# Ask Frank vs Folio Writer

The clearest difference is monetization model: Folio Writer at free against Ask Frank's free with in-app purchases. Ask Frank's advantage is iOS requirement (15.1 vs 17.0). On price, rating, review sentiment and ratings volume there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Ask Frank sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month and Folio Writer sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 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 — 5.0 for Ask Frank against 5.0 for Folio Writer. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2 and 3 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 28, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Ask Frank | Folio Writer |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ask-frank/id6752311157/reviews) | [5.0 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/folio-writer/id6788252860/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 2 | **3** |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 4 days | Every 4 days |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 52 MB | 16 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.1** | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, Mac** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Orion Technology Enterprises, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1838663200) | [Bin Chen](https://appshunter.io/developer/1503463579) |

## What reviewers say

### Ask Frank

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ask-frank/id6752311157)

This AI-powered tool offers private, on-device search and document creation. It retrieves verified web information and generates structured documents with citations, all while keeping your data secure on your device. Ideal for professionals and students seeking accuracy and efficiency.

**Highlights:** On-device AI search engine, Automatic document generation, Verified source links and citations, Privacy-first design, Export documents, Supports API token customization

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Ask Frank Premium Plan | $2.99 | per month |
| Basic Pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| Gold Pack | $1.99 | one-time |
| Diamond Pack | $2.99 | one-time |


### Folio Writer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/folio-writer/id6788252860)

This writing studio allows you to work on long-form projects like books and manuscripts on your iPhone and iPad. It supports plain text formats like Markdown and Typst, syncing seamlessly with its Mac counterpart. Features include a special keyboard bar, project organization, and citation management.

**Highlights:** Plain-text writing (Markdown, Typst), iCloud Drive, Dropbox, Files integration, Special Markdown key bar, Typewriter scrolling and sentence focus, Binder for project organization, Snapshots for version control, Project-wide search, BibTeX citation support

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (8)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Cloud Pro Monthly | $1.99 | per month |
| Premium Monthly | $3.99 | per month |
| Pro Yearly | $19.99 | per year |
| Premium Yearly | $39.99 | per year |
| Pro Lifetime | $19.99 | one-time |
| Pro to Premium Upgrade | $19.99 | one-time |
| Premium Lifetime | $39.99 | one-time |
| Unlock Pro Features | $39.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Ask Frank free?

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

### Is Folio Writer free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Ask Frank or Folio Writer?

Ask Frank and Folio Writer are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 2 and 3 ratings respectively.

### Do Ask Frank or Folio Writer have ads?

Neither Ask Frank nor Folio Writer shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Ask Frank or Folio Writer?

Ask Frank ships an update every 4 days, and Folio Writer every 4 days. Most recently, Ask Frank was updated on October 24, 2026 and Folio Writer on October 28, 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.*