# Flow vs Sanshin

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Sanshin at none against Flow's 5. Flow's advantage is update cadence (every 6 days vs every 32 months). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Flow sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Sanshin asks for nothing beyond the download.

Flow ships an update every 6 days, Sanshin every 32 months. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Flow | Sanshin |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.1 (7.2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/flow-note-taking-and-sketchbook/id1271361459/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **7.2K** | — |
| Positive reviews | 23.8% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 6 days** | Every 32 months |
| Monetization | Subscription | — |
| Size | 246 MB | 271 MB |
| Requires iOS | **17.0** | 18.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Bonobo](https://appshunter.io/developer/666155611) | [Comet Lab](https://appshunter.io/developer/1676429011) |

## What reviewers say

### Flow

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/flow-note-taking-and-sketchbook/id1271361459)

Create beautiful notes and drawings with realistic ink and paper. Collaborate on documents in real-time, sketch with customizable tools, and organize your work with infinite width documents and secure cloud syncing.

**Highlights:** Realistic ink and paper drawing, Infinite width documents, Real-time collaboration, Customizable drawing tools, Secure cloud syncing, Apple Pencil support, Export images and timelapse videos

**Features:** Family Sharing, iMessage stickers, iPhone Duo support

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Membership | $3.99 | per month |
| Annual Membership | $19.99 | per year |
| Bonobo Bundle (Annual) | $29.99 | per year |
| Bonobo Bundle (Annual Family) | $49.99 | per year |
| Bonobo Bundle (Lifetime) | $129.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 💻 Excellent drawing tools and interface
- 🎨 Customizable pens and colors
- 📝 Great for note-taking and sketching
- 🌟 Beautiful and intuitive design
- 🔍 Helpful developer support

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Subscription model not preferred by some users
- 🔒 Limited functionality without subscription
- 🔄 Occasional performance issues and crashes
- 📁 Lacking file management and organization features
- 🔍 Unclear trial period and subscription details

**Reported bugs**

- Drawings disappearing or becoming corrupted
- Eraser tool not functioning as expected
- Scrolling and zooming issues
- Compatibility problems on older devices

**Requested features**

- Add vertical scrolling option
- Improve line smoothing and anti-aliasing
- Implement layers and advanced drawing tools
- Integrate text input and handwriting recognition
- Enhance export and sharing capabilities


### Sanshin

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sanshin/id6446206919)

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Flow free?

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

### Is Sanshin free?

Sanshin is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do Flow or Sanshin have ads?

Neither Flow nor Sanshin shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Flow or Sanshin?

Flow ships an update every 6 days, and Sanshin every 32 months. Most recently, Flow was updated on November 1, 2026 and Sanshin on October 30, 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.*