Comparison

Caliu vs Byosoku Memo

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

Byosoku Memo

Features
Read full description

Between “open” and “write,” there is nothing. Byosoku Memo is a zero-friction notepad: the moment it launches, a new note and the keyboard are already there. No hunting for buttons, no flipping pages — the app finally keeps up with “let me jot this down before I forget.” ■ Open = start typing Tap the icon and a blank note with the keyboard appears at once. No splash screen, no confirmation dialog. ■ Auto-save, always There is no save button. Every keystroke is saved instantly. Close an empty note and nothing is left behind — no junk notes. ■ Lock Screen & Home Screen widgets Jump straight from a Lock Screen widget into a new note. The Home Screen widget lists your recent notes; tap one to open it directly. ■ Control Center (iOS 18) Add “New Note” to Control Center and start writing from anywhere with one tap. ■ Smart full-text search Kana, full/half-width and upper/lowercase are all treated alike, with multi-word AND search to find any note fast. ■ Export & share Share a single note, or export your whole list as a text file. All data is stored on your device. No account required. [Pricing] Every feature is available. A banner ad is shown at the bottom of the screen. A one-time “Remove Ads” purchase hides it permanently (no subscription). Privacy policy: https://honki.ai/byosoku-memo/privacy.html

Screenshots

Caliu4 screens
Byosoku Memo3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: Caliu at none against Byosoku Memo's shown. Caliu also leads on device support (4 vs 2). Byosoku Memo's advantage is iOS requirement (17.0 vs 26.0). On price, update cadence 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Caliu sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month and Byosoku Memo sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Caliu ships an update weekly, Byosoku Memo fortnightly. Both last shipped on October 25, 2026.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Caliu versus Byosoku Memo: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterCaliuByosoku Memo
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (5 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings5 — better—
Update frequencyWeekly — betterFortnightly
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS26.017.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size201 MB8 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMarc Torrelles丽佳 施

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
1 purchases

Byosoku Memo

One-time1
  • Remove Ads$0.49

Questions

Is Caliu free?
Caliu is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Byosoku Memo free?
Byosoku Memo is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Caliu or Byosoku Memo have ads?
Byosoku Memo shows ads; Caliu does not.
Which is updated more often, Caliu or Byosoku Memo?
Caliu ships an update weekly, and Byosoku Memo fortnightly. Most recently, Caliu was updated on October 25, 2026 and Byosoku Memo on October 25, 2026.

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