Byeori vs Ariv
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side โ with what reviewers say about each.
Byeori
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Byeori isn't a notebook. It's a brain that thinks as you write โ and speaks first. Note apps only store. Chatbots only answer when asked. And in the moment you need it, nothing comes to you. Byeori is different โ you just capture, and the brain does the thinking. โ Mirror โ it reflects you back As you write, the brain draws the gap between who you think you are and what your notes actually say. Not from anyone else โ from your own words. โ Today's Provocation โ it names the two voices inside you "I must be perfect to start," and yet "I only improve by shipping." It surfaces a contradiction you couldn't see, with the exact sentences behind it. โ Connections that come first โ it links before you ask Forgotten notes, two ideas that quietly touch โ the brain surfaces them for you. No search terms to remember. โ Grounded in your notes, not hallucinations It extracts atoms (claims, self-descriptions) from your writing, finds opposite polarity on the same concept, and recalls what's semantically scattered. It never speaks without evidence. โ Near-zero friction to capture By hand or by voice, the moment it strikes. A one-line journal becomes a habit, and the same brain grows on your phone and on the web. โ Start today in three sentences No need to write a lot. Answer three prompts and within minutes the brain speaks to you for the first time. Write more, and new axes open โ mood, trajectory, self-gap. Write โ the brain reflects โ you write more โ the brain deepens. For everyone who thinks. Wake up your second brain with three sentences today.
Ariv
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Ariv is a local-first second brain for notes, tasks, journaling, study, projects, and personal knowledge management. Capture ideas, organize work, search your vault, ask questions about your notes, and keep your thinking connected without building a complicated plugin setup. Everything is built in: - Markdown notes and daily writing - Smart dashboard for active work - Tasks and Kanban - Quick capture - Voice memos with transcription - Ask Brain, an AI assistant for your notes - Calendar-aware planning and meeting context - Graph view and visual maps - Templates and presentation mode - Unified search across files, tags, and content Ariv is designed around a simple idea: your notes have a life. New thoughts land in your inbox. Active notes stay visible while you are working on them. Older notes move out of the way but stay searchable, linkable, and ready to resurface when you need them. No manual filing system required. No weekend spent setting up plugins. Open the app and start thinking. Your files stay yours: - Notes are stored as plain Markdown - Works with existing Markdown folders and vaults - No proprietary format - No account required to use the local app - Optional end-to-end encrypted sync is available AI is optional and on your terms. Use your own API key, run supported local models, or use Ariv's managed AI add-on. Ask Brain can answer questions from your vault and point back to the notes it used. Whether you are a student, writer, researcher, developer, founder, or lifelong learner, Ariv gives you one place to capture, connect, and use what you know. Think freely. No setup required.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: Byeori at every 2 weeks against Ariv's every 2 months. On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price ยท Rating ยท Positive reviews ยท Number of ratings ยท Update frequency ยท Ads ยท In-app purchases ยท Monetization ยท Best chart rank ยท Devices ยท Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Byeori ships an update every 2 weeks, Ariv every 2 months. Both last shipped on November 5, 2026.
| Parameter | Byeori | Ariv |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks โ better | Every 2 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 | 15.0 โ better |
| Further details โ not scored | ||
| Size | 36 MB | 37 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | WOOCHEOL SHIN | Ariv Studios |
In-app purchases
Byeori
No in-app purchases
Ariv
No in-app purchases









