Strangers ask one question first: how is this different from the tools I already use? Here is the plain answer, one row at a time.
Each of these is good at what it is for. This is what ARK is for. A plain yes or no where it is plain; a phrase where it is not.
| Does it… | ARK | ChatGPT | NotebookLM | Obsidian | a feed reader |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| read the channels, people, sites and folders you follow, for you | yes | no | no | no | yes |
| keep your files as plain files on your own disk | yes | no | no | yes | no |
| answer from your own files only, and name the note it came from | yes | no: the internet average, plus what you upload | yes, from sources you upload, in Google's cloud | no, not without a plug-in and a key | no |
| remember what you kept, on your machine | yes | in its cloud | per notebook, in its cloud | the notes, yes; no memory of its own | no |
| answer with the network off | yes, with the local model | no | no | the notes open; no answers | what it cached |
| convene a council that argues both sides from your notes | yes | no | no | no | no |
| seal what you make so anyone can check it, without the vendor | yes | no | no | no | no |
| cost nothing for one person | free, forever | a free tier; paid plans | free with a Google account | free for personal use | varies |
Written 1 October 2026 from each product as it stood. If one of these has changed, write to the record desk and we will correct the row.
Nothing else. That is the point.
Free for one person, forever. No account, no card, no telemetry.