Folio vs Second Brain
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side β with what reviewers say about each.
Folio
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Folio is a local-first library for Markdown and plain text on Mac. Bring notes and docs into one place, organize them with folders and tags, explore connections with Link Map, and write with private on-device assistanceβwithout juggling loose files in the Finder. Library & organization β’ Import Markdown and text via the file picker, drag-and-drop, or Import from Git Link for public GitHub repositories and individual files. β’ Needs Organizing gives new imports a clear inbox before you file them. β’ Folders and nested structures help you group work the way you think. β’ Tags cut across folders so you can filter by topic or project. β’ Pinned favorites and Recently Opened put what you need one click away. Explore connections β’ Link Map visualizes connections between your notes. β’ Follow links to explore related ideas and navigate your library from a new perspective. Reading & writing β’ Use Editor, Preview, or Split View to draft and see rendered Markdown side by side. β’ Use Writing Assistant to refine drafts, improve wording, and turn rough ideas into clearer notes with private on-device help. β’ Find text within the current document. β’ Sort notes by title, date added, last opened, and more. β’ Search across your library from the sidebar. Share & export β’ Share notes as Markdown or plain text. β’ Export documents to a folder you choose in Finder. Whether youβre collecting research, drafting READMEs, or building a personal knowledge base, Folio keeps your Markdown connected, organized, searchable, and easy to revisit.
Second Brain
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Second Brain is your offline-first personal knowledge management app. Capture every idea, note, and insight β and never lose a thought again. No ads. No tracking. No account required. Your data stays on your device. FEATURES: β’ Rich Notes β Write with Markdown support, add images, link notes together β’ Collections β Organize notes into collections with icons and colors β’ Tags β Tag anything for instant filtering β’ Daily Notes β One note per day, automatically created β’ Goals β Track personal goals with milestones and progress β’ Book Notes β Capture key takeaways from books you read β’ Quotes β Save your favorite quotes β’ Knowledge Graph β See how your ideas connect visually β’ Bi-directional Links β Link notes and see backlinks automatically β’ Full-Text Search β Find anything instantly β’ Favorites & Archive β Star important notes, archive the rest β’ Quick Capture β Capture thoughts from the home screen widget β’ Face ID / Touch ID β Lock your app for privacy β’ iCloud Backup β Optional, off by default β’ Export β PDF, CSV, Markdown β’ 15 Languages β English, Turkish, Spanish, German, French, Italian, Portuguese, Dutch, Polish, Arabic, Japanese, Korean, Chinese, Russian PRIVACY FIRST: Second Brain collects zero data. No analytics, no tracking SDKs, no servers. Everything lives on your device. PREMIUM (one-time purchase): Unlock unlimited notes, collections, Knowledge Graph, exports, Face ID, and home screen widgets with a single lifetime purchase.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: Folio at every 3 weeks against Second Brain's every 3 months. Second Brain's advantage is iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price Β· Rating Β· Positive reviews Β· Number of ratings Β· Update frequency Β· Ads Β· In-app purchases Β· Monetization Β· Best chart rank Β· Devices Β· Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Folio sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Second Brain sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
Folio ships an update every 3 weeks, Second Brain every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on September 30, 2026 and October 1, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Folio | Second Brain |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks β better | Every 3 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Devices | iPhone, Mac | iPhone, iPad, iPod β better |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 15.0 β better |
| Further details β not scored | ||
| Size | 44 MB | 25 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Dinh Bao Thang Duong | Selahattin Bozat |
In-app purchases
Folio
- Pro Lifetime$9.99
Second Brain
- Second Brain Premium$9.99









