# MeshNotes vs Arbiter

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: MeshNotes at none against Arbiter's 4. MeshNotes also leads on iOS requirement (13.0 vs 18.4). On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Arbiter sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. MeshNotes asks for nothing beyond the download.

MeshNotes ships an update monthly, Arbiter fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on May 16, 2026 and September 21, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | MeshNotes | Arbiter |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[4.9 (16 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/arbiter-local-ai-chat/id6747954532/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **16** |
| Positive reviews | — | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | — | Free |
| Size | 27 MB | 40 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 18.4 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, Mac |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Yifan Li](https://appshunter.io/developer/1799964850) | [Jordan Stone](https://appshunter.io/developer/1823554814) |

## What reviewers say

### MeshNotes

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/meshnotes/id6742787427)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Arbiter

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/arbiter-local-ai-chat/id6747954532)

This privacy-focused AI assistant operates entirely on your device, offering offline functionality. Choose from various open-source models to suit your needs, with all conversations securely stored locally. It's ideal for brainstorming, proofreading, and exploring AI capabilities without data collection.

**Highlights:** On-device AI processing, Offline model execution, Document summarization, Privacy-focused design, Multiple AI model selection, Local data storage

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Small Tip | $1.99 | one-time |
| Medium Tip | $4.99 | one-time |
| Large Tip | $9.99 | one-time |
| Extra Large Tip | $19.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is MeshNotes free?

MeshNotes is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Arbiter free?

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

### Do MeshNotes or Arbiter have ads?

Neither MeshNotes nor Arbiter shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, MeshNotes or Arbiter?

MeshNotes ships an update monthly, and Arbiter fortnightly. Most recently, MeshNotes was updated on May 16, 2026 and Arbiter on September 21, 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.*