# QuickNotes X vs The Smart Notebook

The clearest difference is rating: QuickNotes X at 4.3 against The Smart Notebook's 2.5. QuickNotes X also leads on review sentiment (38% vs 12%) and ratings volume (3.8K vs 11). The Smart Notebook's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 11). On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. QuickNotes X sells 11 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per 3 months. The Smart Notebook asks for nothing beyond the download.

QuickNotes X holds the better App Store score, 4.3 against 2.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: QuickNotes X has 3.8K ratings behind it against 11, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 38% of QuickNotes X's written reviews are positive against 12% of The Smart Notebook's.

QuickNotes X ships an update every 5 weeks, The Smart Notebook every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 26, 2026 and July 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | QuickNotes X | The Smart Notebook |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.3 (3.8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/quicknotes-x-notes-ai-and-pdf/id1021085778/reviews)** | [2.5 (11 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-smart-notebook/id1569498072/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **3.8K** | 11 |
| Positive reviews | **38.0% of reviews** | 11.8% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 weeks** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 354 MB | 93 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Mac | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Alessandro Sassi](https://appshunter.io/developer/1493314059) | [Virtual-Tec](https://appshunter.io/developer/498369221) |

## 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


### The Smart Notebook

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-smart-notebook/id1569498072)

Digitize your handwritten notes by scanning them with your smartphone. This app uses OCR technology to make your notes searchable and allows for quick sharing to cloud services. Organize and access your notes from anywhere, anytime.

**Highlights:** Scan handwritten notes, OCR for searchable text, Organize and store notes, Share to cloud services, Quick sharing shortcuts, Convert notes to text

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is QuickNotes X free?

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

### Is The Smart Notebook free?

The Smart Notebook is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, QuickNotes X or The Smart Notebook?

QuickNotes X is rated higher. QuickNotes X averages 4.3 out of 5 from 3.8K ratings, while The Smart Notebook averages 2.5 from 11 ratings.

### Do QuickNotes X or The Smart Notebook have ads?

Neither QuickNotes X nor The Smart Notebook shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, QuickNotes X or The Smart Notebook?

QuickNotes X ships an update every 5 weeks, and The Smart Notebook every 2 months. Most recently, QuickNotes X was updated on September 26, 2026 and The Smart Notebook on July 7, 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.*