# microAI vs Tinfoil

The clearest difference is update cadence: Tinfoil at every 3 days against microAI's every 9 days. Tinfoil also leads on ratings volume (32 vs 2). microAI's advantage is rating (5.0 vs 4.8) and iOS requirement (16.4 vs 18.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. microAI sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month and Tinfoil sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $19.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

microAI holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Tinfoil has 32 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two.

microAI ships an update every 9 days, Tinfoil every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on October 7, 2026 and October 20, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | microAI | Tinfoil |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/microai/id6744488702/reviews)** | [4.8 (32 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tinfoil-private-ai/id6745201750/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 2 | **32** |
| Positive reviews | — | 80.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 9 days | **Every 3 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Size | 234 MB | 98 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.4** | 18.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, Mac | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 9+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [genghong Xie](https://appshunter.io/developer/1785558382) | [Tinfoil, Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1791183108) |

## What reviewers say

### microAI

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/microai/id6744488702)

This app provides a private, local AI workspace that organizes your thoughts, projects, and files. It allows you to run AI chat on your device, manage AI models, and build a personal memory system for enhanced productivity and offline use.

**Highlights:** Private Memory Map, Local AI Chat, Long-Term Memory, Projects With Context, Chat With Local Files, Private Journal, GGUF Model Management

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| microAI Pro – Monthly | $0.99 | per month |
| microAI Pro – Yearly | $5.99 | per year |
| Remove Ads | $4.99 | one-time |
| microAI Pro – Lifetime | $9.99 | one-time |


### Tinfoil

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tinfoil-private-ai/id6745201750)

Engage in private AI conversations using secure hardware enclaves. This app offers verifiable privacy for your discussions with powerful AI models, ensuring your data remains inaccessible to anyone, including the developers. It leverages advanced technology for a secure and private AI chat experience.

**Highlights:** Private AI conversations, Secure hardware enclaves, Verifiable infrastructure, Chat with open-source AI models, Automatic enclave verification

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium Chat Subscription | $19.99 | per month |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is microAI free?

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

### Is Tinfoil free?

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

### Which has better reviews, microAI or Tinfoil?

microAI is rated higher. microAI averages 5.0 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while Tinfoil averages 4.8 from 32 ratings.

### Do microAI or Tinfoil have ads?

Neither microAI nor Tinfoil shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, microAI or Tinfoil?

microAI ships an update every 9 days, and Tinfoil every 3 days. Most recently, microAI was updated on October 7, 2026 and Tinfoil on October 20, 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.*