CortexOS vs Markdown Buddy
A side-by-side comparison built from both listings. Blank cells mean the company has not given that detail; we never guess.
CortexOS compared with Markdown Buddy
| Detail | 
CortexOS | 
Markdown Buddy |
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| What it does | The zero-knowledge AI journal with on-device AI that reads what you wrote and reflects on it, keeping your words on your phone.
| Native Markdown editor and preview for macOS with workspace tree, find and replace, link map, and clickable task lists
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| Stage | Startup
| Not given
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| Founded | Not given
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| Based in | MT
| Not given
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| Pricing model | Freemium
| Paid
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| Pricing | Free: 10 encrypted entries per month. Premium Monthly: $7.99/month. Premium Annual: $49.99/year. Lifetime: $99.99 one-time purchase. All paid plans include a 7-day free trial.
| $4.99 one-off purchase on the Mac App Store
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| Key features | - On-device Llama 3.2 language model with no cloud calls
- 20+ emotion detection with intensity scoring
- Deep Analysis: multi-paragraph AI reflections connecting to past entries
- Cognitive distortion alerts based on CBT principles
- On-device voice transcription with OpenAI Whisper
- Zero-knowledge cloud vault with AES-256-GCM encryption
- Memory layer that learns your patterns over time on-device
- Behavioral pattern detection and cognitive pattern naming
- 7-day chapters that automatically organize journaling into narrative arcs
- Therapist PDF reports for sharing with mental health professionals
| - Import Word, PDF and RTF to Markdown with headings and tables
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| What makes it different | - Only journaling app combining zero-knowledge encryption with on-device AI analysis
- Open-source cryptographic core published under MIT license on GitHub
- AI runs entirely on-device with zero network calls for data processing
- Recovery phrase creates permanent data deletion if lost, proving zero-knowledge works
| - No subscription: one-off $4.99 purchase with all features included and free updates
- Complete privacy: no data collection, no network access unless you add your own API key
- Search by meaning: find sections with semantic similarity computed on your Mac
- AI project overview generation with Apple Intelligence or local models
- MCP support for AI agents to read and suggest changes to projects
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| Free plan | Not given
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| Open source | Not given
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| Platforms | Not given
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| Public API | Not given
| Not given
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| Community votes | 0 | 0 |
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| DR (Domain Rating by Ahrefs) | 15 ▲ +3 (up) since last check | 3 ● no change since last check |
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| Trust Flow (Majestic) | 9 | 0 |
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| Citation Flow (Majestic) | 20 | 20 |
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| Referring domains (Majestic) | 17 | 18 |
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5 details filled in for both companies.
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