# CamScanner HD vs Notes Writer

The clearest difference is rating: Notes Writer at 4.5 against CamScanner HD's 3.0. Notes Writer also leads on ads (none vs shown) and ratings volume (7.3K vs 68). CamScanner HD's advantage is iOS requirement (12.0 vs 26.0). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. CamScanner HD sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and Notes Writer sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Notes Writer holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 3.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Notes Writer has 7.3K ratings behind it against 68, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 29% of CamScanner HD's written reviews are positive against 45% of Notes Writer's.

CamScanner HD ships an update every 3 weeks, Notes Writer every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | CamScanner HD | Notes Writer |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.0 (68 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/camscanner-hd/id1357539654/reviews) | **[4.5 (7.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notes-writer-pdf-ai-markup/id1423643723/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 68 | **7.3K** |
| Positive reviews | 29.2% of reviews | **45.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Every 4 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 65 MB | 660 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 26.0 |
| Devices | iPad | **iPhone, iPad** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Linguan Data](https://appshunter.io/developer/1315906999) | [Kairoos Solutions SL](https://appshunter.io/developer/978066434) |

## What reviewers say

### CamScanner HD

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/camscanner-hd/id1357539654)

Digitize, store, and share documents from your mobile device. Optimize scan quality, extract text with OCR, and collaborate with others. Secure your important files with passwords and sync them across multiple platforms.

**Highlights:** Digitize documents with iPad camera, Optimize scan quality with smart cropping, Extract text from images using OCR, Share documents as PDF/JPEG, Print via AirPrint and fax internationally, Collaborate on documents with others, Secure documents with passcodes

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| CamScanner Premium | $4.99 | per month |
| CamScanner Premium | $49.99 | per year |
| One-page Fax | $0.99 | one-time |
| Ten-page Fax | $8.99 | one-time |


### Notes Writer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notes-writer-pdf-ai-markup/id1423643723)

This app is a comprehensive note-taking and PDF editing solution for mobile devices. It allows users to write, format, and organize notes, annotate PDFs, fill forms, and scan documents. The app offers advanced editing tools, powerful search, and seamless sharing and export options.

**Highlights:** Write and format notes, Annotate PDFs and fill forms, Organize with unlimited notebooks, Powerful full-text search, Document scanning, Sync with cloud services, Export to multiple formats

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing, Vision Pro support, iPhone Duo support

**In-app purchases (8)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekly | $1.99 | per 7 days |
| Notes Writer Unlock All and AI | $3.99 | per month |
| Notes Writer Unlock All and AI | $14.99 | per year |
| Full Version Unlock Pro | $3.99 | one-time |
| Full Version Unlock Pro | $4.99 | one-time |
| Full Version Unlock Pro | $5.99 | one-time |
| Full Version Unlock Pro | $6.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime Pro Full Unlock | $14.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Smooth writing experience
- 💡 Versatile note-taking features
- 🔒 Good privacy
- 👍 Useful for various purposes (notes, PDF annotations, etc.)

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes and freezes
- 🔒 Limiting free version with paywalls
- 🐛 Bugs with erasing, page management, and file corruption
- 🐛 Laggy performance and slow loading times

**Reported bugs**

- Notes randomly disappearing or getting corrupted
- Inability to recover deleted documents
- Unexpected behavior when adding/deleting pages
- Syncing issues and broken links between documents

**Requested features**

- Add more brushes and pen customization options
- Improve the clipping/selection tool
- Implement OCR and handwriting search
- Provide a Mac version


## Frequently asked questions

### Is CamScanner HD free?

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

### Is Notes Writer free?

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

### Which has better reviews, CamScanner HD or Notes Writer?

Notes Writer is rated higher. CamScanner HD averages 3.0 out of 5 from 68 ratings, while Notes Writer averages 4.5 from 7.3K ratings.

### Do CamScanner HD or Notes Writer have ads?

CamScanner HD shows ads; Notes Writer does not.

### Which is updated more often, CamScanner HD or Notes Writer?

CamScanner HD ships an update every 3 weeks, and Notes Writer every 4 days. Most recently, CamScanner HD was updated on October 29, 2026 and Notes Writer on November 3, 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.*