# MarginNote 3 vs BoardNotes

The clearest difference is ads: MarginNote 3 at none against BoardNotes's shown. MarginNote 3 also leads on ratings volume (5K vs 115) and iOS requirement (11.2 vs 15.0). BoardNotes's advantage is update cadence (every 10 days vs every 6 weeks). On price, rating, review sentiment and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. MarginNote 3 sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month and BoardNotes sells 23 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for MarginNote 3 against 4.7 for BoardNotes. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: MarginNote 3 has 5K ratings behind it against 115, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 75% of MarginNote 3's written reviews are positive against 81% of BoardNotes's.

MarginNote 3 ships an update every 6 weeks, BoardNotes every 10 days. Both last shipped on October 2, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | MarginNote 3 | BoardNotes |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/marginnote-3/id1348317163/reviews) | [4.7 (115 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/boardnotes-notes-pdf-docs/id6448847544/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **5K** | 115 |
| Positive reviews | 74.6% of reviews | **81.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | **Every 10 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 392 MB | 342 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.2** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Beijing Yunsi Software Technology Co., Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/723205556) | [Chongqing Ouluowa Technology Co., Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1686544790) |

## 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


### BoardNotes

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/boardnotes-notes-pdf-docs/id6448847544)

This app combines whiteboard, notebook, PDF management, mind mapping, and flashcard creation into a single, versatile handwriting note-taking tool. It offers a wide array of pen types, organizational features, and study aids to enhance productivity and learning.

**Highlights:** Handwriting note-taking, Integrated whiteboard, PDF import and editing, Mind mapping functionality, Spaced repetition flashcards, Multiple pen and brush types, Layer management

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (23)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 7 days membership | $0.99 | one-time |
| 5 days membership | $0.99 | one-time |
| Math Formula Recognition | $1.99 | one-time |
| 1 month membership | $1.99 | one-time |
| Annual Membership | $3.99 | one-time |
| Permanent Unlock All | $3.99 | one-time |
| 6 months membership | $3.99 | one-time |
| 6 months membership (discount) | $3.99 | one-time |
| Permanent Unlock All | $4.99 | one-time |
| Annual Membership | $4.99 | one-time |
| 6 months membership | $4.99 | one-time |
| Full version Unlock | $5.99 | one-time |
| Annual Membership (discount) | $5.99 | one-time |
| 6 months membership | $6.99 | one-time |
| Permanent Unlock All | $6.99 | one-time |
| Annual Membership | $6.99 | one-time |
| Spring Festival Discount | $6.99 | one-time |
| Annual Membership | $7.99 | one-time |
| Permanent Unlock All | $7.99 | one-time |
| Permanent Unlock All(discount) | $7.99 | one-time |
| Permanent Unlock All | $8.99 | one-time |
| Permanent Unlock All | $9.99 | one-time |
| Permanent Unlock All | $19.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 💎 All-in-one app
- 💡 Feature-rich note-taking
- ✍️ Excellent Apple Pencil integration
- 💰 Affordable one-time purchase
- 🚀 Smooth performance

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔋 High battery consumption
- 🔥 Device gets hot
- 🐛 Data loss (whiteboards erased)
- 🚫 No automatic backup
- 🔍 Limited search functions

**Reported bugs**

- Whiteboards erasing automatically
- No automatic backup leading to data loss
- Syncing issues between iPad and Mac
- Pencil tip not appearing on PDF annotations
- App crashes frequently

**Requested features**

- Sync to Google Drive/other cloud services
- Faster 'add to cards' function
- View carded items in sidebar
- Color coding for pins
- Image opacity adjustment


## Frequently asked questions

### Is MarginNote 3 free?

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

### Is BoardNotes free?

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

### Which has better reviews, MarginNote 3 or BoardNotes?

MarginNote 3 and BoardNotes are both rated 4.7 out of 5 on the App Store, from 5K and 115 ratings respectively.

### Do MarginNote 3 or BoardNotes have ads?

BoardNotes shows ads; MarginNote 3 does not.

### Which is updated more often, MarginNote 3 or BoardNotes?

MarginNote 3 ships an update every 6 weeks, and BoardNotes every 10 days. Most recently, MarginNote 3 was updated on October 2, 2026 and BoardNotes on October 2, 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.*