Comparison

Open Minis vs Ox

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

Head to head
About

Open Minis

This AI agent runs locally on your device, taking actions like browsing the web, managing your schedule, and controlling smart home devices. It integrates deeply with iOS frameworks and allows you to bring your own API keys from various AI providers. Customize its capabilities with a skills system and enjoy persistent memory for a personalized experience.

Highlights
  • On-device AI agent
  • Multi-model AI provider support
  • Deep iOS framework integration
  • Built-in web browser
  • Customizable skills system
  • Persistent memory
  • Siri Shortcuts integration
Features
Read full description

Minis — Local-First On-Device AI Agent Minis is a local-first, on-device AI agent that goes beyond chat. All your data stays on your iPhone — nothing is uploaded to a server by default. Running locally means lower latency and stronger privacy, while the agent still takes real action: browsing the web, accessing your health data, managing your schedule, controlling your smart home, and automating complex tasks. Local-First AI Agent Unlike cloud-only chatbots, Minis runs directly on your device and keeps your data there. The agent executes multi-step tasks autonomously, using tools and native iOS frameworks to get things done — not just answer questions, and not just relay everything to the cloud. Multi-Model, Your Choice Bring your own API key. Choose from leading AI providers: • Anthropic Claude • OpenAI GPT • Google Gemini • DeepSeek • Kimi (Moonshot AI) • OpenRouter • Any OpenAI-compatible endpoint Deep iOS Integration The agent accesses Apple frameworks natively: • HealthKit — steps, heart rate, sleep, workouts, SpO₂ • Calendar & Reminders — create events, check availability, manage tasks • HomeKit — control lights, switches, scenes, and smart accessories • Photos — search, organize, and export from your library • Location & Maps — current location, directions, nearby POIs • Vision — OCR text recognition, object detection, barcode scanning • Speech — real-time transcription and text-to-speech • Weather — current conditions, hourly and daily forecasts Built-in Web Browser Navigate pages, take screenshots, extract content, fill forms, and interact with websites — all driven by the AI agent in the background. Skills System Import or create custom AI skills to extend the agent's capabilities. Share skills with others or build your own for specialized workflows. Persistent Memory The agent remembers your preferences, project context, and recurring patterns across sessions — building a personalized assistant that improves over time, all stored locally on your device. Siri Shortcuts Automate AI tasks with Siri and the Shortcuts app. Send prompts with file attachments, wait for results, and chain into complex workflows — all hands-free. Privacy by Design Your API keys and data stay on-device. Fine-grained permission controls let you decide exactly which personal data the agent can access. No account required. No data collected.

About

Ox

This AI assistant helps you research, create notes, and complete tasks across various apps and websites. It integrates with your device's services and files, offering a customizable experience with user-defined profiles and skills.

Highlights
  • Streaming chat interface
  • Research information
  • Work with files
  • Create notes and artifacts
  • Turn websites into services
  • Create custom skills
  • Organize into profiles
Features
Read full description

Ox is a free, open-source local agent for iPhone and iPad that uses websites and apps on your behalf. Choose a language model provider, then research information, work with files, create notes and interactive artifacts, and complete tasks through supported websites and device services. Ox works with commercial, free, local, and self-hosted language models, and can turn websites into reusable services or create custom skills for recurring workflows. Ox can also connect to supported AI apps, search and continue existing conversations, and import reviewed memories into your active Profile. With permission, Ox can access selected folders, use location, add calendar events and reminders, schedule notifications, look up contacts, prepare messages for review, and find, preview, and organize photos you choose to share. You can also share text, links, images, PDFs, and other files with Ox through the Share Sheet or Shortcuts. Chats, memory, skills, character settings, and generated artifacts are organized into separate Profiles that can be stored on-device, synced through iCloud, or opened from a folder you select in Files. Ox asks for approval before sensitive actions and keeps website credentials isolated from the language model.

Screenshots

Open Minis4 screens
Ox4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ratings volume: Open Minis at 98 against Ox's 2. Open Minis also leads on iOS requirement (16.0 vs 26.0). Ox's advantage is update cadence (every 2 days vs weekly). On price, rating, review sentiment and ads 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Ox holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Open Minis has 98 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 96% of Open Minis's written reviews are positive against 100% of Ox's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Open Minis ships an update weekly, Ox every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on November 5, 2026 and November 6, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Open Minis versus Ox: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterOpen MinisOx
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (98 ratings)5.0 (2 ratings) — better
Positive reviews96.1% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings98 — better2
Update frequencyWeeklyEvery 2 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS16.0 — better26.0
Further details — not scored
Size398 MB25 MB
Age rating17+17+
Developer森 王Ziyuan Zhu

Customer experience

Open Minis

All ratings87 ratings
Positive97.7%
Neutral1.1%
Negative1.1%
Written reviews77 reviews
Positive96.1%
Neutral2.6%
Negative1.3%

Ox

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

Open Minis

No in-app purchases

None

Ox

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Open Minis free?
Open Minis is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Ox free?
Ox is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Open Minis or Ox?
Ox is rated higher. Open Minis averages 4.8 out of 5 from 98 ratings, while Ox averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.
Do Open Minis or Ox have ads?
Neither Open Minis nor Ox shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Open Minis or Ox?
Open Minis ships an update weekly, and Ox every 2 days. Most recently, Open Minis was updated on November 5, 2026 and Ox on November 6, 2026.

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