# MarginNote 3 vs Flexcil Note & Good PDF Reader

The clearest difference is ads: MarginNote 3 at none against Flexcil Note & Good PDF Reader's shown. MarginNote 3 also leads on rating (4.7 vs 4.4) and review sentiment (75% vs 59%). Flexcil Note & Good PDF Reader's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs every 6 weeks). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. MarginNote 3 sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month and Flexcil Note & Good PDF Reader sells 13 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

MarginNote 3 holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: MarginNote 3 has 5K ratings behind it against 399, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 75% of MarginNote 3's written reviews are positive against 59% of Flexcil Note & Good PDF Reader's.

MarginNote 3 ships an update every 6 weeks, Flexcil Note & Good PDF Reader weekly. The most recent releases landed on September 26, 2026 and September 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | MarginNote 3 | Flexcil Note & Good PDF Reader |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/marginnote-3/id1348317163/reviews)** | [4.4 (399 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/flexcil-note-and-good-pdf-reader/id1531466462/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **5K** | 399 |
| Positive reviews | **74.6% of reviews** | 59.2% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 392 MB | 227 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.2** | 14.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Beijing Yunsi Software Technology Co., Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/723205556) | [Flexcil Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1090873688) |

## What reviewers say

### MarginNote 3

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/marginnote-3/id1348317163)

This app redefines studying by integrating e-reading with powerful annotation, mind mapping, and flashcard tools. Organize knowledge, connect ideas with hashtags, and enhance memory retention through spaced repetition. It offers a seamless workflow across multiple documents and devices.

**Highlights:** Integrated PDF/EPUB reader, Advanced annotation tools, Mind mapping and outline organization, Flashcard creation and Anki export, Multi-document support, Handwriting and Apple Pencil support, OCR for scanned PDFs

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

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| OCR Pro (Monthly) | $0.99 | per month |
| OCR Pro (Annually) | $9.49 | per year |
| 14 days Free Trial | Free | one-time |
| Unlock Full | $12.99 | one-time |
| Upgrade to Full | $12.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Powerful and efficient for studying and research
- 👍 Excellent mind mapping and note-taking features
- 💡 Unique and innovative functionality like video annotation
- 🚀 Handles large volumes of documents and notes well
- 👍 Useful for organizing and synthesizing information from multiple sources

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and stability issues
- 👎 Steep learning curve and lack of comprehensive documentation
- 👎 Unreliable cloud syncing between devices
- 👎 Cluttered and unintuitive user interface in some areas
- 🐛 Bugs and glitches with certain features like handwriting and OCR

**Reported bugs**

- Syncing issues causing data loss across devices
- Crashes and freezes when working with large documents
- Inconsistent behavior with highlighting, erasing, and text formatting
- OCR not functioning reliably for non-Latin scripts
- Difficulty managing and organizing large document libraries

**Requested features**

- Improved export options and ability to share projects
- Better integration with other productivity apps like Anki
- More customization options for mind maps and annotations
- Smoother handwriting experience and better palm rejection
- Support for more file formats like PowerPoint


### Flexcil Note & Good PDF Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/flexcil-note-and-good-pdf-reader/id1531466462)

This app is a comprehensive note-taking and PDF reader designed for Apple devices. It allows users to edit PDFs, annotate documents, create bullet journals, and record audio, all while offering intuitive gesture controls and seamless integration with cloud services.

**Highlights:** Edit PDF pages, Annotate documents with gestures, Record and playback audio, Create bullet journals, Cloud sync across devices, Masking pen for precise annotations

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (13)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Upgrade product for old users | Free | one-time |
| Premium | $8.99 | one-time |
| Flexcil Standard | $9.99 | one-time |
| 2021-2022 Color Planner | $11.99 | one-time |
| Flexcil NEW Design Planner 22 | $11.99 | one-time |
| Premium & Toolbar Skin Pack | $12.99 | one-time |
| Hello Kitty Planner 2022 | $13.99 | one-time |
| My Melody & Kuromi Planner 22 | $13.99 | one-time |
| Standard & 21-22 Planner Pack | $14.99 | one-time |
| Standard & Design Planner Pack | $14.99 | one-time |
| Standard & 2023 Planner Pack | $14.99 | one-time |
| 2026 Ultimate Planner(Dated) : Pro | $15.49 | one-time |
| Nelna 6-in-1 Planner Bundle | $19.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Best Apps for STUDENTS!!! 😀😀
- 👍 Love this app
- 🚀 Powerful multi-page PDF viewer
- 👍 Great for studying
- 👍 Excellent app for note taking

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes and performance issues
- 🐛 Syncing and backup problems
- 🐛 Buggy handwriting recognition
- 🐛 Unreliable palm rejection
- 🐛 Missing key features from previous version

**Reported bugs**

- Sudden data loss and file deletion
- Inability to restore purchases
- Frequent app crashes and freezes
- Inconsistent behavior of undo/redo functions
- Annotations not exporting correctly

**Requested features**

- Add iCloud sync and backup
- Improve handwriting search and recognition
- Bring back reading mode and one-page scrolling
- Add more pen and brush options
- Allow customizing notebook paper styles


## Frequently asked questions

### Is MarginNote 3 free?

MarginNote 3 is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Flexcil Note & Good PDF Reader free?

Flexcil Note & Good PDF Reader is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, MarginNote 3 or Flexcil Note & Good PDF Reader?

MarginNote 3 is rated higher. MarginNote 3 averages 4.7 out of 5 from 5K ratings, while Flexcil Note & Good PDF Reader averages 4.4 from 399 ratings.

### Do MarginNote 3 or Flexcil Note & Good PDF Reader have ads?

Flexcil Note & Good PDF Reader shows ads; MarginNote 3 does not.

### Which is updated more often, MarginNote 3 or Flexcil Note & Good PDF Reader?

MarginNote 3 ships an update every 6 weeks, and Flexcil Note & Good PDF Reader weekly. Most recently, MarginNote 3 was updated on September 26, 2026 and Flexcil Note & Good PDF Reader on September 25, 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.*