Comparison

MyScript Notes vs Freeform

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

MyScript Notes

Transform handwritten notes into editable text with advanced AI. Brainstorm on an infinite canvas, annotate PDFs, and create structured documents. Supports 66 languages and works across devices.

Highlights
  • AI handwriting recognition
  • Infinite canvas for brainstorming
  • PDF annotation
  • Handwriting to typed text conversion
  • Math equation recognition
  • Multi-language support
Features
Read full description

Create stunning notes and professional documents effortlessly by hand, brainstorm ideas on an infinite canvas, and annotate PDFs seamlessly. Powered by the world's leading AI handwriting recognition technology, MyScript Notes offers a dynamic platform where handwriting, text, drawings, diagrams, and images seamlessly coexist on an expandable canvas. Enhance your note-taking experience with intuitive pen gestures, effortlessly converting handwriting and shapes into typed text and precise forms. MyScript Notes understands every word you write in your choice of 66 languages, and works on mobile platforms — so you can access and search your notes from any compatible device. Enjoy 4 powerful experiences in one app: • Create unlimited notebooks and fixed-size pages for your daily notes. • Take freeform notes on boards — the world's most advanced endless canvas. • Handwrite responsive documents, adding math calculations and diagrams. • Import existing files as PDFs, ready to annotate. Start with a 7-day free trial to get the full experience — then choose to upgrade to keep all features, or continue with a free limited version. ———————— DIGITAL HANDWRITING • Write¹, type or dictate in the same page, sentence or even word. • Accurately convert handwriting and math to typed text, and drawn diagrams to perfect shapes. Diagrams stay editable when pasted into PowerPoint! • Write emoji and symbols with your pen. • Highlight ideas live with a glowing laser pointer — no marks left behind. • Draw straight lines with the ruler — drag, rotate and snap it into place to draw at any angle. EDIT WITH YOUR PEN • Use intuitive gestures to edit and format content without breaking your flow. • Use the marker to highlight or color, the lasso to select, and the eraser to delete entire strokes or precisely defined content. WRITE, TYPE AND DRAW FREELY ON A BOARD • Enjoy an infinite canvas, ideal for brainstorming, mind mapping and freeform note-taking. • Pan around and zoom in or out for a fresh perspective. • Use the lasso to select, move, copy, delete or resize content — and to convert handwriting to typed text. SWITCH TO A DOCUMENT FOR A RESPONSIVE EXPERIENCE • Create and edit structured notes — your handwriting will automatically reflow as needed. • Make edits, adjust layout, rotate your device or split your screen without worrying about readability. ENRICH YOUR NOTES • Personalize content using a range of pen types and page backgrounds. • Add photos, sketches and smart objects like math and diagrams. • Handwrite math equations and matrices across several lines, solve simple calculations and copy math as LaTeX or image. ———————— MyScript Notes respects your privacy and never stores content on our servers without your explicit consent. For help or feature requests, create a ticket at https://myscri.pt/support Check out MyScript Notes' webpage for more information about cross-platform: https://www.myscript.com/notes ———————— ¹You can use any compatible active or passive pen, including Apple Pencil, to write in MyScript Notes. Check minimum and recommended requirements for MyScript Notes: https://myscri.pt/notes-devices

About

Freeform

This app provides a flexible canvas for bringing ideas to life. It supports various file types, drawing tools, and shape libraries for creative projects. Real-time collaboration with multiple users is also a key feature.

Highlights
  • Flexible canvas for ideas
  • Supports photos, video, audio, documents, PDFs, web links
  • Drawing with finger or Apple Pencil
  • Library of over 700 shapes
  • Built-in document scanner
  • Real-time collaboration with up to 100 users
  • Integrated Messages and FaceTime
Read full description

Freeform is now part of Apple Creator Studio, an amazing collection of Apple’s most powerful creative apps designed to help you bring your ideas to life. The suite includes Final Cut Pro, Logic Pro, Pixelmator Pro, Motion, Compressor, and MainStage — plus premium content and intelligence features* in Keynote, Pages, Numbers, and Freeform, all in one simple plan. Creating, viewing, and editing boards in Freeform, as well as collaborating in real time, does not require a subscription. Freeform is a great place to bring your ideas to life. Sketch out a project, design a mood board or start a brainstorming session on a flexible canvas that supports almost any kind of file. And with iCloud, all your boards stay in sync, whether you’re on your Apple Vision Pro, your Mac, your iPad or your iPhone. New Features For Apple Creator Studio Subscribers: • Explore high-quality photos, graphics, and illustrations for your document in the all-new Content Hub • Find inspiration faster with collections of new Apple-curated content in the Content Hub • Create stunning images and graphics right in your document, apply quick edits, or adjust the style using AI • Increase the clarity and detail of existing images and graphics using Super Resolution • Use Auto Crop to generate suggestions for how to frame your image Other New Features: • Organize Your Board with Tables. Arrange text, images, and content into flexible rows and columns • Present your ideas with Scenes, letting you save and jump to specific regions of your board Overview Unleash your creativity • Add photos, video, audio, documents, PDFs, web links, stickies and more anywhere on a Freeform board, perfect for creating a digital pinboard, collecting research for a school project or gathering inspiration for your home renovation. • Use your finger to draw anywhere on the canvas. Choose from a variety of brush styles and colors. • Create beautiful diagrams with a library of over 700 shapes and alignment guides to help make your document look just the way you’d like. • Scan paper documents with your iPhone or iPad’s built-in document scanner to archive documents and even annotate them if you’d like, directly on the board. Collaborate with others • Invite your friends or colleagues into your board for real-time collaboration. Freeform brings people together into a shared space for creativity, whether you’re at your desk or on the go. Easily invite others via email, link or Messages. • Brainstorm together with up to 100 collaborators in the same board. • Communicate with Messages or FaceTime. When you’re working on a board with others, you can jump into the associated Messages conversation or start a FaceTime call with your collaborators with a single tap. * Some features of Apple Creator Studio require an Apple Intelligence–capable device. For full system requirements and usage limits for Apple Creator Studio intelligence features, see Apple Support article 125029.

Screenshots

MyScript Notes4 screens
Freeform4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Freeform at none against MyScript Notes's 10. Freeform also leads on ratings volume (440K vs 39K). MyScript Notes's advantage is update cadence (every 9 days vs every 3 months). On price, rating, review sentiment and ads there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. MyScript Notes sells 9 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Freeform asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for MyScript Notes against 4.6 for Freeform. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Freeform has 440K ratings behind it against 39K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 66% of MyScript Notes's written reviews are positive against 73% of Freeform's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

MyScript Notes ships an update every 9 days, Freeform every 3 months. Both last shipped on September 29, 2026.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
MyScript Notes versus Freeform: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMyScript NotesFreeform
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (39K ratings) — better4.6 (440K ratings)
Positive reviews66.1% of reviews72.5% of reviews — better
Number of ratings39K440K — better
Update frequencyEvery 9 days — betterEvery 3 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, Vision Pro — better
Requires iOS17.016.2 — better
Further details — not scored
Size266 MB6 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMyScriptApple

Customer experience

MyScript Notes

All ratings38,583 ratings
Positive94.2%
Neutral2.6%
Negative3.2%
Written reviews2,185 reviews
Positive66.1%
Neutral12.4%
Negative21.5%

Freeform

All ratings439,937 ratings
Positive88.3%
Neutral5.0%
Negative6.7%
Written reviews3,543 reviews
Positive72.5%
Neutral10.0%
Negative17.5%

User reviews

MyScript Notes

From 39K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Excellent handwriting recognition
  • 👍 Intuitive and responsive interface
  • 💡 Useful gestures and shortcuts
  • 🚀 Fast conversion of handwriting to text
  • 👍 Ability to organize notes in notebooks and collections

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Occasional crashes and freezes
  • 🐛 Issues with syncing and data loss
  • 🐛 Inconsistent behavior with formatting and editing
  • 💡 Lack of keyboard support and text editing features
  • 💡 Limited customization options for paper styles and fonts

Freeform

From 440K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Great for note-taking and organizing
  • 👍 Intuitive and easy to use
  • 🎨 Excellent for creative projects
  • 💡 Useful for brainstorming and mind mapping
  • 🤝 Helpful for collaboration and sharing

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Frequent crashes and glitches
  • 🔋 Drains battery quickly
  • 🤔 Laggy performance, especially with complex boards
  • 🤷‍♀️ Lack of organizational features like folders
  • 📦 Issues with syncing and sharing boards

Bugs and requests

MyScript Notes

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • App crashes when importing large documents
  • Handwriting recognition fails for certain symbols and abbreviations
  • Formatting issues when converting handwritten notes to text
  • Sync issues leading to data loss across devices
  • Inability to move or rearrange pages within notebooks

Requested features

6 requests
  • Add support for keyboard input and text editing
  • Improve syncing and backup functionality
  • Introduce more customization options for paper styles and fonts
  • Enhance diagram and equation handling capabilities
  • Implement better collaboration and sharing features
Show 1 more
  • Add support for dark mode and night-friendly themes

Freeform

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Boards randomly disappearing or not syncing properly
  • Writing and drawing becoming unresponsive or laggy
  • Overlapping and misaligned elements after editing
  • Inability to rotate or resize objects accurately

Requested features

5 requests
  • Add dark mode option
  • Improve Apple Pencil integration with pressure sensitivity
  • Implement undo/redo shortcuts
  • Allow for grouping and aligning of objects
  • Add more shape and text formatting options

In-app purchases

9 purchases

MyScript Notes

Subscriptions2
  • MyScript Notes – Full Access$1.991 Month
  • MyScript Notes – Full Access$7.991 Year
One-time7
  • PDF Pack2 variants$4.99
  • Connect Pack$4.99
  • Essentials Pack$4.99
Show 4 more
  • Full version$9.99
  • Nebo Pro$9.99
  • Full version$14.99
  • MyScript Notes – Full Access$29.99
None

Freeform

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is MyScript Notes free?
MyScript Notes is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Freeform free?
Freeform is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, MyScript Notes or Freeform?
MyScript Notes is rated higher. MyScript Notes averages 4.7 out of 5 from 39K ratings, while Freeform averages 4.6 from 440K ratings.
Do MyScript Notes or Freeform have ads?
Neither MyScript Notes nor Freeform shows ads.
Which is updated more often, MyScript Notes or Freeform?
MyScript Notes ships an update every 9 days, and Freeform every 3 months. Most recently, MyScript Notes was updated on September 29, 2026 and Freeform on September 29, 2026.

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