Monolithos Core vs Second Brain
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Monolithos Core
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Monolithos is a sovereign Life Operating System — an AI-powered workspace built on the conviction that your memory is the only moat that matters. Your notes, your ideas, your intellectual output: entirely, permanently yours. Unlike cloud tools that mine your data, Monolithos is local-first. Your Markdown vault lives on your device, in plaintext you control. Your vault never leaves your device — our servers route AI calls, they do not keep your files. A MEMORY THAT IS ACTUALLY YOURS This release makes Monolithos a true Memory OS: - Dual-layer memory: Crystals capture what you know; a soul layer learns who you are — your judgment, taste, and thinking patterns - The Mirror: see exactly how the AI understands you, trace every trait to its source, tune or delete anything - Night Watch: the AI distills your work overnight — but only proposes; nothing enters your memory without your approval - Instant recall: three-layer retrieval (keyword, knowledge graph, semantic) with full CJK support, every result carrying its source and confidence — the AI shows you why it believes what it says - Private Domain: designate folders only you and on-device processing may enter. Cloud AI stops at the boundary. Always. AI THAT ACTS, WITH YOUR PERMISSION Frontier models — Gemini, Claude, Grok — behind one intelligent router: - Flow: multi-step AI orchestration that runs long tasks in the background, survives restarts, and pauses for your approval before anything consequential - Black Hole: throw in anything from anywhere — share sheet, capture panel, Live Activities on iPhone — and watch it fall into order - Minutes: record meetings, transcribe, extract insights, seal them into permanent Markdown archives - Synapse (Cmd+J): summon instant AI actions on any selection - Deep Research: multi-step investigations synthesized into structured reports CREATE AT STUDIO GRADE - Prism — The Black Stone Press: a four-agent presentation engine (Director, Copywriter, Reviewer, Visual Designer) with 126 layouts and 14 themes that turns Markdown into publication-ready decks - Audio Brief: transform any document into podcast-quality audio in four signature formats across 12 languages YOUR VAULT, YOUR RULES - Pure local Markdown + YAML frontmatter — no proprietary formats, no lock-in, Obsidian-compatible - Projects: scoped workspaces that keep AI inside the boundary you draw - Rust-native full-text search (Tantivy) with CJK support - iCloud sync between Mac and iPhone; multiple vaults - Interface in English, 简体中文, 繁體中文, 日本語, 한국어 BUILT FOR PEOPLE WHO THINK FOR A LIVING Monolithos is not a note-taking app. It is an operating system for sovereign minds — researchers, writers, strategists, founders, and anyone who refuses to let a corporation own their cognitive output. Your mind is sovereign. Your vault is yours. The Monolith is merely the tool. Subscription required for AI features. Plans and pricing available in Settings. Terms of Use (EULA): https://monolithos.ai/terms.html Privacy Policy: https://monolithos.ai/privacy.html
Second Brain
This AI-powered journal captures your thoughts via voice or text, automatically organizing and connecting them. It helps you recall memories, discover patterns, and reflect on your growth.
- AI classification, tagging, and summarization
- Semantic search by meaning
- Three-layer memory system
- People cards for relationship tracking
- Weekly AI reflections
- Voice input with transcription
- Data export (JSON + Markdown)
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The AI-powered journal that remembers everything. Capture thoughts by voice or text — AI organizes, connects, and recalls your memories so nothing is ever lost. Second Brain models how your mind actually works. Every memory is classified into three layers — instant thoughts, short-term plans, and long-term knowledge — then linked, reflected on, and surfaced exactly when you need it. CAPTURE IN SECONDS Type a thought or press and hold to speak. AI automatically classifies each memory, extracts tags, and generates a summary. No folders. No manual sorting. Just capture and move on. EXPLORE YOUR MEMORIES Ask anything: "What did I decide about the project?" or "What did Sarah say last week?" AI searches across all your memories using meaning — not just keywords — and weaves relevant ones into a clear, contextualized answer. PEOPLE MEMORY Create cards for the people in your life. Track what they said, shared experiences, meeting notes, and to-dos. Never forget a birthday, a promise, or a conversation again. WEEKLY REFLECTIONS Every week, AI reviews your memories, finds recurring themes, spots growth areas, and offers a concrete suggestion — like a thoughtful friend reading your journal. DISCOVER CONNECTIONS AI builds a knowledge graph across your memories, revealing patterns and links you never noticed. Watch your ideas form constellations over time. VOICE CAPTURE Press and hold to speak. Real-time transcription fills your memory instantly. Switch between English and Chinese with one tap. Perfect for capturing thoughts on the go. KEY FEATURES - Three-layer memory system inspired by cognitive science - AI classification, tagging, and summarization - Semantic search — find memories by meaning - Memory strength visualization with Ebbinghaus forgetting curve - People cards with relationship tracking - Daily, weekly, and monthly AI reflections - Voice input with real-time transcription - Theme clusters that reveal your thinking patterns - Memory connection graph - iCloud sync across devices - Full data export (JSON + Markdown) - Works offline — core features need no internet - Privacy-first: your data stays on your device SUBSCRIPTION Second Brain is free to use with daily limits. Upgrade to Pro for: - 20 memory explorations per day - Deep weekly and monthly reflection reports - Memory connection graph - Theme discovery clusters - Unlimited captures, people cards, and OCR - iCloud sync and data export Free 3-day trial available. Cancel anytime. PRIVACY Your memories are stored locally on your device. AI features use the Anthropic Claude API for processing — no other third party ever sees your data. Optional iCloud sync uses your personal Apple account. We never collect, store, or sell your information. Terms of Use: https://smartkiitos.com/secondbrain/terms/ Privacy Policy: https://smartkiitos.com/secondbrain/privacy/
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: Second Brain at weekly against Monolithos Core's every 2 months. On price, ads, in-app purchases 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
Both are free to download. Monolithos Core sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $39.99 per month and Second Brain sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
Monolithos Core ships an update every 2 months, Second Brain weekly. The most recent releases landed on September 10, 2026 and September 8, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Monolithos Core | Second Brain |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | 4.0 (1 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | — | 100.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | — | 1 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Weekly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | — | Freemium |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad — better | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 17.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 143 MB | 12 MB |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Monolithos,LLC | Liwei Xie |
In-app purchases
Monolithos Core
- THE CORE — Monthly7 Days trial$39.991 Month
- THE MAX — Monthly7 Days trial$89.991 Month
- THE CORE — Annual$349.001 Year
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- THE MAX — Annual$859.001 Year
- 1,500 Creation Credits$11.99
- MMC Memory Boost Pack$11.99
- 3,500 Creation Credits$29.99
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- 10,000 Creation Credits$79.99
Second Brain
- Second Brain Pro3 Days trial$4.991 Month
- Second Brain Pro7 Days trial$39.991 Year





