# Paintwork vs BoardNotes

The clearest difference is ads: Paintwork at none against BoardNotes's shown. Paintwork also leads on ratings volume (17K vs 111). BoardNotes's advantage is review sentiment (81% vs 65%). On price, rating, update cadence and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Paintwork sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month and BoardNotes sells 23 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for Paintwork against 4.7 for BoardNotes. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Paintwork has 17K ratings behind it against 111, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 65% of Paintwork's written reviews are positive against 81% of BoardNotes's.

Paintwork ships an update weekly, BoardNotes every 10 days. Both last shipped on September 23, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Paintwork | BoardNotes |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (17K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/paintwork-infinite-notebook/id1052957498/reviews) | **[4.7 (111 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/boardnotes-whiteboard-and-pdf/id6448847544/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **17K** | 111 |
| Positive reviews | 65.4% of reviews | **81.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 10 days |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 200 MB | 356 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [伟典 苏](https://appshunter.io/developer/1024628394) | [Chongqing Ouluowa Technology Co., Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1686544790) |

## What reviewers say

### Paintwork

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/paintwork-infinite-notebook/id1052957498)

Create handwritten notes, diaries, and drawings with a vast array of tools. Features include customizable brushes, vector graphics, a rich color palette, and image import. Export your creations as PDFs or images.

**Highlights:** Customizable brushes and erasers, Extensive vector graphics tools, Rich color palette, Image and material import, Handwriting assistance, PDF and image export, Customizable backgrounds and canvas

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly subscription premium | $0.99 | per month |
| Annual subscription premium | $3.99 | per year |
| Unlock local version | $9.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🎨 Vast selection of brushes and tools
- 💻 Works well on various devices
- 🎨 Allows for creative expression
- 💰 Free to use with no paywall

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔒 Certain features locked behind paywall
- 🐛 Bugs and glitches causing crashes or data loss
- 🎨 Limited color palette and blending options
- 🔍 Lack of intuitive UI and tutorials

**Reported bugs**

- App freezing or crashing when using certain features
- Artwork getting deleted or not saving properly
- Inability to import or work with external images

**Requested features**

- Add more color options and blending tools
- Improve stability and reduce crashes
- Provide more tutorials and onboarding for new users
- Allow users to save and access their artwork easily


### BoardNotes

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/boardnotes-whiteboard-and-pdf/id6448847544)

This app combines whiteboard, notebook, PDF management, mind mapping, and flashcard creation into a single, versatile handwriting note-taking tool. It offers a wide array of pen types, organizational features, and study aids to enhance productivity and learning.

**Highlights:** Handwriting note-taking, Integrated whiteboard, PDF import and editing, Mind mapping functionality, Spaced repetition flashcards, Multiple pen and brush types, Layer management

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (23)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 7 days membership | $0.99 | one-time |
| 5 days membership | $0.99 | one-time |
| Math Formula Recognition | $1.99 | one-time |
| 1 month membership | $1.99 | one-time |
| Annual Membership | $3.99 | one-time |
| Permanent Unlock All | $3.99 | one-time |
| 6 months membership | $3.99 | one-time |
| 6 months membership (discount) | $3.99 | one-time |
| Permanent Unlock All | $4.99 | one-time |
| Annual Membership | $4.99 | one-time |
| 6 months membership | $4.99 | one-time |
| Full version Unlock | $5.99 | one-time |
| Annual Membership (discount) | $5.99 | one-time |
| 6 months membership | $6.99 | one-time |
| Permanent Unlock All | $6.99 | one-time |
| Annual Membership | $6.99 | one-time |
| Spring Festival Discount | $6.99 | one-time |
| Annual Membership | $7.99 | one-time |
| Permanent Unlock All | $7.99 | one-time |
| Permanent Unlock All(discount) | $7.99 | one-time |
| Permanent Unlock All | $8.99 | one-time |
| Permanent Unlock All | $9.99 | one-time |
| Permanent Unlock All | $19.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 💎 All-in-one app
- 💡 Feature-rich note-taking
- ✍️ Excellent Apple Pencil integration
- 💰 Affordable one-time purchase
- 🚀 Smooth performance

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔋 High battery consumption
- 🔥 Device gets hot
- 🐛 Data loss (whiteboards erased)
- 🚫 No automatic backup
- 🔍 Limited search functions

**Reported bugs**

- Whiteboards erasing automatically
- No automatic backup leading to data loss
- Syncing issues between iPad and Mac
- Pencil tip not appearing on PDF annotations
- App crashes frequently

**Requested features**

- Sync to Google Drive/other cloud services
- Faster 'add to cards' function
- View carded items in sidebar
- Color coding for pins
- Image opacity adjustment


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Paintwork free?

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

### Is BoardNotes free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Paintwork or BoardNotes?

BoardNotes is rated higher. Paintwork averages 4.6 out of 5 from 17K ratings, while BoardNotes averages 4.7 from 111 ratings.

### Do Paintwork or BoardNotes have ads?

BoardNotes shows ads; Paintwork does not.

### Which is updated more often, Paintwork or BoardNotes?

Paintwork ships an update weekly, and BoardNotes every 10 days. Most recently, Paintwork was updated on September 23, 2026 and BoardNotes on September 23, 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.*