Side by side
Second Brain vs Vihko
Both stand on ai note-taking apps. Which one you can start free with, which one lets you read the code, and what each costs once you pay.
Free plan iPhone
Second Brain combines conversational capture with automatic transcription, captions, note search, and reminders. The free tier is limited, while Pro removes message limits and adds voice and photo support.
Visit Second Brain Free plan AndroidiPhoneMac+2
Choose Vihko if you want AI-assisted notes, meaning-based search, and a knowledge-base chat across devices. Look elsewhere if you need MCP access without Basic or require an absolute security guarantee.
Visit VihkoThe facts
| Second Brain | Vihko | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | Not published | Not published |
| Runs on | iPhone | Android, iPhone, Mac, Web, Windows |
| Lowest paid plan | Pro (yearly): $39.99 a year | Basic Plan: $7 a month |
| Plans published | 3 | 2 |
| Maker | Not published | Not published |
| Website | secondbrainnotes.app | vihko.ai |
| On ai note-taking apps | #38 of 42 | #34 of 42 |
Second Brain: what it does well
- Captures text, voice notes, and photos in one chat
- Infers categories without folder filing
- Answers questions and identifies source notes
- Extracts lists and schedules reminders
- Offers a free plan
What to know first
- Free plan limits users to five messages daily
- Free messages are text-only and capped at 500 characters
- Voice and photo features require Pro
- Supports iOS and iPadOS only
Vihko: what it does well
- Supports Markdown notes, including through agentic chat.
- Suggests tags based on note content.
- Searches notes by meaning and context.
- AI assistant discusses topics from the user's knowledge base.
- Available across Android, iOS, macOS, web, and Windows.
What to know first
- The free plan has limited note storage and AI features.
- MCP note creation, reading, and search require Basic.
- Users must be at least 16 years old.
- The privacy policy does not guarantee absolute security.
Alternatives to Second Brain Alternatives to Vihko The whole list