# Notes Plus X — Handwriting Notes & PDF Markup

> Handwritten note-taking, PDF markup, and multimedia document creation app. (iPhone/iPad app by Viet Tran.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notes-plus-x/id1501351725 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Viet Tran](https://appshunter.io/developer/374211480)
- Category: Productivity, Education
- Price: $12.99
- Rating: 3.07/5 from 56 App Store ratings · 115 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 14.0 · 28 MB
- Languages: English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, Chinese, Spanish and 1 more
- Released: 2021-08-14
- Data updated: 2026-06-10
- Monetization: paid
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notes-plus-x/id1501351725/reviews.md

## What is Notes Plus X?

Use your iPad and Apple Pencil to take handwritten notes, markup on imported PDFs, type text, convert handwriting to text, record audio while taking notes, create multi-media notes with images and photos and much more. Handwritten notes are searchable and can be stored on any cloud file service.

First released in 2010, Notes Plus has earned love from millions of iPad users for its superb handwriting experience. Notes Plus X is a complete rewrite as a document-based app where you can keep your notebooks anywhere on device or any cloud service. Learning from 10+ years making handwriting apps and reading user feedback, Notes Plus X provides a distraction-free user experience that is both simple and powerful. Completely rewritten in the latest programming language and technology, it is blazing fast and ready for many updates in many years to come.

WRITE LIKE ON REAL PAPER, AND MUCH BETTER
• Write with Apple Pencil or any capacitive styluses, even with your finger.
• Make any handwriting beautiful with patented vector-based inking effects (US 9189695 B2) for fountain pen, ballpoint pen, wet brush and calligraphy pen.
• Offer many smart gestures to keep distraction away like cross/scrub to delete or circle to select.
• Easily customize pen color, thickness, brush type, and switch between favorite pen styles.
• Convert handwriting to text for search or share.

TYPE LIKE IN WORD PROCESSORS
• Support rich text format like word processors.
• Change text font, color, and size for any text selection.
• Provide text boxes to be easily moved around, customized background, border, and shadow.

HIGHLIGHT LIKE WITH MARKUP TOOLS
• Highlight on PDF, text or handwriting with customizable highlighting styles.
• Automatically straighten highlighting lines to quickly perform any markup task.
• Erase only highlighting, not the text beneath it.

SKETCH LIKE IN DRAWING SOFTWARE
• Auto detect and draw perfect shapes and lines. Insert rich collection of shapes like rectangles, polygons, ellipses, and more. 
• Move, resize, rotate, group, ungroup, bring to front, send to back, and much more.
• Insert, crop, rotate images and photos.

BE PRODUCTIVE WITH A POWERFUL TOOL!
• Create a to-do list, daily planner, journal entry, ...
• Manage documents in folders anywhere on device or iCloud or any cloud file services.
• Find notes directly from iOS Spotlight search.
• Present on external display as a digital whiteboard.

If these features are not enough, drop me a line suggesting a feature and I will consider adding it in future versions. I’m planning to keep Notes Plus X loved for another 10 years.

## Key features

- Handwritten note-taking with Apple Pencil
- PDF markup and highlighting
- Handwriting to text conversion
- Audio recording with notes
- Multimedia note creation
- Cloud file service integration
- Rich text typing

## What do users think of Notes Plus X?

Overall sentiment: mixed

**Pros**

- 🚀 Smooth handwriting experience
- 👍 Customizable templates and tools
- 💡 Seamless iCloud integration
- 🚀 Responsive app performance

**Cons**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and bugs
- 🐛 Unreliable file saving and syncing
- 🐛 Compatibility issues with older versions
- 🐛 Handwriting recognition problems

**Commonly reported bugs**

- Inability to open or import PDF files
- Disappearing handwritten content
- Crashing when changing notebook names
- Syncing issues with OneDrive and Google Drive

**Most requested features**

- Improved PDF annotation and editing
- Easier file management and organization
- Gesture-based controls for common actions
- Expanded cloud storage integration options

## Recent user reviews (10 of 115)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notes-plus-x/id1501351725/reviews.md

### 1/5 — Apple Pencil Pro not fully supported

*2025-05-02, version 1.17*

I have used Notes Plus on my iPad mini with apple pencil 1st Gen no issues pencil is fully supported.
So,  I purchased a 2024 iPad Air M2 & the Apple Pencil Pro... Notes Plus does not fully support the Pencil Pro,  I purchased Notes Plus X thinking I just needed to upgrade....  Nope Notes Plus X also does not fully support the Pencil Pro.

What Gives,  Viet Tran ???

### 1/5 — Power User - Disappointed

*2025-03-13*

I have been using Notes Plus for years and just attempted to switch to Notes Plus X. This app does not function well and has many issues with the handwriting recognition. I am disappointed that I spent the money on this. My original Notes Plus app is not working now and I am going to have to switch to another platform.

### 5/5 — I still use it and am very happy!

*2025-02-05*

I have to chime in here… 
I've read other reviews and can't speak to their experience, but I haven’t lost anything. 
I've tried notability and goodnotes and other writing apps and there are some things this app just gets so right! 
Above all, the effortless way of circling anything, then rotating, shrinking/expanding it, or moving it around. It's so basic and powerful, I dislike working with pen and paper!
I love the ease of a back-and-forth horizontal line deleting anything it touches.
And the conversion to text does surprisingly well!
I would've given it 4.5 stars because a gesture for undo (instead of tapping that small button) would make things more fluid (3-finger drag left, like iPhone?), and a cut command, in addition to copy and delete in the contextual menu for highlighted text would be helpful.

But it's an extraordinary app for something as primal as writing, where one wants immediacy, ease of use and intuitiveness.

### 1/5 — Fall off

*2024-12-19, version 1.17*

It used to be a very stable and great App. The support is not responding now and backups are incompatible with new versions.

### 1/5 — Can’t open pdfs

*2024-12-01, version 1.17*

It would be nice if you could actually open a pdf in a program designed for that purpose. FAIL!

### 1/5 — Developer Abandoned

*2024-11-22*

I was using this App for years, BUT……Developer has completely abandoned this App and the companion App Notes Plus.  Both Apps by this developer are no longer supported.  These were the best handwriting apps available.  But both are now very buggy and unreliable.  Many users, like me, have experience loss of important files.  For example, I had one research file consisting of 61 pages of notes, created over a two year period.  It just disappeared and could not be recovered.  Bottom line:  look elsewhere unless/until developer fixes bugs and restarts support.

### 1/5 — Find something else

*2024-10-03*

Despite the reviews I really wanted to see what this app could do. I’ve been a long time (but inconsistent) user of the original Notes Plus and really loved it but it was lacking in some table-stakes functionality I really thought should be there.

This app is worse. While it does have more functionality, the bugs are even more pervasive. Just handwriting a note I find myself having to rewrite every other word or half-word because the app deletes it just after I write it.

Honestly I think I’ll just go back to OneNote, even though I had issues with it they were nothing like this, and at least it’s Microsoft and we have a chance of regular updates. 🙏

Save your money, but more importantly save your time and aggravation. Just pass this one by.

### 1/5 — Stopped working on my iPad

*2024-09-25, version 1.17*

Just stopped working. Shame because I did like the app

### 3/5 — Writing and script is way buggy

*2024-08-12, version 1.17*

Writing and script is buggy. He’s a lot of work. As you’re writing and script the letters disappear as your writing. i’m getting the whole paragraph and page is useless. if you right in print it’s good but that’s slower. needs to update real bad !!!!!!!!!!

### 2/5 — Not Impressed with Notes Plus X

*2024-06-14*

I use Notes Plus almost daily when attending meetings and taking notes.  It’s always had its issues but never experienced any major issues with Notes Plus.

I upgraded to Notes Plus X and the experience has been totally different.  I don’t understand how something that was so good can get upgraded to something so bad….

Files that were imported to X can’t be opened correctly.  Even new notebooks don’t display the page lines.  I wish there was a way to get my money back.

## Frequently asked questions about Notes Plus X

### What can I do with Notes Plus X?

Notes Plus X allows you to take handwritten notes, mark up PDFs, type text, convert handwriting to text, record audio while taking notes, and create multimedia notes with images and photos. You can also organize your notes in folders and store them on cloud file services.

### How does the handwriting experience work?

The app offers a superb handwriting experience using Apple Pencil or any capacitive stylus, even your finger. It features patented vector-based inking effects for various pen styles and smart gestures for easy editing and selection.

### Is Notes Plus X free to use?

Based on the provided information, Notes Plus X is a paid application. It does not have in-app purchases or advertisements, indicating a one-time purchase model.

### What devices is Notes Plus X compatible with?

The application is designed for iPad and utilizes the Apple Pencil, suggesting it is optimized for iOS and iPadOS devices. It also supports integration with cloud file services for storage.

### Can I use Notes Plus X for more than just notes?

Yes, you can use Notes Plus X for various productivity tasks such as creating to-do lists, daily planners, and journal entries. Its PDF markup and drawing tools also make it suitable for sketching and detailed document annotation.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 1.17 — 2023-10-29

- Major bug fixes.
- Update to iOS 17 and Apple Pencil compatibility

### 1.16 — 2023-02-14

Add Apple Pencil support for iPad Pro 12.9'' 6th generation, iPad Pro 11" 4th generation, and iPad 10.9" 10th generation.

### 1.15 — 2023-01-17

- Bug and crash fixes.

### 1.14 — 2022-08-28

Bug and crash fixes.

### 1.13 — 2022-08-21

Bug and crash fixes.

## Apps similar to Notes Plus X

| App | Rating | Price | Category |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Notes Plus](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notes-plus/id374211477) | 3.5 (1,627) | $12.99 | Productivity |
| [Notes Writer Pro 2026](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notes-writer-pro-2026/id1422480068) | 4.6 (3,146) | $9.99 | Productivity |
| [Notability: AI Notes & PDF app](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notability-ai-notes-and-pdf-app/id360593530) | 4.6 (25,892) | Free | Productivity |
| [Element Note](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/element-note/id6444015673) | 4.6 (2,187) | Free | Productivity |
| [Goodnotes: AI Notes, Docs, PDF](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/goodnotes-ai-notes-docs-pdf/id1444383602) | 4.7 (428,668) | Free | Productivity |
| [Handwriting to Text PenToPrint](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/handwriting-to-text-pentoprint/id1308003011) | 4.4 (3,847) | Free | Productivity |

## More apps by Viet Tran

- [Notes Plus](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notes-plus/id374211477)
- [INKredible](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/inkredible/id712303681)
- [Carô - A Turbo-charged Tic Tac Toe for iMessage](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/caro-a-turbo-charged-tic-tac-toe-for-imessage/id1149444628)

All apps by Viet Tran: https://appshunter.io/developer/374211480

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*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-06-10.*