Comparison

Caliu vs Idea Tiles

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

Head to head
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

About

Idea Tiles

Features
Read full description

Turn one thought into a visual map of everything around it. Idea Tiles is a hexagonal brainstorming canvas for writers, designers, product thinkers, researchers, and anyone who works better with connected fragments than a blank page. Start with one tile, explore the ideas around it, and keep following the branches that matter. EXPLORE THE SPACE AROUND AN IDEA • Expand a tile into six related directions with Apple Intelligence on supported devices. • Merge two tiles into one thought that captures what they share. • Star important themes and filter a busy board down to what matters. • Undo, redo, pan, and zoom without breaking your flow. PRIVATE BY DESIGN On supported iPhone and iPad models, generation runs through Apple's on-device Foundation Models. Prompts, board context, and responses stay on your device. There is no silent cloud fallback, no account requirement, no advertising profile, and no analytics SDK in the native app. MAKE THE BOARD PORTABLE Export your work as PNG, JPG, SVG, or JSON through the standard share sheet. Send it with AirDrop or Messages, save it to Files, or keep the structured JSON for later editing. RETURN TO YOUR WORK Boards are saved locally across sessions. Template customization also uses the on-device model, and model readiness is checked again when the app returns to the foreground. ACCESSIBLE AND RESPONSIVE Idea Tiles includes VoiceOver labels, adjustable text, high-contrast options, reduced-motion support, keyboard shortcuts, and touch interactions designed for both iPhone and iPad. REQUIREMENTS • Generation requires iOS 26 or later, Apple Intelligence enabled, and eligible hardware. • Canvas editing, merge, star, filter, local sessions, and export remain available without generation. • When the system model is unavailable or still preparing, Idea Tiles explains why and checks again automatically. Idea Tiles is free, with no subscription and no in-app purchases.

Screenshots

Caliu4 screens
Idea Tiles4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Idea Tiles at none against Caliu's 2. On price, update cadence, ads 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. Caliu sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Idea Tiles asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Caliu ships an update weekly, Idea Tiles fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on September 30, 2026 and October 7, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 9 level
Caliu versus Idea Tiles: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterCaliuIdea Tiles
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (4 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings4 — better—
Update frequencyWeekly — betterFortnightly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch — betteriPhone, iPad, Mac
Requires iOS26.026.0
Further details — not scored
Size210 MB18 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMarc TorrellesLanguageCraft

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Caliu

Subscriptions2
  • Caliu Pro - Monthly3 Days trial$1.991 Month
  • Caliu Pro - Yearly7 Days trial$17.991 Year
None

Idea Tiles

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Caliu free?
Caliu is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Idea Tiles free?
Idea Tiles is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Caliu or Idea Tiles have ads?
Neither Caliu nor Idea Tiles shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Caliu or Idea Tiles?
Caliu ships an update weekly, and Idea Tiles fortnightly. Most recently, Caliu was updated on September 30, 2026 and Idea Tiles on October 7, 2026.

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