# QuickNotes X vs Goodnotes

The clearest difference is rating: Goodnotes at 4.7 against QuickNotes X's 4.3. Goodnotes also leads on ratings volume (455K vs 3.8K) and update cadence (weekly vs every 5 weeks). QuickNotes X's advantage is iOS requirement (16.0 vs 18.6). On price, review sentiment, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. QuickNotes X sells 11 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per 3 months and Goodnotes sells 16 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Goodnotes holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Goodnotes has 455K ratings behind it against 3.8K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 38% of QuickNotes X's written reviews are positive against 34% of Goodnotes's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

QuickNotes X ships an update every 5 weeks, Goodnotes weekly. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | QuickNotes X | Goodnotes |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.3 (3.8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/quicknotes-x-notes-ai-and-pdf/id1021085778/reviews) | **[4.7 (455K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/goodnotes-ai-notes-docs-pdf/id1444383602/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 3.8K | **455K** |
| Positive reviews | **38.0% of reviews** | 33.6% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#86** |
| Size | 354 MB | 794 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.0** | 18.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Mac | iPhone, iPad, Mac |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Alessandro Sassi](https://appshunter.io/developer/1493314059) | [Goodnotes Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/1708570616) |

## What reviewers say

### QuickNotes X

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/quicknotes-x-notes-ai-and-pdf/id1021085778)

This app offers a fluid and precise note-taking experience with a custom vector ink engine, voice recording synced to writing, and ML-powered shape recognition. Organize notes with notebooks and folders, protect them with passwords and biometrics, and sync seamlessly across devices via iCloud. Mark up PDFs and presentations, and customize your notes with various tools and templates.

**Highlights:** Vector ink engine for fluid writing, Voice recording synced to notes, ML-powered shape recognition, Notebook and folder organization, Password and biometric protection, PDF and presentation annotation, iCloud sync across devices

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (11)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Cloud & ML Pack | $0.99 | per 3 months |
| Covers Pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| Templates Pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| QuickNotes X AI: 50000 Tokens | $0.99 | one-time |
| QuickNotes X AI: 100000 Tokens | $1.99 | one-time |
| Notebooks & Folders Pack | $2.99 | one-time |
| Tools Pack | $2.99 | one-time |
| QuickNotes X AI: 300000 Tokens | $3.99 | one-time |
| QuickNotes X Pro | $4.99 | one-time |
| Pro Pack | $5.99 | one-time |
| QuickNotes X AI: 500000 Tokens | $5.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 💻 Intuitive and easy to use
- 📚 Helpful for organizing notes
- 🎨 Variety of paper templates and pens
- 🔊 Voice recording feature
- ⚡️ Smooth writing experience with Apple Pencil

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔒 Limited functionality without paying for pro version
- 🐛 Glitches, crashes, and data loss issues
- 💭 Handwriting can appear blurry or distorted
- 🖋️ Lack of palm rejection when writing
- 📁 Inability to reorder or move pages

**Reported bugs**

- Notes randomly disappearing or becoming corrupted
- Pen input not registering correctly or lagging
- Unexpected page flipping or navigation issues
- Syncing problems between devices

**Requested features**

- Add text typing option for those with poor handwriting
- Implement cloud sync and cross-device access
- Include more customization options like templates and colors
- Improve shape recognition and drawing tools
- Allow rearranging and organizing of pages/notebooks


### Goodnotes

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/goodnotes-ai-notes-docs-pdf/id1444383602)

**Currently charting:** #86 Top Grossing · Productivity, #115 Top Free · Productivity (US App Store)

Capture ideas, enhance productivity, and unlock insights with advanced AI features. This app offers tools for professionals, students, and creatives, including infinite whiteboards, AI-powered transcription and summarization, and customizable digital notebooks.

**Highlights:** AI-powered transcription and summarization, Infinite whiteboard canvas, Digital notebooks with customizable templates, Study Sets for flashcards, Presentation mode with laser pointer, Real-time collaboration

**Features:** Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (16)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| AI Pass (Monthly) | $9.99 | per month |
| Goodnotes 6 (1 Year) | $9.99 | per year |
| Essential (Yearly) | $11.99 | per year |
| Essential (Yearly) | $11.99 | per year |
| Goodnotes Pro (Yearly) | $35.99 | per year |
| Bunny Oasis Stickers | Free | one-time |
| Medicine-Academia Sticker Shee | Free | one-time |
| Goodnotes 6 Free Trial | Free | one-time |
| Marketplace Content | $1.99 | one-time |
| Marketplace Content | $6.99 | one-time |
| Marketplace Content | $8.99 | one-time |
| GoodNotes 5 Unlock | $9.99 | one-time |
| Marketplace Content | $9.99 | one-time |
| Marketplace Content | $10.99 | one-time |
| Goodnotes 6 One-Time Payment | $28.99 | one-time |
| Special Edition | $35.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Excellent note-taking experience
- 👍 Intuitive and user-friendly interface
- 🚀 Smooth writing with Apple Pencil
- 📁 Powerful organization with folders and notebooks
- 🖼️ Ability to annotate PDFs and documents

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Glitches and crashes
- 🔍 Syncing and iCloud issues
- 🔍 Lack of flexibility with text input
- 🔍 Limited eraser and highlighting options
- 🔍 Subpar performance on Mac app

**Reported bugs**

- Text box issues - unable to edit, resize, or move properly
- Handwriting recognition problems, especially with cursive
- Unreliable scrolling and page navigation
- Inconsistent behavior when using the zoom feature

**Requested features**

- Add bullet point and formatting options for typed text
- Implement a full-screen writing mode
- Improve the straight line and shape tools
- Integrate audio recording and synchronization
- Allow more customization of the toolbar and interface


## Frequently asked questions

### Is QuickNotes X free?

QuickNotes X is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Goodnotes free?

Goodnotes is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, QuickNotes X or Goodnotes?

Goodnotes is rated higher. QuickNotes X averages 4.3 out of 5 from 3.8K ratings, while Goodnotes averages 4.7 from 455K ratings.

### Do QuickNotes X or Goodnotes have ads?

Neither QuickNotes X nor Goodnotes shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, QuickNotes X or Goodnotes?

QuickNotes X ships an update every 5 weeks, and Goodnotes weekly. Most recently, QuickNotes X was updated on September 23, 2026 and Goodnotes on September 24, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*