Comparison

Lookinglass vs Shadowfetch

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

Head to head
About

Lookinglass

Access 30 OpenAI models with transparent pricing and robust privacy controls. Enjoy a pay-as-you-go wallet system, local data encryption, and iCloud sync for seamless cross-device use. Customize AI behavior and export conversations in various formats.

Highlights
  • Access 30 OpenAI models
  • Transparent cost estimates per message
  • Pay-as-you-go wallet system
  • Local data encryption
  • Optional iCloud sync
  • Export conversations (text, markdown, JSON)
  • Customizable AI personality and memory
Features
Read full description

Lookinglass: AI Chat with Complete Transparency & Control Take control of your AI experience with Lookinglass—the only chat app that gives you direct access to over 30 OpenAI models with complete cost transparency and privacy protection. Start free with $1 credit on sign-up—try any model risk-free. Guest mode lets you explore without signing in. No credit card required—all purchases via secure in-app payments. Designed for iPhone and iPad. Why Lookinglass Stands Apart: COMPLETE FINANCIAL TRANSPARENCY • See the maximum cost for every message with live token estimates • Pay-as-you-go wallet system—no subscriptions or hidden fees • Flexible top-ups: 9 amounts ($1-$500). Bonus credits: 3% at $100, 5% at $200, 10% at $500 • Export detailed transaction history and track every interaction • Choose between Fast and Reliable (Standard) or Smart Savings (50% savings) billing • Spending alerts: set thresholds to prevent budget surprises • True cost control: Only pay for what you use, when you use it UNMATCHED MODEL ACCESS • Model lineup: Over 30 OpenAI models including cutting-edge gpt-5.5 • Pro models: Access 6 distinct pro level models without an enterprise agreement • Deep Research: variants available for o3 and o4-mini • Web Search: real-time internet access on supported models • Model flexibility: switch mid-conversation with transparent pricing for each • Advanced controls: creativity levels, reasoning depth, response detail, and AI power level TRUE PRIVACY PROTECTION • All conversations stored locally on your device with AES-256 encryption • Military-grade encryption at rest using Apple's CryptoKit framework • We cannot see or access your chat content—ever • Guest mode and Apple Sign-In with complete data isolation • Only metadata and wallet balances stored remotely • GDPR and privacy-compliant with no data collection or tracking SECURE iCLOUD SYNC • Optional iCloud sync keeps your data private and encrypted across devices • All synced data remains in your Apple iCloud account—never shared with third parties • Encryption keys stored securely in iCloud Keychain • Sync includes: conversations, settings, and permanent memory • Works seamlessly across all your iOS devices (iPhone and iPad) SMART ORGANIZATION & CONTROL • Chat threads: organize, archive, rename, pin, and manage multiple conversations • Export conversations to text, markdown, or JSON • Smart Memory: control how much conversation history your AI remembers • AI Personality: customize responses with permanent memory preferences • Voice-to-text for natural conversation flow POWER USER FEATURES • Creativity: from laser-focused precision to creative brainstorming • AI Power: quick summaries or deep analysis • Response Detail: concise answers or detailed explanations • Live streaming responses or complete answers—your choice • Advanced model controls for professional workflows GLOBAL ACCESSIBILITY • 5 languages supported: English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, & Italian • Localized interface for seamless international use Perfect For: Research projects, creative writing, email drafting, coding assistance, learning new topics, brainstorming sessions, or intelligent conversation. Lookinglass works immediately—no setup required. Why Choose Lookinglass? Unlike other AI apps that lock you into subscriptions and limited models, Lookinglass gives you direct access to OpenAI's full model lineup with complete transparency about what you're paying for. Access all 6 pro models without enterprise contracts—just pay for what you use. Your conversations stay 100% private on your devices, while optional iCloud sync keeps everything in your personal Apple account. Complete Control: Your AI. Your data. Your privacy. Your budget. Start chatting in seconds. No subscriptions. No surprises. Complete control. EULA: https://lookinglass.ai/eula Privacy: https://lookinglass.ai/privacy

About

Shadowfetch

Features
Read full description

Shadowfetch keeps important dates visible, whether you are counting down to something ahead or counting up from something that already happened. Add a birthday, anniversary, trip, launch, deadline, ceremony, or personal streak. Shadowfetch sorts it, counts it live, helps you protect it with reminders, and gives you clean exports when you need a backup or handoff. Core features: - Count down to future dates with live days, hours, minutes, seconds, and milliseconds - Count up from past dates for anniversaries, sobriety streaks, product launches, and milestones - Pin a priority event so it leads the home screen and widget - See a Countdown Progress bar showing how far through the wait you are - Organize events by category: Birthday, Anniversary, Travel, Health, Deadline, Celebration, Milestone, Sports, Holiday, or Other - Create one-time, yearly, or monthly countdowns - Choose all-day dates or exact times - Use absolute time zones or local wall time - Schedule local reminder alerts before important events - Enable milestone notifications for notable countdown moments - Personalize events with a color or background photo - Keep a priority countdown visible with home screen and lock screen widgets - Share polished countdown or elapsed-time cards - Export all events as a spreadsheet-ready CSV - Share an Event Health Report summarizing reminders, pinned items, recurrence, categories, photos, stale records, and upcoming dates Shadowfetch is local-first. It does not require an account, does not include analytics or tracking, and does not upload your event data to a Shadowfetch-operated server. MOMENTS (NEW IN 1.7) Every other countdown app dies at zero - Shadowfetch makes zero the whole point. Events glow TODAY when the day arrives, erupt into confetti in their own color at the exact moment, and then retire to a Memories shelf that keeps the story alive: "127 days ago." One tap turns a finished moment into a count-up ("days since our wedding") or a yearly tradition. Anticipation, celebration, memory - all offline, all yours.

Screenshots

Lookinglass4 screens
Shadowfetch4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Lookinglass at Free against Shadowfetch's $0.99. Shadowfetch's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 10) and update cadence (every 5 days vs every 2 weeks). On ads, device support 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

Lookinglass is free to download; Shadowfetch costs $0.99 up front. Lookinglass sells 10 one-off in-app purchases. Shadowfetch asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Lookinglass ships an update every 2 weeks, Shadowfetch every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on November 5, 2026 and November 9, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 6 level
Lookinglass versus Shadowfetch: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterLookinglassShadowfetch
PriceFree — better$0.99
Rating5.0 (2 ratings) — better—
Number of ratings2 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeksEvery 5 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS17.617.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size9 MB3 MB
Age rating12+4+
DeveloperCory HamiltonRobert Corbin

In-app purchases

10 purchases

Lookinglass

One-time10
  • $1 Credit Top-Up$1.00
  • $2 Credit Top-Up$2.00
  • $3 Credit Top-Up$3.00
Show 7 more
  • $5 Credit Top-Up$5.00
  • $10 Credit Top-Up$10.00
  • $20 Credit Top-Up$20.00
  • $50 Credit Top-Up$50.00
  • $100 Credit Top-Up$100.00
  • $200 Credit Top-Up$200.00
  • $500 Credit Top-Up$500.00
None

Shadowfetch

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Lookinglass free?
Lookinglass is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Shadowfetch free?
Shadowfetch costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.
Do Lookinglass or Shadowfetch have ads?
Neither Lookinglass nor Shadowfetch shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Lookinglass or Shadowfetch?
Lookinglass ships an update every 2 weeks, and Shadowfetch every 5 days. Most recently, Lookinglass was updated on November 5, 2026 and Shadowfetch on November 9, 2026.

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