Foxlore vs FlatNote
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Foxlore
This app offers private note-taking with on-device AI for intelligent search and content understanding. It supports markdown, rich text, and secure note locking, with all data processed locally for maximum privacy. Enjoy a one-time purchase for all features and future updates.
- On-device AI for search and image understanding
- Semantic and keyword search
- Full markdown with rich text editing
- Note linking and backlinks
- Face ID/Touch ID protected notes
- Optional end-to-end encrypted iCloud sync
- One-time purchase, no subscription
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Foxlore is a private, intelligent notebook that helps you capture ideas, connect knowledge, and rediscover what you know. • Write with rich Markdown, including tables, LaTeX equations, lists, callouts, code blocks and inline images. • Browse your library as a streamlined note stream with focused notes and compact previews. • Organize notes using nested tags and reusable Include, Require and Exclude filters. • Find information using exact-word and semantic search, or discover related ideas with Find Similar. • Generate on-device summaries on supported devices. • Attach locations, calendar events, audio and PDFs—then search their extracted content. • Create links between notes and attachments. • Zoom into images with familiar pinch gestures. • Protect sensitive notes by locking tags with Face ID or Touch ID. • Import and export Markdown, or export individual notes as paginated PDFs. • Keep your library synchronized through iCloud, with automatic local backups. Privacy is fundamental to Foxlore. Search, indexing, image captions and AI features run on your device. Foxlore does not send your notes or searches to a hosted AI service. When iCloud sync is enabled, your library is synchronized privately using Apple’s CloudKit.
FlatNote
This app allows you to create and organize notes using markdown formatting. It offers live formatting, image support, and robust organization features. Your notes are stored as plain files and sync via iCloud across your Apple devices.
- Live markdown formatting
- Image embedding in notes
- Folder organization and pinning
- Real checkboxes
- In-note search
- Cross-device iCloud sync
- Plain .md file export
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FlatNote is a markdown notes app for people who want their writing to stay plain, portable, and theirs. It runs on iPhone, iPad, and Mac, and your notes sync across all of them through your own iCloud, or stay in a folder you choose. Type markdown and watch it format as you go. Headings, bold, italic, strikethrough, links, quotes, bullet lists, and tappable checkboxes all render while you write. The raw symbols stay out of your way and reappear only on the line you are editing, so you always know exactly what you typed. WHAT YOU GET - Live formatting. See the result as you type, with a one minute reference note included. - Photos in your notes. Paste an image or attach one; it is saved next to the note as an ordinary file, not in a database. - Folders, pins, and sorting. Organize notes into real directories and keep the ones you use on top. - Real checkboxes. Tap to check things off, right in the note. - Find in a note. Search the open note and jump between highlighted matches. - Quick formatting. A formatting bar above the keyboard on iPhone and iPad, and standard shortcuts on Mac. - Find your notes fast. Search the whole library by title or content. YOUR WORDS BELONG TO YOU - Every note is a plain .md file. No proprietary format, no lock-in, readable in any app, on any device, years from now. - Your notes live in your iCloud and sync across your iPhone, iPad, and Mac automatically, signed in with your Apple ID. No separate account to make. - Export carries everything. Share any note as markdown, with its pictures included, or export your whole library as one zip of ordinary files. The files are also right there in the Files app on iOS and Finder on Mac. - Delete is honest. Deleted notes go to Trash, where they can be recovered. QUIET BY DESIGN - No ads. No tracking. No analytics. Nothing about you leaves your devices and your iCloud. - Works on iPhone, iPad, and Mac, in light and dark. FlatNote keeps the format simple so you can keep your thinking clear.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: FlatNote at none against Foxlore's 1. Foxlore's advantage is update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 3 months). On price, rating, ratings volume 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
Both are free to download. Foxlore sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. FlatNote asks for nothing beyond the download.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Foxlore against 5.0 for FlatNote. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2 and 1 respectively.
Foxlore ships an update every 2 weeks, FlatNote every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and September 28, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Foxlore | FlatNote |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 5.0 (2 ratings) | 5.0 (1 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 2 — better | 1 |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks — better | Every 3 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Paid | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, Mac | iPhone, iPad, Mac — better |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 17.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 56 MB | 1 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Searchliness | Kate Benediktsson |
Customer experience
Foxlore
FlatNote
In-app purchases
Foxlore
- Unlock Foxlore$14.99
FlatNote
No in-app purchases









