# iON vs FlatNote

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: FlatNote at none against iON's 2. iON's advantage is update cadence (every 4 days vs every 2 months) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.0). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. iON sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. FlatNote asks for nothing beyond the download.

iON ships an update every 4 days, FlatNote every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 7, 2026 and October 13, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | iON | FlatNote |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/flatnote/id6781590712/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **1** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 4 days** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | — | Free |
| Size | 14 MB | 1 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, Mac |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Aether Tech LTDA.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1868785804) | [Kate Benediktsson](https://appshunter.io/developer/6781590714) |

## What reviewers say

### iON

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ion-daily-ai-assistant/id6757763234)

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| iON monthly | $9.99 | per month |
| iON anually | $99.99 | per year |


### FlatNote

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/flatnote/id6781590712)

This app allows you to create and organize notes using markdown formatting. It offers live formatting, image support, and robust organization features. Your notes are stored as plain files and sync via iCloud across your Apple devices.

**Highlights:** Live markdown formatting, Image embedding in notes, Folder organization and pinning, Real checkboxes, In-note search, Cross-device iCloud sync, Plain .md file export

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is iON free?

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

### Is FlatNote free?

FlatNote is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do iON or FlatNote have ads?

Neither iON nor FlatNote shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, iON or FlatNote?

iON ships an update every 4 days, and FlatNote every 2 months. Most recently, iON was updated on October 7, 2026 and FlatNote on October 13, 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.*