PILE or CRTX?

PILE ships an update every 3 days, and CRTX every 5 months. Most recently, PILE was updated on November 4, 2026 and CRTX on October 31, 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.*