Comparison

Maho Notes vs PodLume

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

Head to head
About

Maho Notes

A beautiful Markdown note-taking app that keeps your words secure. Notes are stored as plain .md files, with options for local storage or syncing via iCloud or GitHub. It offers advanced search capabilities and supports various Markdown features.

Highlights
  • Plain .md file storage
  • iCloud and GitHub sync options
  • On-device semantic search
  • Full CommonMark + GFM support
  • KaTeX math and Mermaid diagrams
  • Hierarchical collections and vaults
Features
Read full description

Maho Notes is a markdown-based note-taking app for people who care about their words — and want to keep them. Every note is a plain .md file on your device. No proprietary format, no vendor lock-in, no servers you don't control. Sync through your own iCloud, your own GitHub repo, or keep notes purely local — your choice. FREE, NO STRINGS Maho Notes is completely free. Every feature is included — no subscription, no paywall, no ads, no account to create. If the app earns a place in your workflow, there's an optional tip jar in Settings. Tipping unlocks nothing; it just says thanks. A NOTES APP THAT SPEAKS YOUR LANGUAGE Full multilingual support, including search across English, 中文 (Traditional Chinese), 日本語 (Japanese), and 한국어 (Korean) — powered by a CJK-aware tokenizer that actually understands word boundaries in each language. Add furigana to Japanese kanji, Zhuyin to Mandarin, Tâi-lô to Taiwanese, or readings to Korean — all with one simple syntax: {漢字|ふりがな}. THREE WAYS TO SEARCH • Keyword search — fast SQLite FTS5 across every note • Semantic search — on-device vector embeddings find ideas, not just words • Hybrid — both, fused into one ranked list Models run entirely on-device. Nothing about your notes leaves your hardware. WRITTEN IN MARKDOWN, RENDERED BEAUTIFULLY • Full CommonMark + GitHub Flavored Markdown • KaTeX math equations • Mermaid diagrams • Syntax-highlighted code blocks • Ruby annotations for any language • Image and asset embedding • Tables, task lists, footnotes ORGANIZE YOUR WAY Vaults hold collections. Collections hold notes. Drag-and-drop reordering, custom icons and colors, hierarchical sub-collections, and per-collection ordering — all stored in plain YAML you can read. • iCloud — seamless across your Apple devices • GitHub — version your notes as a private repo, sync through your own account using GitHub's official Device Flow login (no third-party server in the middle) • Device-only — keep everything offline Conflicts get clearly-named files (note.conflict-DeviceName.md), never silent overwrites. UNIVERSAL APP One free download covers iPhone, iPad, and Mac. Optimized layouts for each: a focus-friendly stack on iPhone, a three-column workspace on iPad and Mac, with the same vault wherever you are.

About

PodLume

Features
Read full description

PodLume is the intelligence layer for podcast listening. Listen to podcasts with synced transcripts, save highlights as you go, revisit key moments later, and ask questions across your podcast library with grounded, timestamped answers. PodLume is built for people who listen to learn. What you can do with PodLume * Follow along with a time-synced transcript while you listen * Save highlights with timestamps, transcript excerpts, and optional notes * Jump back to the exact moment from any saved highlight * See speakers, mentions, and extracted entities from the conversation * Get AI-generated summaries and takeaways from processed episodes * Ask PodLume’s Agent questions across your library and get answers with citations * Discover podcasts, subscribe to shows, and keep your listening organized * Get newly released episodes from your subscribed shows processed automatically * Process older episodes on demand and turn them into searchable knowledge * Export your learning and revisit key ideas later Designed for continuous listeners PodLume is made for long-form listening on the go. Whether you’re walking, commuting, working out, or taking notes after the fact, PodLume helps you capture what matters and return to it later. PodLume applies subscription-based limits to podcast subscriptions and some processing features, while keeping the listening experience itself unrestricted.

Screenshots

Maho Notes3 screens
PodLume4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: PodLume at monthly against Maho Notes's every 5 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Maho Notes sells 3 one-off in-app purchases and PodLume sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Maho Notes ships an update every 5 months, PodLume monthly. Both last shipped on October 31, 2026.

Scorecard1 real difference · 8 level
Maho Notes versus PodLume: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMaho NotesPodLume
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (2 ratings) — better—
Number of ratings2 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 5 monthsMonthly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Mac — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS18.017.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size17 MB6 MB
Age rating4+12+
DeveloperKuo-Chuan PanPodMAX AI Inc.

In-app purchases

3 purchases

Maho Notes

One-time3
  • Small Tip$1.99
  • Medium Tip$4.99
  • Large Tip$9.99
2 purchases

PodLume

Subscriptions2
  • PodLume Plus$9.991 Month
  • PodLume Pro$24.991 Month

Questions

Is Maho Notes free?
Maho Notes is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is PodLume free?
PodLume is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Maho Notes or PodLume have ads?
Neither Maho Notes nor PodLume shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Maho Notes or PodLume?
Maho Notes ships an update every 5 months, and PodLume monthly. Most recently, Maho Notes was updated on October 31, 2026 and PodLume on October 31, 2026.

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