Comparison

Reader AI vs Caliu

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

Head to head
About

Reader AI

Features
Read full description

Reader AI is a focused Markdown reader for offline sources, saved articles, notes, YouTube videos, AI summaries, prompts, and exports. It is built for reading first. Save Markdown, text notes, web articles, YouTube videos, and useful links in one organized library. Read sources in a clean layout with themes, typography controls, font size, and spacing that help you focus. Keep useful material available in a durable workspace instead of losing it in tabs, chats, or one-off AI outputs. When you need help moving faster, Reader AI can turn long sources into clear takeaways, structured notes, transcripts, recommendations, risks, questions, decisions, and custom prompt outputs. Use Reader AI to: • Read Markdown, notes, articles, and saved sources in one focused library • Read offline when sources are available locally • Customize themes, font size, spacing, and reading layout • Save YouTube videos, web articles, Markdown, notes, and text • Stream YouTube transcripts and readable source captures • Summarize long content into clear takeaways • Ask custom prompts to analyze, evaluate, and structure sources • Organize work across workspaces • Choose your default AI output language • Export finished work to PDF, EPUB, email, Kindle, Markdown, or plain text • Sync your library across mobile and web Reader AI is not just a summarizer. It is a better reading workspace: Markdown-friendly, offline-first where it matters, themeable, and ready for AI analysis only when you need it. Use it for: • Markdown reading and personal notes • YouTube talks, lectures, and interviews • Article summaries and news digestion • Research notes and literature review • Study notes and learning workflows • Product, strategy, and market analysis • Briefs, summaries, and decision support • Personal knowledge management Reader AI access includes renewing credits for AI-powered work such as summaries, analysis, prompts, and exports. Optional top-ups are available when you need more. Reader AI is powered by Xevol. Terms: https://xevol.com/terms Privacy Policy: https://xevol.com/privacy

About

Caliu

A minimalist markdown notes app designed for writers, offering a distraction-free writing experience with features like nested tags, reminders, and cross-device syncing. It allows for easy export and integration with external tools.

Highlights
  • Markdown writing with live formatting
  • Nested and colored tags for organization
  • Cross-device sync across iPhone, iPad, and Mac
  • Reminders for notes
  • Export to various formats (Markdown, ePub, RTF)
  • REST API and MCP server for integration
  • Customizable themes
Features
Read full description

Caliu is a quiet place to write. Open it and start typing: no account, no setup, no clutter. Markdown takes shape as you type, everything works offline, and your notes stay on your device. When you want them everywhere, create a free account and they follow you across iPhone, iPad, Mac and the web. Sync is free, and it stays free. Writing comes first Headings, lists, tasks, quotes, code and links format as you write. There is no preview pane and no mode to switch: what you see is your note. The interface steps aside and leaves you with the page. Organised the way you think Tags instead of folders, because one idea can belong in many places. Nest them, colour them, and find any note in seconds. Link notes to each other and follow a thought from one to the next. Pin what matters now, and archive what you are done with without losing a word. There when you need it Native on iPhone, iPad and Mac, with a web app for everything else. Put a reminder on any note and Caliu nudges you on whichever device you pick up. Save things to Caliu straight from the share sheet, or add a thought from your Apple Watch. Yours, and only yours No ads. No tracking. Nothing you write is used to train AI. Your notes live on your device first and sync encrypted, and Caliu is built in the EU under GDPR. Export any note as Markdown or plain text whenever you like, share one as a public link when someone needs to read it, and delete your account at any time. Deleted means deleted. For tinkerers A full REST API and a built-in MCP server, so Claude, Cursor or your own scripts can read and write your notes, on your terms. Your first API key is free. Caliu Pro Writing, tags, sync and working offline are free, with no limits on notes. Caliu Pro is for when you want more: • Voice dictation that turns speech into clean Markdown, filler words trimmed • Version history: scroll back through any note and restore it in a tap • Every theme, font and app icon: 22 colour themes, each in light and dark, and 30 fonts • Drawing, right inside your notes • Unlimited attachments • More export formats: HTML, ePub, PDF, RTF and TextPack • Unlimited API keys, and connecting AI apps like Claude to your notes Try it free before you decide. Caliu Pro is an auto-renewing subscription: it renews unless you cancel at least 24 hours before the end of the current period, and you can manage or cancel it anytime in your App Store account settings. Made with care by a small, independent team of one. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://caliuapp.com/privacy

Screenshots

Reader AI4 screens
Caliu4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Caliu at weekly against Reader AI's every 3 weeks. Caliu also leads on device support (4 vs 2). Reader AI's advantage is iOS requirement (15.0 vs 26.0). On price, ads and in-app purchases 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. Reader AI sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per 7 days and Caliu sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Reader AI ships an update every 3 weeks, Caliu weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 2, 2026 and September 30, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Reader AI versus Caliu: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterReader AICaliu
PriceFreeFree
Rating—5.0 (4 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings—4 — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksWeekly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
Monetization—Free
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch — better
Requires iOS15.0 — better26.0
Further details — not scored
Size15 MB210 MB
Age rating12+4+
DeveloperThinking Systems LLCMarc Torrelles

In-app purchases

8 purchases

Reader AI

Subscriptions3
  • Reader AI Weekly Access$6.997 Days
  • Reader AI Monthly Access$14.991 Month
  • Reader AI Yearly Access$89.991 Year
One-time5
  • 100 Credits$4.99
  • 300 Credits$7.99
  • 750 Credits$14.99
Show 2 more
  • 500 Credits$19.99
  • 2000 Credits$59.99
2 purchases

Caliu

Subscriptions2
  • Caliu Pro - Monthly3 Days trial$1.991 Month
  • Caliu Pro - Yearly7 Days trial$17.991 Year

Questions

Is Reader AI free?
Reader AI is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Caliu free?
Caliu is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Reader AI or Caliu have ads?
Neither Reader AI nor Caliu shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Reader AI or Caliu?
Reader AI ships an update every 3 weeks, and Caliu weekly. Most recently, Reader AI was updated on October 2, 2026 and Caliu on September 30, 2026.

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