# Ari vs Cortex

The clearest difference is iOS requirement: Cortex at 16.4 against Ari's 26.0. On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Ari sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $0.99 per month and Cortex sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Ari ships an update weekly, Cortex every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Ari | Cortex |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ari-chat-with-ai/id6753355154/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **1** | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Weekly | **Every 4 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 32 MB | 70 MB |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | **16.4** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Filip Bukovina](https://appshunter.io/developer/1803642740) | [ODBS LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1816580215) |

## What reviewers say

### Ari

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ari-chat-with-ai/id6753355154)

This app offers a unified interface for interacting with various AI models, including those from OpenAI and Anthropic. It prioritizes user privacy by supporting on-device processing, ensuring conversations never leave your phone. The clean design facilitates natural and adaptable conversations.

**Highlights:** Bring Your Own API Keys, On-Device Inference, Supports Apple Intelligence, Privacy-Focused Design, Unified Interface for Multiple Providers, Distraction-Free Conversation

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Arya Intelligence Pro | $0.99 | per month |


### 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 Ari free?

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

### Is Cortex free?

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

### Do Ari or Cortex have ads?

Neither Ari nor Cortex shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Ari or Cortex?

Ari ships an update weekly, and Cortex every 4 days. Most recently, Ari was updated on October 17, 2026 and Cortex on October 25, 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.*