# Arbiter vs Candor

The clearest difference is monetization model: Arbiter at free against Candor's free with in-app purchases. Arbiter also leads on ratings volume (16 vs 1) and iOS requirement (18.4 vs 26.0). On price, rating, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Arbiter sells 4 one-off in-app purchases and Candor sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for Arbiter against 5.0 for Candor. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Arbiter has 16 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Arbiter ships an update fortnightly, Candor every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Arbiter | Candor |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.9 (16 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/arbiter-local-ai-chat/id6747954532/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/candor-ai-note/id6770068847/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **16** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | **Every 9 days** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 40 MB | 23 MB |
| Requires iOS | **18.4** | 26.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, Mac | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Jordan Stone](https://appshunter.io/developer/1823554814) | [Benyamin Famili](https://appshunter.io/developer/1886828867) |

## What reviewers say

### 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 |


### Candor

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/candor-ai-note/id6770068847)

This app uses AI to analyze your written notes, revealing patterns, themes, and contradictions you might miss. It offers on-device and cloud-based AI models, with a strong emphasis on end-to-end encryption and user privacy. Chat with your notes and map clusters by theme for deeper reflection.

**Highlights:** AI-powered note analysis, Theme and pattern identification, On-device and cloud AI options, End-to-end encryption, Chat with your notes, Note clustering by theme, Data export options

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

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Backup & Export | $2.99 | per month |
| Bundle | $5.99 | per month |
| Backup & Export | $24.99 | per year |
| Bundle | $49.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Arbiter free?

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

### Is Candor free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Arbiter or Candor?

Candor is rated higher. Arbiter averages 4.9 out of 5 from 16 ratings, while Candor averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Arbiter or Candor have ads?

Neither Arbiter nor Candor shows ads.

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

Arbiter ships an update fortnightly, and Candor every 9 days. Most recently, Arbiter was updated on October 24, 2026 and Candor on October 7, 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.*