Comparison

Focalist vs cyberWriter

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

Head to head
About

Focalist

Manage your tasks efficiently with this fast to-do list app. Set reminders, organize your day, and get notified based on your location. Syncs seamlessly across devices.

Highlights
  • Fast task management
  • Efficient to-do lists
  • Customizable reminders
  • Location-based tasks
  • Cross-platform sync
Features
Read full description

A fast and efficient todo/task manager with reminders. Includes cross-platform sync and location-based tasks. • Edit tasks instantly without getting stuck in an item subscreen. It feels as lightweight as editing a document. • Bring your tasks to you. Everything you need to do is brought to the Now view - like your shopping list when you arrive at the grocery store, or the next task on a project. • Instant sync, with offline-first support. EULA: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

cyberWriter

This app offers a comprehensive Markdown editing experience with live WYSIWYG, split-screen editing, and the ability to link notes into a knowledge graph. It supports diagrams, charts, and math, with a built-in terminal for vault management and optional AI integration. All data is stored locally and offline.

Highlights
  • Live WYSIWYG Markdown editing
  • Knowledge graph with wikilinks
  • Built-in GLOW terminal with AI
  • Support for diagrams, charts, and math
  • Offline and private by design
  • Export to PDF, Word, and HTML
Features
Read full description

cyberWriter turns plain Markdown into a live studio - write in true WYSIWYG, split screen editing, link your notes into a knowledge graph, and drop in diagrams, charts, drawings from excalidraw, and KaTeX math. All native, all offline, no account required. Even use the built in GLOW terminal to manage, script and create docs in your vault, with your own AI models if you'd like. Bring your own vault from any popular markdown editor and unleash your potential. It reads and writes ordinary .md files in your own folders - including iCloud Drive - so your notes stay portable, future-proof, and yours. WRITE • Live WYSIWYG editing with a one-tap raw-Markdown toggle • Tables, callouts, task lists, footnotes, code blocks • Split view, focus mode, and beautiful themes • Clip a web page → clean Markdown, images and all * New TOML Support and Pageless PDF exports POWER TOOLS • GLOW terminal - a built-in command line for your vault, with your AI model on the prompt • Live data blocks - pull from any API straight into a note • Typed YAML properties with an inline editor • Dataview-style query blocks to list and filter across your vault • Templates, find & replace, snippets, and media embeds (audio, video, PDF, CSV) LINK • [[Wikilinks]] and automatic backlinks across your vault • #tags, a quick-open switcher, and hover previews • An interactive 3D knowledge graph of your notes SHOW • Mermaid diagrams - flowcharts, sequence, Gantt, and more • Vega-Lite charts straight from your data • Excalidraw hand-drawn diagrams • LaTeX math, beautifully typeset • Play any note as slides or spaced-repetition flash cards CAPTURE & EXPORT • Voice notes and on-device dictation • Export to PDF, Word, and HTML - no external tools, no cloud PRIVATE BY DESIGN • Fully offline. No account, no sign-up, no telemetry, no ads • Optional AI connects only to a provider you choose - a local server (Ollama, LM Studio, oMLX etc), your own API key, or Apple Intelligence on supported devices. Nothing leaves your device unless you set it up. One purchase. Your notes, your device, your rules.

Screenshots

Focalist4 screens
cyberWriter4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Focalist at Free against cyberWriter's $14.99. cyberWriter's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 3) and update cadence (weekly vs every 3 weeks). On rating, review sentiment, ads 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Focalist is free to download; cyberWriter costs $14.99 up front. Focalist sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.49 per month. cyberWriter asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Focalist against 5.0 for cyberWriter. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2 and 6 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Focalist ships an update every 3 weeks, cyberWriter weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 10, 2026 and October 4, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Focalist versus cyberWriter: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterFocalistcyberWriter
PriceFree — better$14.99
Rating5.0 (2 ratings)5.0 (6 ratings)
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings26 — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksWeekly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree — betterPaid
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS17.017.0
Further details — not scored
Size15 MB48 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperDavid RickardJohn Taverna

Customer experience

Focalist

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

cyberWriter

All ratings6 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews3 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

3 purchases

Focalist

Subscriptions2
  • Focalist Premium (Monthly)$1.491 Month
  • Focalist Premium (Annual)$12.001 Year
One-time1
  • Lifetime Premium$46.00
None

cyberWriter

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Focalist free?
Focalist is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is cyberWriter free?
cyberWriter costs $14.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Focalist or cyberWriter?
Focalist and cyberWriter are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 2 and 6 ratings respectively.
Do Focalist or cyberWriter have ads?
Neither Focalist nor cyberWriter shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Focalist or cyberWriter?
Focalist ships an update every 3 weeks, and cyberWriter weekly. Most recently, Focalist was updated on October 10, 2026 and cyberWriter on October 4, 2026.

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