Comparison

Synapse Notes vs PhiNote

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

Head to head
About

Synapse Notes

Features
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Synaps Notes is a private, on-device note app built for local AI. Write and organize notes directly on your iPhone. Chat with your own notes and documents using local AI models. Import PDFs, images, and text files with OCR support. Keep your data on-device by default, with optional Google Drive backup. No account is required to use the core features

About

PhiNote

Features
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PhiNote is a private notes app with a real AI built in โ€” and it never leaves your phone. Write your notes like you always do. Then ask PhiNote anything about them: "What did I write about SN2 reactions?" or "Summarize chapter 4." The AI reads your notes and answers instantly, because it's running locally with Qwen3 โ€” not in the cloud. Studying for a test? Tap Quiz Me and PhiNote turns any note into a quiz on the spot. Get scored, see exactly which questions you missed, and review before your next session. Why on-device matters: โ€ข Your notes and questions never touch a server โ€ข Works with zero internet connection โ€ข No accounts required to use the AI โ€ข Nothing to leak, nothing to subscribe to just to feel safe Built for iPhone and iPad, with a proper split-view layout on iPad so your notes and chat sit side by side. Free to write, organize, and read your notes. Unlock on-device AI โ€” chat and Quiz Me โ€” with a one-time purchase. Private by design. Smart by default.

Screenshots

Synapse Notes4 screens
PhiNote4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Synapse Notes at none against PhiNote's 1. Synapse Notes also leads on update cadence (every 2 days vs every 3 months). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

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

CostPrice ยท In-app purchases ยท Ads ยท Monetization

Both are free to download. PhiNote sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Synapse Notes asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Synapse Notes ships an update every 2 days, PhiNote every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 25, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences ยท 4 level
Synapse Notes versus PhiNote: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSynapse NotesPhiNote
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 2 days โ€” betterEvery 3 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo โ€” betterYes
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, Mac โ€” better
Requires iOS17.016.0 โ€” better
Further details โ€” not scored
Size8 MB77 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperCan Ahmet OzguvenPHIORANEX PRIVATE LIMITED

In-app purchases

None

Synapse Notes

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

PhiNote

One-time1
  • PhiNote Pro$0.99

Questions

Is Synapse Notes free?
Synapse Notes is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is PhiNote free?
PhiNote is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Synapse Notes or PhiNote have ads?
Neither Synapse Notes nor PhiNote shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Synapse Notes or PhiNote?
Synapse Notes ships an update every 2 days, and PhiNote every 3 months. Most recently, Synapse Notes was updated on October 25, 2026 and PhiNote on October 31, 2026.

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