Comparison

Caliu vs Readplace

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. 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. 50 notes free, forever, no account needed. Caliu Pro makes them unlimited and adds: • 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 Subscribe monthly or yearly, or buy Pro lifetime once. Try it free before you decide. The monthly or yearly plan 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

Readplace

Save articles from any app to a clean, focused reader. Get AI summaries to quickly assess content. This app helps you manage your reading list and actually finish articles.

Highlights
  • Save articles from any app
  • Distraction-free reading experience
  • AI-powered article summaries
  • Organized reading list
  • Mark articles as read
Features
Read full description

Readplace is a read-it-later app. Save articles from anywhere and read them later in a clean, focused reader — without the clutter, popups, and noise of the open web. SAVE FROM ANY APP Open a web page in Safari (or any app), tap Share, and choose Readplace. The article is captured and added to your reading list — no copy-paste, no tab hoarding. A CALM READING LIST Everything you saved in one place. Tap an article to read it in a distraction-free reader, and get an AI summary so you can decide what is worth your time before you dive in. Swipe to mark things read as you go. ORGANIZE YOUR READING Switch between readlists and choose where articles saved from the share sheet go. Readplace remembers your last open list and keeps unread and finished articles in separate tabs. READ YOUR WAY Choose light, dark, or system appearance. Download an article as an EPUB and use the iOS share sheet to save it or open it in another reading app. BUILT ON A DECADE OF READING Readplace grew out of a personal reading system refined over ten years. It does one thing well: help you actually read the things you meant to read. Your #1 AI-Powered Reading List. A Readplace subscription is required after the free trial.

Screenshots

Caliu4 screens
Readplace4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Readplace at none against Caliu's 3. Readplace also leads on iOS requirement (16.0 vs 26.0). Caliu's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs every 2 weeks) and ratings volume (5 vs 1). On price, rating, review sentiment and ads 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 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Readplace asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Caliu against 5.0 for Readplace. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Caliu has 5 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Caliu ships an update weekly, Readplace every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 5, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Caliu versus Readplace: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterCaliuReadplace
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (5 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings)
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings5 — better1
Update frequencyWeekly — betterEvery 2 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch — betteriPhone
Requires iOS26.016.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size201 MB7 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMarc TorrellesJessika Fayner Brack

Customer experience

Caliu

All ratings5 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews5 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Readplace

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

3 purchases

Caliu

Subscriptions2
  • Caliu Pro - Monthly3 Days trial$2.991 Month
  • Caliu Pro - Yearly7 Days trial$17.991 Year
One-time1
  • Caliu Pro Lifetime$44.99
None

Readplace

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Caliu free?
Caliu is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Readplace free?
Readplace is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Caliu or Readplace?
Caliu and Readplace are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 5 and 1 ratings respectively.
Do Caliu or Readplace have ads?
Neither Caliu nor Readplace shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Caliu or Readplace?
Caliu ships an update weekly, and Readplace every 2 weeks. Most recently, Caliu was updated on November 5, 2026 and Readplace on October 31, 2026.

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