# Saber: Handwritten Notes — The app built for handwriting

> Intuitive digital handwriting note-taking app with advanced features and robust security. (iPhone/iPad app by Adil Hanney.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/saber-handwritten-notes/id1671523739 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Adil Hanney](https://appshunter.io/developer/1671523741)
- Category: Productivity, Education
- Price: Free
- Rating: 4.00/5 from 21 App Store ratings · 17 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 15.0 · 49 MB
- Languages: American English
- Released: 2023-04-26
- Data updated: 2026-08-24
- Monetization: free
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/saber-handwritten-notes/id1671523739/reviews.md

## What is Saber?

Saber is the notes app built for handwriting.

It's designed to be as simple and intuitive as possible, while still delivering unique features that you'll actually use. Additionally, Saber is available across all your devices, large and small, and syncs between them seamlessly.

Notably, it can invert your notes when you're in dark mode. This allows you to write with white ink on a black background, which is much easier on the eyes in low-light environments like when the teacher turns off the lights in class.
Images and PDFs are also inverted, so you can still use a digital printout or a textbook without the fuss.

Saber uses a dual-password system to protect your notes from anyone but you, even if they have complete control over the server. You can safely store your notes on the official Saber server, another server, or even host your own!

The app is completely open-source so that anyone can view the source code and see exactly what it's doing and how it handles your data. Many other note-taking apps are closed-source and proprietary, meaning that their inner workings are a mystery to the public.

As someone who studies maths, highlighting multi-line equations was always a hassle with other apps, where the highlighter would change color when it overlapped with itself. Another problem I had was that in some apps, the highlighter would render on top of the text, fading it out and making it hard to read.
Saber's highlighter has no such issues. It utilizes canvas compositing to render the highlighter in a way that is consistent with/better than traditional paper, where it handles overlaps and maintains color consistency.

Saber has everything you need to keep your notes organized. Create folders inside folders inside folders to your heart's content with no limit on the number of nested folders. And even though a note may be buried deep within a nested folder, you can still access it easily with your most recent notes always available on the home screen.

Discover a whole new way to capture and organize your thoughts with Saber. Whether you're a student, professional, or creative mind, Saber is your trusted companion for digital handwriting. Download now and let your ideas flow freely!

## Key features

- Intuitive handwriting interface
- Dark mode inversion for eye comfort
- Advanced multi-line equation highlighting
- Unlimited nested folders for organization
- Dual-password note protection
- Seamless cross-device syncing
- Open-source code for transparency

## Recent user reviews (10 of 17)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/saber-handwritten-notes/id1671523739/reviews.md

### 5/5 — Not perfect but definitely better other options

*2026-05-21*

The app is still in development — in fact, one can look at the GitHub page and see active progress being made! As such, there are plenty of slightly glitchy features, and a couple missing pieces of functionality such as moving handwriting between pages and allowing copy/paste of handwriting. However, this app:
- has not asked me to pay to subscribe
- has not removed existing features, made them worse, or asked me to subscribe in order to access them
- tried to get me to use an AI tool or shoved something AI in that doesn’t belong
- have I mentioned I’m not asked to subscribe every time I open the app? :)

In conclusion, the app is good enough to use now, and I look forward to what it will be in another year or two.

### 3/5 — good for what it does

*2026-03-03, version 1.29.4*

In my view, the digitizer in my apple laptop always will need a state-of-health test... SABER helps me to compare&contrast.THANKS

### 5/5 — great app - needs more pens

*2025-11-15*

great app. please don't ruin it by chasing more profit!!

### 5/5 — Great app for handwritten notes

*2025-08-31*

I'll admit, it seems very basic, but it is great since it doesn’t have ads or push subscriptions or purchases

### 4/5 — Good FOSS alternative

*2025-08-22, version 0.26.4*

Like the title says, I think this is a good alternative to apps that use Firebase. It has most of what I need for taking notes this semester. However, I would’ve given it five stars if I could be able to paste screenshots I took with my device. Also the palm rejection feature needs to be fixed. I can only write for so long until the screen starts to zoom in and out because of my hand.

### 4/5 — GOES BLACK ONLY UNTIL REINSTALL

*2025-07-28*

Goes black after each project, then just reinstall, which loses your projects.

### 3/5 — Almost Perfect

*2025-07-09*

For some reason notes is completely not working for me the app looks amazing and I can tell it WANTS to function but there is a major bug happening. I’ve tried editing the settings but whatever I do I keep getting weird jagged lines. Please update I need this app

### 3/5 — Pretty good for a free app

*2025-04-14*

Overall I like this app, works well with my knockoff pencil, my only issue so far is that while writing and resting palm on screen, it recognizes my palm and I can’t write. I haven’t explored enough yet to see if there’s a sensitivity setting for this yet

### 1/5 — Description sounds great but app is not functional

*2025-04-14*

Just doesn’t work. All options to save a new note are grayed out. Have to kill the app and the open it and the note again to get any of the options to work. Additionally text is impossible to see with the abomination that is supposed to pass as a theme. I would gladly pay for an app that actually had the functionality this one claims to. But this mess is unusable.

### 4/5 — Worked fine until recently

*2025-03-15*

I’ve been using Saber for a few semesters now, up until December 2024, and everything has worked great! No complaints. But ever since I came back for spring semester in 2025, Saber has been glitchy and now I cannot use it at all. First, the lasso tool stopped working, and although annoying, it was still better than nothing. Recently, however, I haven’t been able to write in my notes whatsoever. Saber is effectively useless for me right now, which I am sad to see. I really enjoyed Saber! I’m not sure if this is a known issue, but I hope something can be done soon. I would love to continue using Saber if I can.

## Frequently asked questions about Saber

### What makes Saber's highlighter different from other note apps?

Saber's highlighter uses canvas compositing to handle overlaps and maintain color consistency, similar to traditional paper. This prevents issues like the highlighter changing color when overlapping itself or rendering on top of text, ensuring readability.

### How does Saber protect my notes?

Saber employs a dual-password system to secure your notes. This system protects your data even if someone gains control of the server, offering robust privacy for your sensitive information.

### Can I use Saber in dark environments?

Yes, Saber offers a dark mode that inverts your notes, allowing you to write with white ink on a black background. This feature is designed to be easier on your eyes in low-light conditions.

### How does Saber handle organization?

Saber allows for unlimited nested folders, letting you create complex organizational structures for your notes. Your most recent notes are also always available on the home screen for quick access.

### Is Saber available on multiple devices?

Yes, Saber is available on Mac, iPhone, iPad, and iPod. It syncs seamlessly between all your devices, ensuring your notes are accessible wherever you are.

### What is the update frequency for Saber?

Saber was last updated on February 15, 2026, with version 1.31.0. The app is open-source, suggesting potential for community-driven updates and transparency.

### What is the age rating for Saber?

Saber has an age rating of 4+, making it suitable for a wide range of users, including younger individuals.

### Can I host my own Saber server?

Yes, Saber supports storing your notes on the official Saber server, another server, or even hosting your own. This offers flexibility in how you manage and secure your data.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 1.36.0 — 2026-08-20

• Fixed janky animation when opening and closing the sidebar. (Sidebar available on iPad/macOS)
• Added indent guides to the file tree in the sidebar.

### 1.35.0 — 2026-07-09

• The browse page is now sorted alphabetically by default. You can customize the sort with the button at the top.
• Removed the scroll up to refresh functionality because it was confusing.

### 1.34.3 — 2026-06-23

• Fixed some blank pages appearing in exported PDFs.
• Improved the smoothness of scrolling in the editor.
• Added a Dutch translation.
• Added a Portuguese translation in addition to the existing Brazillian Portuguese translation.

### 1.34.2 — 2026-06-08

• Fixed the "Watch for updates on the server" feature not working.
• Improved PDF export and thumbnailing performance.

### 1.34.0 — 2026-05-21

• Fixed the eraser end of some styluses not triggering the eraser tool in-app.
• Fixed the eraser tool not getting triggered with fast stylus movements.
• Fixed background images being assigned the wrong page number after rearranging pages.
• Added a Ukrainian translation.

## Apps similar to Saber

| App | Rating | Price | Category |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Periodic Questioning](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/periodic-questioning/id1665812740) | — | Free | Productivity |
| [StudyHungry](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/studyhungry/id1664623080) | 4.5 (8) | Free | Productivity |
| [Flexblocks - Time Blocking](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/flexblocks-time-blocking/id1631938060) | 1.0 (1) | Free | Productivity |
| [Meeting Notes & Work Planner](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/meeting-notes-and-work-planner/id1476107990) | 4.1 (1,929) | Free | Productivity |
| [Notes - Notebook & List Maker](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notes-notebook-and-list-maker/id1670365742) | 4.3 (522) | Free | Productivity |
| [Küçük Adımlar](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/kucuk-admlar/id1631550900) | — | Free | Productivity |

## More apps by Adil Hanney

- [Super Nonogram](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/super-nonogram/id6450968056)
- [Ricochlime](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ricochlime/id6459539993)

All apps by Adil Hanney: https://appshunter.io/developer/1671523741

## Related topics

[adil hanney](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/adil-hanney) · [saber](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/saber) · [notes free handwritten](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/notes-free-handwritten) · [myscript notes](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/myscript-notes) · [multimodal notes](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/multimodal-notes) · [write notes hand](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/write-notes-hand) · [late night notes](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/late-night-notes) · [versatile notes](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/versatile-notes) · [endnotes](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/endnotes)

---

*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 2026-08-24.*