# TheBrain vs Cabin AI

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Cabin AI at none against TheBrain's 2. Cabin AI also leads on update cadence (every 4 days vs fortnightly). TheBrain's advantage is device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 26.0). On price and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. TheBrain sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $17.99 per month. Cabin AI asks for nothing beyond the download.

TheBrain ships an update fortnightly, Cabin AI every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and October 29, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | TheBrain | Cabin AI |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (171 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/thebrain-smart-notes-and-links/id835873357/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **171** | — |
| Positive reviews | 44.3% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | **Every 4 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 254 MB | 27 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 26.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [TheBrain Technologies LP](https://appshunter.io/developer/579909034) | [Polen](https://appshunter.io/developer/1887565657) |

## What reviewers say

### TheBrain

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/thebrain-smart-notes-and-links/id835873357)

This app helps you capture, connect, and visualize all your ideas, notes, and files across devices. It acts as a digital memory, showing related items and allowing for dynamic mind mapping and powerful search to help you recall information instantly.

**Highlights:** Award-winning visualization, Networked notes with backlinks, Dynamic mind mapping, Easy idea capture, Cross-device sync, Powerful search, Visual file management

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| TheBrain Pro Monthly | $17.99 | per month |
| TheBrain Pro Annual | $189.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Seamless navigation
- 🔒 Secure cloud sync
- 👍 Intuitive interface
- 🚀 Powerful features
- 👍 Excellent for knowledge management

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes and freezes
- 🐛 Buggy on iOS 9
- 💰 Expensive subscription
- 🐛 Limited functionality on mobile
- 🐛 Confusing UI and navigation

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes on iOS 9
- Inability to open brains
- Freezing after each action
- Login and account issues
- Sync problems

**Requested features**

- Offline mode
- Improved mobile UI and UX
- Better integration with other apps
- More affordable pricing options
- Enhanced search and filtering


### Cabin AI

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cabin-ai/id6815649499)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support, iPhone Duo support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is TheBrain free?

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

### Is Cabin AI free?

Cabin AI is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do TheBrain or Cabin AI have ads?

Neither TheBrain nor Cabin AI shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, TheBrain or Cabin AI?

TheBrain ships an update fortnightly, and Cabin AI every 4 days. Most recently, TheBrain was updated on November 1, 2026 and Cabin AI on October 29, 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.*