# Drafts vs NotePlan

The clearest difference is monetization model: Drafts at freemium against NotePlan's subscription. Drafts also leads on update cadence (every 4 days vs monthly) and ratings volume (11K vs 1.5K). NotePlan's advantage is review sentiment (85% vs 70%). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Drafts sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month and NotePlan sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for Drafts against 4.8 for NotePlan. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Drafts has 11K ratings behind it against 1.5K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 70% of Drafts's written reviews are positive against 85% of NotePlan's.

Drafts ships an update every 4 days, NotePlan monthly. Both last shipped on October 2, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Drafts | NotePlan |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (11K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/drafts/id1236254471/reviews) | [4.8 (1.5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/noteplan-to-do-list-and-notes/id1505432629/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **11K** | 1.5K |
| Positive reviews | 69.9% of reviews | **85.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 4 days** | Monthly |
| Monetization | **Freemium** | Subscription |
| Size | 82 MB | 210 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Agile Tortoise](https://appshunter.io/developer/331942785) | [NotePlan LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1137020763) |

## What reviewers say

### Drafts

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/drafts/id1236254471)

Quickly capture text and send it to other apps with this versatile writing tool. It functions as a notebook, editor, and automation tool, allowing for seamless integration with various services and AI LLMs. Organize, customize, and process your text efficiently across all your Apple devices.

**Highlights:** Quick text capture, Send text to other apps, Writing automation tool, Cross-device sync, Text manipulation actions, Customizable interface, AI LLM integration

**Features:** Family Sharing, Siri integration, Apple Watch app, iMessage stickers, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Drafts Pro - Monthly  i | $1.99 | per month |
| Drafts Pro - Annual  i | $19.99 | per year |
| Drafts Pro - Patron  i | $29.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Extremely useful app
- 👍 Powerful and flexible
- 💡 Great for productivity and note-taking
- 👍 Seamless sync across devices
- 🚀 Streamlines workflows

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Subscription model is too expensive
- 🤔 Subscription required for advanced features
- 🐛 Occasional bugs and glitches
- 🤔 Confusing UI changes in newer version
- 💰 Dislike the move to a subscription

**Reported bugs**

- Paste function not working properly
- Syncing issues between devices

**Requested features**

- Dark mode option
- Improved integration with other apps
- Ability to edit custom actions without subscription
- One-time purchase option instead of subscription


### NotePlan

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/noteplan-to-do-list-and-notes/id1505432629)

Organize your tasks, notes, and calendar in one unified app. Quickly plan your day with Markdown, link notes bi-directionally, and stay on top of your to-dos with powerful review and search features. Seamlessly integrates with your existing calendars and syncs across all your Apple devices.

**Highlights:** Unified task, note, and calendar view, Markdown for quick task and note creation, Bi-directional note linking, Calendar integration (iCloud, Google, Exchange), Flexible recurring tasks, Global Command Bar for fast navigation, Plaintext note storage

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

**In-app purchases (8)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Personal Weekly | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| Personal Monthly | $6.99 | per month |
| Personal Monthly | $11.99 | per month |
| Personal Monthly | $12.00 | per month |
| Personal Annual | $59.99 | per year |
| Personal Annual | $99.99 | per year |
| Personal Annual | $119.99 | per year |
| Business Class | $199.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Powerful note-taking and task management
- 👍 Seamless calendar and reminders integration
- 💡 Flexible and customizable workflow
- 🔒 Secure and open-format data storage
- 👍 Responsive and helpful developer

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Expensive subscription model
- 🐛 Occasional sync and performance issues
- 👤 Limited collaboration and sharing features

**Reported bugs**

- Inconsistent sync between devices
- Crashes when opening certain files

**Requested features**

- Improved iPad and mobile app experience
- Better integration with other productivity apps
- More automation and scripting capabilities
- Weekly or monthly calendar view


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Drafts free?

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

### Is NotePlan free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Drafts or NotePlan?

Drafts and NotePlan are both rated 4.8 out of 5 on the App Store, from 11K and 1.5K ratings respectively.

### Do Drafts or NotePlan have ads?

Neither Drafts nor NotePlan shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Drafts or NotePlan?

Drafts ships an update every 4 days, and NotePlan monthly. Most recently, Drafts was updated on October 2, 2026 and NotePlan on October 2, 2026.

---

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