# Astari vs BNi Reference

The clearest difference is rating: BNi Reference at 5.0 against Astari's 4.4. BNi Reference also leads on iOS requirement (13.0 vs 16.6). Astari's advantage is ratings volume (377 vs 2). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Astari sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per 7 days and BNi Reference sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $14.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

BNi Reference holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Astari has 377 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Astari ships an update every 11 days, BNi Reference every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and October 5, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Astari | BNi Reference |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.4 (377 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/astari-transcribe-voice-notes/id6748829893/reviews) | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bni-reference/id6758135504/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **377** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 40.7% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 11 days** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 118 MB | 362 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.6 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, Apple Watch | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Grifalop Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/1825861453) | [ProCureEdge LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1850903342) |

## What reviewers say

### Astari

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/astari-transcribe-voice-notes/id6748829893)

Record your voice and let AI transform it into organized, searchable text notes and summaries. This app helps you stay focused by handling transcription and summarization in real-time, saving you time and boosting productivity.

**Highlights:** One-tap voice recording, Real-time AI transcription, AI-powered summaries, Distraction-free interface, Voice journaling, Content creation dictation

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekly Access | $9.99 | per 7 days |
| Monthly Access | $21.99 | per month |
| Annual Special Deal | $83.99 | per year |
| Yearly 80% off | $89.99 | per year |
| Yearly Access | $119.99 | per year |
| Annual Access | $129.99 | per year |
| Lifetime Access | $149.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime Access | $169.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime Access | $179.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime Access | $199.99 | one-time |


### BNi Reference

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bni-reference/id6758135504)

Access construction cost data, build reference lists, and stay updated with industry content. Explore free articles and insights, browse cost books, and export your saved lists.

**Highlights:** Access BNi construction cost data, Build and save Reference Lists, Export lists to PDF and Excel, Explore industry news and insights, Browse and search cost book items, Save up to 100 items per list

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

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| BNi Home Remodelers - Monthly | $14.99 | per month |
| BNi Mechanical Electrical - Monthly | $14.99 | per month |
| BNi Public Works Costbook - Monthly | $14.99 | per month |
| BNi Remodeling - Monthly | $14.99 | per month |
| BNi Reference Web Access | $50.00 | per year |
| BNi Reference - Mobile Access | $50.00 | per year |
| BNi Home Remodelers - Yearly | $149.99 | per year |
| BNi Mechanical Electrical - Yearly | $149.99 | per year |
| BNi Public Works Costbook - Yearly | $149.99 | per year |
| BNi Remodeling Costbook - Yearly | $149.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Astari free?

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

### Is BNi Reference free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Astari or BNi Reference?

BNi Reference is rated higher. Astari averages 4.4 out of 5 from 377 ratings, while BNi Reference averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do Astari or BNi Reference have ads?

Neither Astari nor BNi Reference shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Astari or BNi Reference?

Astari ships an update every 11 days, and BNi Reference every 3 weeks. Most recently, Astari was updated on October 15, 2026 and BNi Reference on October 5, 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.*