Caliu vs Artiful Reader
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
- 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
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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
Artiful Reader
This app allows you to save articles and read documents like PDFs and EPUBs. It offers unlimited text-to-speech with natural voices, works offline, and removes distractions for a focused reading experience.
- Unlimited text-to-speech
- Save articles for offline reading
- PDF reflow for mobile-friendly view
- Supports EPUB, Markdown, and text files
- Distraction-free reading environment
- Offline functionality
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Save articles. Read PDFs and EPUBs. Unlimited text-to-speech (TTS) with natural-sounding voices. No account or subscription required. Unlimited text-to-speech Listen to articles, PDFs, EPUBs, Markdown, and text files with natural-sounding voices. No listening caps. Follow along with synced highlighting, jump between paragraphs, choose a voice, and adjust playback speed. Works online or offline. Save articles for later Save articles you can open in your browser, then read them in a clean, distraction-free format. Artiful removes clutter like ads, popups, cookie banners, and messy page layouts so you can focus on the text. PDF Reflow Turn dense PDFs into a clean, phone-friendly reading view. Reflow adapts PDF text into a smooth scrolling layout, making long documents easier to read on small screens. EPUB books and files Bring your own reading library. Upload EPUBs, PDFs, Markdown, and plain text files for reading and listening in one simple app. Works offline Save once, then read or listen later without an internet connection. Great for commutes, travel, and focused reading. Private by design Articles and files are processed and stored locally on your device whenever possible. Offline voices work locally, so you can listen without sending your reading to the cloud.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Artiful Reader at none against Caliu's 2. Artiful Reader also leads on ratings volume (12 vs 4) and iOS requirement (16.4 vs 26.0). Caliu's advantage is device support (4 vs 2). On price, rating, review sentiment and update cadence 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. Caliu sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Artiful Reader asks for nothing beyond the download.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Caliu against 5.0 for Artiful Reader. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 4 and 12 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.
Caliu ships an update weekly, Artiful Reader every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on September 30, 2026 and October 7, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Caliu | Artiful Reader |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 5.0 (4 ratings) | 5.0 (12 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 4 | 12 — better |
| Update frequency | Weekly | Every 4 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | 16.4 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 210 MB | 94 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Marc Torrelles | Frank Liu |
Customer experience
Caliu
Artiful Reader
In-app purchases
Caliu
- Caliu Pro - Monthly3 Days trial$1.991 Month
- Caliu Pro - Yearly7 Days trial$17.991 Year
Artiful Reader
No in-app purchases








