Comparison

Steno Notes vs Oscilla

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

Head to head
About

Steno Notes

Features
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Steno is a fast, distraction-free Markdown editor designed for focused, beautiful writing. Built natively for Apple platforms with CloudKit, Steno keeps your documents automatically synced across your devices—without ads, tracking, or external servers. Why Steno? • Seamless iCloud sync across Mac, iPhone, and iPad • Native performance—no bloat, no lag, just fast • Clean typography with powerful, design-forward customization • Sub-block-level references for linking directly to the exact passage you mean • Deep system integration—Handoff, Spotlight, Siri, and Widgets • Customizable PDF export for polished sharing • No data collection, no AI. Your documents stay on your device and in iCloud • All documents stored as plain Markdown files Whether you're drafting essays, making lists, or capturing ideas, Steno combines speed, clarity, and privacy in a focused writing environment.

About

Oscilla

This application enables users to run advanced AI models directly on their Apple devices. It offers private, cloud-free interactions with features like real-time voice, memory, and web search. Analyze files and converse naturally without compromising data privacy.

Highlights
  • Local AI models
  • Real-time voice conversations
  • Built-in memory
  • Web search integration
  • File and image understanding
  • Private by design
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Private AI. Built Around You. Oscilla brings local AI to your iPhone and Mac. Write, brainstorm, understand documents, and talk things through with AI models that run on your own device. Choose your models, make them your own, and build a workspace around the way you think. - Local AI — Download models and chat offline. - Voice conversations — Speak naturally and hear responses with Voice Mode. - Built-in memory — Keep useful context for more personalized conversations. - Projects — Bring related chats, instructions, and reference files together. - Personal Assistants — Create focused helpers with their own instructions and knowledge. - Web Search — Find current information with sources. - File and image understanding — Ask questions about documents, screenshots, and images with supported models. - OS Bridge — Chat from your iPhone while your Mac runs the model, including models your iPhone couldn’t run on its own. Your AI. On your devices. Under your control. Web Search requires internet access and setup. Features vary by device and model.

Screenshots

Steno Notes4 screens
Oscilla4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Oscilla at none against Steno Notes's 4. Steno Notes's advantage is update cadence (every 3 days vs weekly) and device support (3 vs 1). On price, ads and iOS requirement 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

Both are free to download. Steno Notes sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. Oscilla asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Steno Notes ships an update every 3 days, Oscilla weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 26, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Steno Notes versus Oscilla: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSteno NotesOscilla
PriceFreeFree
Rating—4.7 (32 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—92.9% of reviews
Number of ratings—32 — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 days — betterWeekly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
Monetization—Free
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Mac — betteriPhone
Requires iOS26.026.0
Further details — not scored
Size89 MB89 MB
Age rating4+12+
DeveloperMikail KraftMatthew David Fusco

In-app purchases

4 purchases

Steno Notes

One-time4
  • Tip Jar (Small)$0.99
  • Tip Jar (Medium)$2.99
  • Steno Complete$4.99
Show 1 more
  • Steno Tip (Large)$4.99
None

Oscilla

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Steno Notes free?
Steno Notes is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Oscilla free?
Oscilla is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Steno Notes or Oscilla have ads?
Neither Steno Notes nor Oscilla shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Steno Notes or Oscilla?
Steno Notes ships an update every 3 days, and Oscilla weekly. Most recently, Steno Notes was updated on October 26, 2026 and Oscilla on October 25, 2026.

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