Comparison

Herald! vs Dot

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

Head to head
About

Herald!

Features
Read full description

Send notifications to your device from one simple endpoint with Herald! Two step process: 1. Sign up for free 2. Get your api key Using your api key, you can call the endpoint form any device and workflow.

About

Dot

This AI assistant learns your habits to perform tasks across your apps. It offers privacy-first design, working locally on your device. Choose from various AI providers, including offline options, and create custom skills for personalized automation.

Highlights
  • Learns user habits and preferences
  • Creates custom skills for app automation
  • Controls smart home devices
  • Manages reminders and calendar events
  • Sends messages and emails
  • Supports multiple AI providers (Claude, Kimi, Apple Foundation)
  • Privacy-first, on-device processing
Features
Read full description

Dot is a powerful personal AI assistant built for your iPhone. Tell it what you need and it gets it done — securely right on your phone. Dot is special because it can learn from you and for you. Need something done in one of your apps? Dot will create a skill to get it done. What can Dot do? - Control your smart home — turn on the lights, lock the front door, adjust the thermostat - Manage reminders and calendar events — schedule meetings, set to-dos, check what's coming up - Send messages and emails — compose and send without switching apps - Play music — queue up a playlist on Apple Music or Spotify - Create notes — jot down ideas hands-free - Learn new skills by creating shortcuts Privacy-first by design Your conversations and data are only stored on your device. Dot works through your existing apps and Apple Shortcuts — no accounts or cloud services required. Extensible and intelligent Dot learns your preferences and remembers context across conversations. Need something new? Just ask — Dot can generate custom skills on the fly by creating new shortcuts tailored to your request. Fully transparent and accessible to you at all times. Choose your AI Choose your provider. Dot supports Claude, Kimi, and on-device Apple Foundation Models. Pick the one that fits your needs — including fully offline options for maximum privacy. Premium Subscription Details: • Payment will be charged to iTunes Account at confirmation of purchase. • Subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. • The account will be charged for renewal within 24 hours before the end of the current period. • Any unused portion of a free trial period, if offered, will be forfeited when the user purchases a subscription. • Subscriptions may be managed by the user, and auto-renewal may be turned off, by going to iTunes Subscriptions after purchase. Terms of Use: https://www.emotioncomputer.com/terms-of-use Privacy Policy: https://www.emotioncomputer.com/privacy-policy

Screenshots

Herald!2 screens
Dot4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Herald! at none against Dot's 2. Herald! also leads on update cadence (every 2 days vs every 2 weeks). On price, 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

Both are free to download. Dot sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per 7 days. Herald! asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Herald! ships an update every 2 days, Dot every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 30, 2026 and November 5, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 7 level
Herald! versus Dot: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterHerald!Dot
PriceFreeFree
Rating—4.8 (42 ratings) — better
Number of ratings—42 — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 days — betterEvery 2 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
Monetization—Freemium
DevicesiPhoneiPhone
Requires iOS26.126.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size3 MB20 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperGabriele Scotto di VettimoEmotion Computer

In-app purchases

None

Herald!

No in-app purchases

2 purchases

Dot

Subscriptions2
  • AI Assistant Premium Weekly$6.997 Days
  • AI Assistant Premium$19.991 Month

Questions

Is Herald! free?
Herald! is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Dot free?
Dot is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Herald! or Dot have ads?
Neither Herald! nor Dot shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Herald! or Dot?
Herald! ships an update every 2 days, and Dot every 2 weeks. Most recently, Herald! was updated on October 30, 2026 and Dot on November 5, 2026.

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