Comparison

basalt vs Iris

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

Head to head
About

basalt

Features
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basalt is an AI notes app that helps you write better. Type anything and get real-time suggestions from the AI assistant. It helps you improve your writing, change phrasing, or think through ideas. The AI notes assistant works as you type. A bubble appears at the bottom with suggestions and questions. It helps you think deeper about what you're writing. You can customize the AI prompt to make it respond however you need. Every note gets an automatic summary. Makes it easy to find what you're looking for when you go back through your AI notes later. Quick way to see what each note is about without opening it. Everything runs locally on your device using Apple Intelligence. Your AI notes and writing stay completely private. Nothing gets sent to servers. All the AI processing happens on your phone. Good for journaling, brainstorming, or any kind of writing where you want AI assistance. The AI notes app adapts to your needs through custom prompts. Use it for creative writing, work notes, or thinking through problems. Fast and responsive AI notes experience. The assistant responds in real time as you write. No lag, no waiting. Just smooth AI-powered writing help that works as fast as you think. Your writing assistant that runs entirely on device. Private AI notes with automatic summaries. Customize how the AI responds to match what you need. A notes app that actually helps you write and think better. Unlocking full app functionality requires a subscription. Terms and privacy policy: https://hekec.notion.site/terms-privacy-policy-290a809cee65801882d9d13fc40c24b7

About

Iris

Features
Read full description

Remember what you worked on before the details disappear. Iris is a private, local-first work journal that makes it easy to capture small work updates, keep track of your progress, and build a useful record of what you’ve accomplished over time. Record a quick voice note or type an update, and Iris can organize it into clearer highlights, impact, blockers, people, and next steps. As your notes build up, turn your work history into weekly updates, monthly summaries, achievement records, or performance review drafts. With Iris, you can: - Capture quick work notes whenever something worth remembering happens - Record short voice notes and turn them into editable transcripts - Tag notes by project to keep different areas of your work organized - Organize messy notes into highlights, impact, blockers, people, and next steps - See your recent work, activity, and follow-ups from Home - Generate weekly recaps and manager updates - Create monthly summaries and achievement records - Turn your work history into yearly summaries and performance review drafts - Set reminders to build a consistent logging habit Built for the way work actually happens You don’t need to maintain a detailed journal every day. Capture a quick update when something moves forward, you solve a problem, receive useful feedback, unblock someone, or finish something you may want to remember later. Over time, Iris gives you a clearer record of your work β€” without turning work tracking into another heavy productivity system. Private by design Your journal entries and saved summaries are stored locally on your device. AI features are optional and only run when you choose to use them, including voice transcription, note organization, and summary generation. Iris does not store your raw journal entries or voice recordings. Iris Plus is available for higher AI usage limits and additional summary features. Privacy Policy: https://iris-ai.xyz/mobile-privacy Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

basalt4 screens
Iris4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: basalt at every 10 days against Iris's every 3 weeks. Iris's advantage is iOS requirement (16.4 vs 26.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price Β· Rating Β· Positive reviews Β· Number of ratings Β· Update frequency Β· Ads Β· In-app purchases Β· Monetization Β· Best chart rank Β· Devices Β· Requires iOS

CostPrice Β· In-app purchases Β· Ads Β· Monetization

Both are free to download. basalt sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per 7 days and Iris sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

basalt ships an update every 10 days, Iris every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 13, 2026 and September 25, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences Β· 4 level
basalt versus Iris: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterbasaltIris
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 10 days β€” betterEvery 3 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
DevicesiPhoneiPhone
Requires iOS26.016.4 β€” better
Further details β€” not scored
Size20 MB53 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperIgor DiachukKENNETH CHIN WEI YOW

In-app purchases

2 purchases

basalt

Subscriptions2
  • Basalt Weekly3 Days trial$0.997 Days
  • Basalt Yearly$12.991 Year
2 purchases

Iris

Subscriptions2
  • Iris Plus Monthly$3.991 Month
  • Iris Plus Yearly$29.991 Year

Questions

Is basalt free?
basalt is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Iris free?
Iris is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do basalt or Iris have ads?
Neither basalt nor Iris shows ads.
Which is updated more often, basalt or Iris?
basalt ships an update every 10 days, and Iris every 3 weeks. Most recently, basalt was updated on September 13, 2026 and Iris on September 25, 2026.

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