# PinnedNote vs Cortex

The clearest difference is update cadence: Cortex at every 4 days against PinnedNote's every 3 weeks. Cortex also leads on device support (4 vs 2) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.0). On price, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. PinnedNote sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month and Cortex sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

PinnedNote ships an update every 3 weeks, Cortex every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on November 5, 2026 and October 28, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | PinnedNote | Cortex |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Every 4 days** |
| Size | 5 MB | 132 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [David Pluskal](https://appshunter.io/developer/1863095253) | [JTR Labs LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1892768253) |

## What reviewers say

### PinnedNote

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pinnednote/id6761764557)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| PinnedNote Pro Monthly | $0.99 | per month |
| PinnedNote Pro | $4.99 | one-time |


### Cortex

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cortex-local-markdown-brain/id6785630809)

**Features:** Safari Extension, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Cortex Plus (Monthly) | $4.99 | per month |
| Cortex Plus (Yearly) | $39.99 | per year |
| Cortex Believer | $99.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is PinnedNote free?

PinnedNote is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Cortex free?

Cortex is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Do PinnedNote or Cortex have ads?

Neither PinnedNote nor Cortex shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, PinnedNote or Cortex?

PinnedNote ships an update every 3 weeks, and Cortex every 4 days. Most recently, PinnedNote was updated on November 5, 2026 and Cortex on October 28, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*