# Contex.st vs Cortex

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Contex.st at none against Cortex's 3. Cortex's advantage is update cadence (every 3 days vs every 4 weeks) and device support (4 vs 1). On price and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Cortex sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Contex.st asks for nothing beyond the download.

Contex.st ships an update every 4 weeks, Cortex every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and October 12, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Contex.st | Cortex |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 4 weeks | **Every 3 days** |
| Size | 128 MB | 131 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.4 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Memetic Research Laboratories LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1814737557) | [JTR Labs LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1892768253) |

## What reviewers say

### Contex.st

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/contexst/id6745994409)

**In-app purchases:** none


### Cortex

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cortex-local-markdown-brain/id6785630809)

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Cortex Plus (Monthly) | $4.99 | per month |
| Cortex Plus (Yearly) | $39.99 | per year |
| Cortex Believer | $99.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Contex.st free?

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

### Is Cortex free?

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

### Do Contex.st or Cortex have ads?

Neither Contex.st nor Cortex shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Contex.st or Cortex?

Contex.st ships an update every 4 weeks, and Cortex every 3 days. Most recently, Contex.st was updated on October 17, 2026 and Cortex on October 12, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*