# Arpia AI vs Cortex

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Arpia AI at none against Cortex's 7. Cortex's advantage is update cadence (every 4 days vs every 3 weeks). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Cortex sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days. Arpia AI asks for nothing beyond the download.

Arpia AI ships an update every 3 weeks, Cortex every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and October 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Arpia AI | Cortex |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Every 4 days** |
| Size | 50 MB | 68 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.6** | 16.4 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Elconix Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/689599452) | [ODBS LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1816580215) |

## What reviewers say

### Arpia AI

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/arpia-ai/id6748160470)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Cortex

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cortex-ai-chat-assistant/id6760509573)

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

**In-app purchases (7)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Plus Weekly | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| Pro Monthly | $8.99 | per month |
| Pro Weekly | $9.99 | per 7 days |
| Pro Yearly | $69.99 | per year |
| 500 Credits | $1.99 | one-time |
| 50 Credits | $2.99 | one-time |
| 150 Credits | $6.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Arpia AI free?

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

### Is Cortex free?

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

### Do Arpia AI or Cortex have ads?

Neither Arpia AI nor Cortex shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Arpia AI or Cortex?

Arpia AI ships an update every 3 weeks, and Cortex every 4 days. Most recently, Arpia AI was updated on October 15, 2026 and Cortex 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.*