# FSNotes vs References

The clearest difference is monetization model: FSNotes at free against References's paid. FSNotes also leads on chart position (#159 vs unranked) and ratings volume (86 vs 25). References's advantage is review sentiment (88% vs 66%) and rating (4.9 vs 4.7). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

FSNotes costs $4.99 and References $4.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

References holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.7. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 86 and 25 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 66% of FSNotes's written reviews are positive against 88% of References's.

FSNotes ships an update every 3 weeks, References monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 9, 2026 and October 5, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | FSNotes | References |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $4.99 | $4.99 |
| Rating | [4.7 (86 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/fsnotes/id1346501102/reviews) | **[4.9 (25 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/references/id1481843213/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **86** | 25 |
| Positive reviews | 65.5% of reviews | **87.5% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Monthly |
| Monetization | **Free** | Paid |
| Best chart rank | **#159** | — |
| Size | 26 MB | 55 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | 18.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, Mac, Vision Pro** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Oleksandr Hlushchenko](https://appshunter.io/developer/1277179283) | [Benjamin Burton](https://appshunter.io/developer/687735578) |

## What reviewers say

### FSNotes

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/fsnotes/id1346501102)

**Currently charting:** #159 Top Paid · Productivity (US App Store)

A fast, modern notes manager for macOS and iOS that uses plain text Markdown files. It's designed for speed and keyboard shortcuts, allowing for seamless iCloud syncing and support for images, code blocks, and math.

**Highlights:** Plain text Markdown notes, Fast launch and operation, Keyboard shortcuts, iCloud syncing, Markdown preview, Image and code block support

**In-app purchases:** none


### References

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/references/id1481843213)

Browse and interact with your BibTeX libraries on your mobile device. View references, follow links, and access file attachments like PDFs. Supports both classic BibTeX and BibLaTeX formats.

**Highlights:** Browse BibTeX libraries, Search references, Follow links (DOIs, URLs), View file attachments (PDFs), Supports BibLaTeX, Group by keywords

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is FSNotes free?

FSNotes costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is References free?

References costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, FSNotes or References?

References is rated higher. FSNotes averages 4.7 out of 5 from 86 ratings, while References averages 4.9 from 25 ratings.

### Do FSNotes or References have ads?

Neither FSNotes nor References shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, FSNotes or References?

FSNotes ships an update every 3 weeks, and References monthly. Most recently, FSNotes was updated on October 9, 2026 and References on October 5, 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.*