Open Pi vs HelixNotes
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Open Pi
Manage your Raspberry Pi devices remotely without cloud services. Monitor system health, control Docker, run commands, transfer files, and manage GPIO from a modern, privacy-focused interface.
- Real-time system monitoring
- SSH terminal access
- Docker container management
- GPIO control
- File manager
- Wake-on-LAN Helper
- Remote system actions
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Direct, local, and private Raspberry Pi management. Open Pi lets you monitor system health, manage Docker containers, and run SSH commands on your Raspberry Pi right from your phone. No cloud servers, accounts, or subscriptions. Built for homelabs, self-hosting, IoT projects, and software development. Key Features • System Health: Real-time CPU, RAM, storage, and temperature metrics • Docker Management: View, start, stop, and restart containers • Terminal: Secure SSH command-line access over local network or VPN • File Manager: Direct file uploads and downloads • GPIO Control: Monitor and toggle pins • Auto-Discovery: Detect devices automatically on local networks • System Actions: Wake-on-LAN helper, remote reboot, and alerts Privacy • Native SSH connection with no background agents • No accounts, tracking, or telemetry • Local-first architecture with zero subscriptions • All data stays on your local network
HelixNotes
A private, open-source Markdown note-taking app that keeps your data on your device. Organize notes with notebooks, tags, and wiki links, and utilize advanced features like mathematical notation and diagrams.
- Local Markdown storage
- Visual and source code editor
- Notebooks, tags, and wiki links
- Task management and calendar views
- KaTeX and Mermaid diagram support
- Version history and backups
- Optional WebDAV sync
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HelixNotes is a private, open-source Markdown notes app. Your notes remain standard Markdown files under your control. No account is required, and HelixNotes has no company-operated cloud. Write with a clean visual editor or switch to source mode when you want direct access to the Markdown. Organize your work with notebooks, tags, wiki links and full-text search. Features include: • Tasks collected from checklists across your notes • List and calendar views with priorities and due dates • Wiki links and an interactive graph view • Daily notes with a built-in calendar • Markdown tables, code blocks and syntax highlighting • KaTeX mathematical notation and Mermaid diagrams • Outline navigation and tag autocomplete • Version history and automatic backups • Light, dark and customizable themes • Optional WebDAV sync with your own server • Optional AI tools using your own provider Nothing leaves your device unless you enable a feature that connects to an external service. Your notes stay readable outside HelixNotes, without a proprietary format or platform lock-in. HelixNotes is free software released under the GNU AGPLv3. Its source code is publicly available on GitLab.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: HelixNotes at 5.0 against Open Pi's 4.4. HelixNotes also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 2) and iOS requirement (14.0 vs 18.0). Open Pi's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs every 3 weeks) and ratings volume (8 vs 2). On price, 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
Both are free to download. Open Pi sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. HelixNotes asks for nothing beyond the download.
HelixNotes holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.4. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 8 and 2 respectively.
Open Pi ships an update weekly, HelixNotes every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 18, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Open Pi | HelixNotes |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.4 (8 ratings) | 5.0 (2 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 8 — better | 2 |
| Update frequency | Weekly — better | Every 3 weeks |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Paid | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | 14.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 43 MB | 18 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Artem Svitelskyi | Yuri Karamian |
Customer experience
Open Pi
HelixNotes
In-app purchases
Open Pi
- Single (Lifetime)$5.99
- Family (Lifetime)$12.99
HelixNotes
No in-app purchases









