# Cortex vs Second Brain

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Second Brain at none against Cortex's 3. Cortex's advantage is device support (4 vs 2) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 18.0). On price, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Cortex sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Second Brain asks for nothing beyond the download.

Cortex ships an update every 3 days, Second Brain every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on October 12, 2026 and October 1, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Cortex | Second Brain |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 days** | Every 5 days |
| Size | 131 MB | 17 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 18.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [JTR Labs LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1892768253) | [Aleksandr Pustotin](https://appshunter.io/developer/1854093247) |

## What reviewers say

### Cortex

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cortex-local-markdown-brain/id6785630809)

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Cortex Plus (Monthly) | $4.99 | per month |
| Cortex Plus (Yearly) | $39.99 | per year |
| Cortex Believer | $99.99 | one-time |


### Second Brain

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/second-brain-voice-to-action/id6787875111)

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Cortex free?

Cortex is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Second Brain free?

Second Brain is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do Cortex or Second Brain have ads?

Neither Cortex nor Second Brain shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Cortex or Second Brain?

Cortex ships an update every 3 days, and Second Brain every 5 days. Most recently, Cortex was updated on October 12, 2026 and Second Brain on October 1, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*