Comparison

Private AI Note Taker vs Ollie Timer

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

Head to head
About

Private AI Note Taker

This app provides private, on-device AI for meeting notes and transcriptions without cloud reliance. It securely records live meetings or processes uploaded audio/video files, offering AI-generated summaries and searchable notes. Your conversations remain offline and private, never shared or used for model training.

Highlights
  • On-device secure and private note-taking
  • Offline meeting recording and transcription
  • Automatic AI-generated summaries
  • Searchable transcripts and export options
  • Hands-free recording with Siri Shortcuts
  • Support for over 60 languages
  • Choice of transcription models (Apple/WhisperKit)
Features
Read full description

Basil is a private AI note taker for meetings. Recording, transcription and summaries all run on your device. Nothing is uploaded, and there is no server holding your conversations. WHY ON-DEVICE MATTERS Most AI note takers send your audio to a cloud service to be transcribed and summarized. Basil doesn't. Transcription runs on the Neural Engine, and summaries are generated locally by Apple Intelligence. There is no account to create, no subprocessor list, and no server to subpoena. RECORD ANY MEETING • In Person — capture the room with your microphone. • Computer (Mac) — capture both sides of a Zoom, Teams or Meet call without putting a bot in the meeting. Nothing joins your call, and nothing leaves your Mac. • Import existing audio or video files. Basil extracts the audio locally. TRANSCRIPTS AND SUMMARIES • A fast live transcript while you record, then a refined, higher-accuracy pass right after the session. • Transcripts include speakers names and are fully exportable. • Summaries, action items, decisions and follow-ups, generated on device. • 60+ languages. • Full-text search across everything you have recorded. BASIL FOR LAW A legal edition for attorneys and firms: • Privilege attestation — an on-device provenance record documenting that a recording was captured and processed locally. • Consent log — a timestamped attestation, built to the strictest all-party-consent standard so one workflow works in every state. • Matters and clients — organize by matter rather than by date. • Privileged & Confidential labeling on recordings, transcripts and exports. These are record-keeping tools for legal professionals. They are not legal services or legal advice, and no software can guarantee a privilege outcome. Basil's contribution is architectural: your client conversations never leave your device. ACROSS YOUR DEVICES A universal app for iPhone, iPad and Mac. Your library syncs through your own iCloud account — your iCloud, not our servers. EXPORT Send notes to Apple Notes, Calendar, Reminders and Files. SUBSCRIPTIONS Basil Pro unlocks unlimited recording. Basil for Law adds the legal feature set above. Free trials are available on both. Current pricing and trial length are shown on the subscription screen in the app. - [Privacy Policy](https://basilai.app/privacy) - [Terms of Use](https://basilai.app/terms)

About

Ollie Timer

This app uses a cute otter companion to help you focus on tasks like studying, working, reading, or coding. Complete focus sessions to earn rewards, care for your otter, and build consistent habits.

Highlights
  • Focus timers (15, 25, 50 min)
  • Task categories (work, study, read, code)
  • Pause and resume sessions
  • Track completed sessions and minutes
  • Weekly stats and focus patterns
  • Daily streak building
  • Collectible shells
  • Care for virtual otter companion
Features
Read full description

A quiet focus timer with no ads and no subscriptions. Buy it once, use it forever, and focus with Ollie even when you’re offline. Settle in and gently focus on what you need to do with Ollie, your adorable otter companion. Ollie is a cozy focus timer that makes solo work feel a little warmer and easier to keep up with. Choose what you’re working on — studying, work, reading, or coding — and start a focus session with Ollie by your side. Each time you finish a session, you’ll collect shells, take care of Ollie’s room, and keep a record of the time you spent together. Key Features • No ads • No subscriptions • Buy once, use forever • Works offline • 15, 25, and 50-minute focus timers • Categories for studying, work, reading, and coding • Pause and resume your focus timer • Track your focus time and session history • Weekly focus stats and focus pattern insights • Streaks that show your consistency • Collect shells and special rare shells as focus rewards • Pet Ollie, give him snacks, and play together • Dress up Ollie with hats and accessories You don’t have to focus perfectly. Just showing up today is enough. Ollie will be here, saving your spot.

Screenshots

Private AI Note Taker4 screens
Ollie Timer4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Private AI Note Taker at Free against Ollie Timer's $12.99. Private AI Note Taker also leads on ratings volume (24 vs 2). Ollie Timer's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 6) and iOS requirement (17.0 vs 26.0). On rating, review sentiment, update cadence and ads 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

Private AI Note Taker is free to download; Ollie Timer costs $12.99 up front. Private AI Note Taker sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days. Ollie Timer asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Private AI Note Taker against 5.0 for Ollie Timer. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Private AI Note Taker has 24 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 92% of Private AI Note Taker's written reviews are positive against 100% of Ollie Timer's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Private AI Note Taker ships an update every 6 days, Ollie Timer every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and September 28, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Private AI Note Taker versus Ollie Timer: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPrivate AI Note TakerOllie Timer
PriceFree — better$12.99
Rating5.0 (24 ratings)5.0 (2 ratings)
Positive reviews92.3% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings24 — better2
Update frequencyEvery 6 daysEvery 3 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFreemiumFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, MaciPhone, iPad, Apple Watch
Requires iOS26.017.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size22 MB8 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMichael StajerhyeukJin kim

Customer experience

Private AI Note Taker

All ratings24 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews26 reviews
Positive92.3%
Neutral3.8%
Negative3.8%

Ollie Timer

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews5 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

6 purchases

Private AI Note Taker

Subscriptions5
  • Basil AI Pro Weekly$4.997 Days
  • Basil AI Pro Monthly3 Days trial$9.991 Month
  • Basil for Law Monthly3 Days trial$19.991 Month
Show 2 more
  • Basil AI Pro Yearly (Save 17%)7 Days trial$99.991 Year
  • Basil for Law Yearly7 Days trial$199.991 Year
One-time1
  • Basil AI Pro Lifetime$199.00
None

Ollie Timer

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Private AI Note Taker free?
Private AI Note Taker is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Ollie Timer free?
Ollie Timer costs $12.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Private AI Note Taker or Ollie Timer?
Private AI Note Taker and Ollie Timer are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 24 and 2 ratings respectively.
Do Private AI Note Taker or Ollie Timer have ads?
Neither Private AI Note Taker nor Ollie Timer shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Private AI Note Taker or Ollie Timer?
Private AI Note Taker ships an update every 6 days, and Ollie Timer every 3 days. Most recently, Private AI Note Taker was updated on October 15, 2026 and Ollie Timer on September 28, 2026.

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