# QuickNotes X vs Element Note

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Element Note at 68% against QuickNotes X's 38%. Element Note also leads on rating (4.6 vs 4.3) and update cadence (fortnightly vs every 5 weeks). On price, ratings volume, 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 Element Note sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $3.49 per year. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Element Note holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 3.8K and 2.6K respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 38% of QuickNotes X's written reviews are positive against 68% of Element Note's.

QuickNotes X ships an update every 5 weeks, Element Note fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 1, 2026 and October 2, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | QuickNotes X | Element Note |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.3 (3.8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/quicknotes-x-notes-ai-and-pdf/id1021085778/reviews) | **[4.6 (2.6K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/element-note/id6444015673/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **3.8K** | 2.6K |
| Positive reviews | 38.0% of reviews | **68.1% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 354 MB | 129 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Mac | iPhone, iPad, Mac |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Alessandro Sassi](https://appshunter.io/developer/1493314059) | [Soysauce Lab](https://appshunter.io/developer/598496583) |

## 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


### Element Note

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/element-note/id6444015673)

This app offers a distraction-free digital notebook experience with advanced handwriting, PDF annotation, and sketching capabilities. It features unique brushes, a powerful rendering engine, and smart organization tools. Sync your notes across devices and collaborate with others seamlessly.

**Highlights:** Unique handwriting brushes, Smooth drawing engine, PDF annotation, Text, shape, and image attachments, On-device OCR search, Smart dark mode, iCloud sync and collaboration

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

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Element Note Yearly | $3.49 | per year |
| Element Note Yearly | $4.99 | per year |
| Lifetime Launch Special | $4.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime | $9.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime | $14.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Smooth handwriting experience
- 💡 Customizable pens and colors
- 👍 Clean and intuitive interface
- 🎨 Gradient and gradient brush tools
- 📚 Great for journaling and note-taking

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and freezes
- 🔍 Search function not working
- 🖼️ Issues with image handling and export
- 🔀 Difficulty switching between pen and eraser
- 🔑 Lack of password/locking feature for notes

**Reported bugs**

- Notes and files randomly disappearing
- Inconsistent behavior when using the floating keyboard
- Handwriting recognition not working as expected
- Exported PDFs losing formatting and background colors

**Requested features**

- Ruler tool
- Ability to resize/rotate selections
- Improved text editing and formatting
- Presentation mode for connecting to displays
- Ability to import/export multiple files at once


## Frequently asked questions

### Is QuickNotes X free?

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

### Is Element Note free?

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

### Which has better reviews, QuickNotes X or Element Note?

Element Note is rated higher. QuickNotes X averages 4.3 out of 5 from 3.8K ratings, while Element Note averages 4.6 from 2.6K ratings.

### Do QuickNotes X or Element Note have ads?

Neither QuickNotes X nor Element Note shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, QuickNotes X or Element Note?

QuickNotes X ships an update every 5 weeks, and Element Note fortnightly. Most recently, QuickNotes X was updated on October 1, 2026 and Element Note on October 2, 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.*