Caliu vs Refind
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. 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
Refind
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Save everything worth revisiting. Refind is a beautiful read later app for people who constantly discover interesting things online but rarely return to them. Save articles, YouTube videos, GitHub repositories, blogs, tutorials, podcasts and more in a single tap. Instead of disappearing into endless bookmarks or forgotten folders, your discoveries stay organized and ready whenever you need them. Save from anywhere Refind integrates directly with the iOS Share Sheet, making it effortless to save content from Safari, X, Reddit, Instagram, YouTube and hundreds of other apps. No copying. No switching between apps. Just share and save. Automatic organization Forget folders. Every saved link is automatically categorized based on its source. Add your own tags whenever you want, then browse everything through a clean, distraction free library. Search instantly by: • Title • Website • URL • Automatic tags • Custom tags Rediscover what matters Saving something is only useful if you actually come back to it. Daily resurfacing gently reminds you about links you’ve forgotten, helping you revisit valuable discoveries instead of collecting digital clutter. Designed to stay out of your way Refind was built around simplicity. No complicated folder systems. No unnecessary features. No ads. Just a calm place for everything worth remembering. Built for people who save everything Perfect for: • Students • Developers • Designers • Researchers • Founders • Writers • Lifelong learners Whether you’re collecting design inspiration, programming tutorials, AI tools, recipes, travel guides or articles to read later, Refind keeps everything within reach. Features • Save links directly from the Share Sheet • Automatic metadata fetching • Automatic source detection • Automatic tags • Custom tags • Lightning fast search • Daily resurfacing reminders • Beautiful reading library • Archive completed links • iCloud sync • Native iPhone and Mac experience • One time purchase available Download Refind today and build a library you’ll actually revisit. Terms of Use - https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is device support: Caliu at 4 against Refind's 2. Refind's advantage is iOS requirement (16.0 vs 26.0). On price, ads and in-app purchases 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 and Refind sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
| Parameter | Caliu | Refind |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 5.0 (5 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 5 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 9 days | — |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | 16.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 210 MB | 9 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Marc Torrelles | Kartik Vats |
In-app purchases
Caliu
- Caliu Pro - Monthly3 Days trial$1.991 Month
- Caliu Pro - Yearly7 Days trial$17.991 Year
Refind
- Refind Infinite$8.99









