Comparison

Memex vs AI Side Panel

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

Head to head
About

Memex

Organize your Markdown notes and PDFs on an infinite canvas. Connect documents, sketch with Apple Pencil, and use an AI chat to ask questions about your gathered information. Your files remain private and accessible via iCloud Drive.

Highlights
  • Infinite canvas for notes and PDFs
  • AI chat to query your documents
  • Apple Pencil handwriting and sketching
  • Markdown rendering as live cards
  • Organize and connect content with arrows
  • Export content as images
Features
Read full description

Memex puts your Markdown notes and PDFs on an infinite canvas, with an AI chat that reads them. Any document can sit on the canvas as a live, readable card. Arrange and connect your cards, write around them with Apple Pencil, and ask the chat about what you have gathered. ON THE CANVAS - Markdown documents render as live cards, not links - PDFs sit on the canvas as cards showing their first page - Draw arrows between cards and gather them into groups - Handwrite and sketch next to your typed notes with Apple Pencil - On iOS 27, search finds your handwriting as well as your typed notes - Push cards to another canvas as your thinking changes - Type @ to link to anything in your library, or @here to link the spot you are on - Add text, code blocks, tables, images and embeds CHAT WITH YOUR NOTES - Add a card, a whole document or a PDF to the chat, or type straight in - Ask about your notes in plain words - Put any reply back on your canvas as a card - The chat is there on canvases, documents and PDFs MAKE IMAGES - Select typed text, or handwriting on iOS 27, and tap Make image - The picture lands on your canvas and in your library YOUR FILES STAY YOURS - Documents and canvases are plain files in your iCloud Drive, visible in the Files app - No Memex account, no lock-in - The AI sees only what you add to the chat. Your messages and that context go through our server, which stores none of it, to OpenAI via OpenRouter BUILT FOR IPAD AND APPLE PENCIL Memex is designed for iPad first, with Pencil writing directly on the canvas. It also runs on iPhone and Mac. ONE SUBSCRIPTION One Memex subscription unlocks the complete app, including 500 AI credits a month: a chat message uses 1 credit and an image uses 10. Credits reset on the 1st of each month (UTC) and don't roll over. Take the hands-on welcome tour, then try the chat with 5 free messages before you subscribe. Eligible new subscribers get a 7-day free trial. Choose $9.95 monthly or $79.99 yearly. Subscriptions renew automatically until cancelled in your Apple Account settings. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

AI Side Panel

Features
Read full description

Stop juggling apps. This is your unified AI command center. AI Side Panel transforms how you interact with Large Language Models. We don’t just open web pages; we’ve engineered a high-performance workspace that aggregates all AI services into a single, seamless interface. This is the essential tool for developers, creators, and power users who need instant access to the world’s smartest models without the friction of switching browser tabs. WHY POWER USERS CHOOSE AI SIDE PANEL: MULTI-MODEL INTELLIGENCE Why limit yourself to one provider? Access a curated, fully customizable list of top-tier AI services. Switch from complex reasoning to creative writing or data analysis in one tap. You control the default service and the layout. SPLIT VIEW & COMPARISON MODE Eliminate hallucinations and verify facts instantly. Our advanced Split View allows you to run two distinct AI services simultaneously. Compare code snippets, cross-reference data, or translate text using different engines side-by-side. NATIVE SYSTEM INTEGRATION Bring AI into every corner of your iPhone and iPad: • SMART SHARE: Use the iOS Share Sheet to push content directly to a specific prompt template. • HIGHLIGHT & SEND: Select text in Safari, Mail, or Notes and send it instantly to your active AI model. • WORKFLOW AUTOMATION: Streamline repetitive tasks with our high-speed interface. PRIVACY-FIRST ARCHITECTURE We operate with a strict "No-Middleman" policy. Your data security is our priority. • DIRECT CONNECTION: You interact directly with AI providers' secure websites. • ZERO RETENTION: We never store, log, or analyze your conversation history. • SANDBOXED BROWSING: Your sessions are isolated for maximum security. DESIGNED FOR THE 2026 WORKSPACE • CONVERSATION HUB: Optional local history to resume workflows quickly. • VISUAL CUSTOMIZATION: Full support for Dark Mode and dynamic UI scaling. • DISTRACTION-FREE: We block intrusive elements so you can focus on the prompt. DISCLAIMER AI Side Panel is an independent browser utility. It is not affiliated with, associated with, or endorsed by any AI model providers or their subsidiaries. All product names and brands are property of their respective owners. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Memex4 screens
AI Side Panel4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Memex at none against AI Side Panel's 4. Memex also leads on ads (none vs shown). AI Side Panel's advantage is iOS requirement (13.0 vs 17.0). On price, update cadence and device support 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. AI Side Panel sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per month. Memex asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Memex ships an update fortnightly, AI Side Panel every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and October 28, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 6 level
Memex versus AI Side Panel: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMemexAI Side Panel
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (1 ratings) — better—
Number of ratings1 — better—
Update frequencyFortnightlyEvery 2 weeks — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFreemium—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPod
Requires iOS17.013.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size35 MB36 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAlex MorrisAlperen Eroglu

In-app purchases

None

Memex

No in-app purchases

4 purchases

AI Side Panel

Subscriptions3
  • AI Side Panel Premium$6.991 Month
  • AI Side Panel 3 Monthly$12.993 Months
  • AI Side Panel Premium$19.991 Year
One-time1
  • AI Side Panel Premium$49.99

Questions

Is Memex free?
Memex is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is AI Side Panel free?
AI Side Panel is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Memex or AI Side Panel have ads?
AI Side Panel shows ads; Memex does not.
Which is updated more often, Memex or AI Side Panel?
Memex ships an update fortnightly, and AI Side Panel every 2 weeks. Most recently, Memex was updated on October 16, 2026 and AI Side Panel on October 28, 2026.

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