Ariv vs Spider Notes
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side ā with what reviewers say about each.
Ariv
Read full descriptionHide full description
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.
Spider Notes
Read full descriptionHide full description
Spider Notes turns your thinking into a spider web. Start with a central idea and watch related thoughts radiate outward on clean radial spokes, with sibling ideas linked by concentric rings of silk. It is a spatial, visual way to take notes, brainstorm, plan, and revise. FEATURES ⢠Strict spider-web canvas with automatic layout ⢠Pan and pinch-to-zoom for webs of any size ⢠Per-branch colour coding ⢠Recall mode for active-recall study ⢠Light and dark appearance ⢠Export any web as an image or PDF ⢠Private by design, with notes stored locally ⢠Native support for iPhone, iPad, and Mac Spider Notes is free. No account, purchase, or subscription is required. Privacy Policy: https://www.lukekevinmclaughlin.com/privacy Support: https://www.lukekevinmclaughlin.com/support SUBSCRIPTION AND TERMS Pro is an auto-renewable subscription. Payment is charged to your Apple Account at confirmation of purchase. The subscription renews automatically unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current period; your account is charged for renewal within 24 hours prior to the end of the current period. You can manage your subscription and turn off auto-renewal in your Apple Account settings after purchase. Any unused portion of a free trial is forfeited when you purchase a subscription. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://www.lukekevinmclaughlin.com/privacy
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is iOS requirement: Ariv at 15.0 against Spider Notes's 26.0. On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price Ā· Rating Ā· Positive reviews Ā· Number of ratings Ā· Update frequency Ā· Ads Ā· In-app purchases Ā· Monetization Ā· Best chart rank Ā· Devices Ā· Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
| Parameter | Ariv | Spider Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Update frequency | ā | Every 4 days |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, Mac |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 ā better | 26.0 |
| Further details ā not scored | ||
| Size | 86 MB | 3 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Ariv Studios | Luke Mclaughlin |
In-app purchases
Ariv
No in-app purchases
Spider Notes
No in-app purchases









