Comparison

Ashnote vs Mandrill

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side โ€” with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Ashnote

Features
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ASHnote is a local-first markdown notes and journaling app for personal use. All notes are saved directly on your device as plain text files. No account is required, and no data is sent to any server unless you choose to set up iCloud or Git sync. Key features - Markdown editor with slash commands and a formatting toolbar - Folder structure with custom emoji icons - Calendar and journal views for daily note organization - Mood and weather icons for journaling - Tags and favorites for quick filtering - Pin important notes to the top - Full-text search - Optional iCloud sync to keep notes across Apple devices - Optional Git sync to back up notes to a Git repository - Fully offline capable Privacy-first You can use ASHnote without logging in. Unless you explicitly enable iCloud or Git sync, no data is transmitted to our servers. ASHnote offers all core note-taking features for free, with an optional auto-renewable premium subscription that unlocks additional features. ASHnote Premium (Auto-Renewable Subscription) - Monthly: US$2.99/month - Yearly: US$24.99/year Premium subscription includes: - Version history - Sticky notes - Multiple vaults - Export and sharing (PDF, HTML, ZIP) - AI assistant Payment will be charged to your Apple account at confirmation of purchase. Subscription automatically renews unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Your account will be charged for renewal within 24 hours prior to the end of the current period. You can manage or cancel your subscription in your Apple Account settings after purchase. Terms of Use: https://note.sunteq.net/terms Privacy Policy: https://note.sunteq.net/privacy

About

Mandrill

Read full description

Mandrill is a fast, native Markdown reader and editor for iPhone and iPad; beautifully designed. Whether you're reviewing a README on the go, editing notes in your GitHub repo, or reading documentation on your iPad, Mandrill renders Markdown the way it's meant to look. Clean typography. GitHub themes. Zero clutter. GitHub integration: your repos in your pocket Sign in with GitHub and browse your repositories directly from the app. Open any repo, read and edit your Markdown files, and push changes back to GitHub when you're ready without ever touching a terminal or switching apps. Mandrill tracks which files have been modified and surfaces them clearly so you always know what's changed. Open anything Tap + to open a file from your device, browse a local folder, or connect to a GitHub repository. Mandrill shows only your .md files; no noise, no clutter, just the documents you care about. A reader you'll actually enjoy using Mandrill turns plain .md files into clean, typographically polished pages. Headings, lists, blockquotes, fenced code blocks, tables, inline code, bold, italic, and strikethrough, all rendered with care, in the theme you love. GitHub themes built in Choose GitHub Light, GitHub Dark, or System which follows your device's appearance automatically. Code blocks are highlighted per language like Swift, Python, JavaScript/TypeScript, Go, Rust, Java/Kotlin, C, C++, Objective-C, Ruby, Bash, SQL, CSS and more using authentic GitHub palettes. Made for how you read Mandrill gives you real control over your reading experience. Pick your typeface: Sans, Serif, or Mono. Adjust text size with a slider. Set your reading width to Narrow, Wide, or Full. Every setting is there because it matters. Tables, done right Markdown tables render properly with correct alignment, theming, and zero fuss. One-click code copying Every fenced code block ships with a copy button so you can grab snippets without selecting a single character. Fast, even on large files Markdown parsing and syntax highlighting run on a background thread, so the UI stays smooth and responsive on long documents. Private by design Mandrill requires no account to use and collects zero data. The optional GitHub integration connects only to GitHub's own servers we see nothing. No analytics. No third-party SDKs. Your files never leave your device. Highlights - GitHub integration: sign in, browse repos, track modified files, and push to GitHub from your iPhone or iPad - Open files, folders, or GitHub repositories from a single tap - Beautiful Markdown rendering: H1โ€“H6, bold/italic/strikethrough, inline code, fenced code blocks, blockquotes, lists, tables, and horizontal rules - GitHub Light, GitHub Dark, and System themes - Per-language syntax highlighting like Swift, Python, JS/TS, Go, Rust, Java/Kotlin, C/C++/Obj-C, Ruby, Bash, SQL, CSS and more - Typeface picker: Sans, Serif, or Mono - Adjustable text size and reading width - One-click copy on every code block - Off-thread parsing for smooth performance on large files - Works on iPhone and iPad - Zero data collection. No account required to read and edit. Built with love for iOS and iPadOS.

Screenshots

Ashnote4 screens
Mandrill4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Ashnote at Free against Mandrill's $4.99. Ashnote also leads on device support (5 vs 2) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 26.0). On update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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

CostPrice ยท In-app purchases ยท Ads ยท Monetization

Ashnote is free to download; Mandrill costs $4.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Ashnote ships an update every 4 days, Mandrill weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 1, 2026 and October 6, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences ยท 3 level
Ashnote versus Mandrill: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterAshnoteMandrill
PriceFree โ€” better$4.99
Update frequencyEvery 4 days โ€” betterWeekly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac, Apple Watch โ€” betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.0 โ€” better26.0
Further details โ€” not scored
Size46 MB3 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperSanghoon AhnVandan Desai

In-app purchases

None

Ashnote

No in-app purchases

None

Mandrill

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Ashnote free?
Ashnote is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Mandrill free?
Mandrill costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.
Do Ashnote or Mandrill have ads?
Neither Ashnote nor Mandrill shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Ashnote or Mandrill?
Ashnote ships an update every 4 days, and Mandrill weekly. Most recently, Ashnote was updated on October 1, 2026 and Mandrill on October 6, 2026.

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