# Cards vs Element Note

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Cards at none against Element Note's 5. Element Note's advantage is ads (none vs shown). On price, review sentiment, update cadence and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Element Note sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $3.49 per year. Cards asks for nothing beyond the download.

Cards ships an update every 3 weeks, Element Note fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 8, 2026 and October 21, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Cards | Element Note |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[4.6 (2.6K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/element-note/id6444015673/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **2.6K** |
| Positive reviews | **75.0% of reviews** | 68.5% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | **Ad-supported** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 44 MB | 129 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Mac | iPhone, iPad, Mac |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Catalystwo Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/300184553) | [Soysauce Lab](https://appshunter.io/developer/598496583) |

## What reviewers say

### Cards

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cards-draw-sketch-organize/id1411186552)

Create digital flashcards to memorize information, organize notes, and store images. Arrange your cards on a virtual desktop for a clear overview. Ideal for studying, planning, or keeping track of important details.

**Highlights:** Create digital flashcards, Memorize information, Organize notes and photos, Virtual desktop view, Handwriting and text input

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### Element Note

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/element-note/id6444015673)

This app offers a distraction-free digital notebook experience with advanced handwriting, PDF annotation, and sketching capabilities. It features unique brushes, a powerful rendering engine, and smart organization tools. Sync your notes across devices and collaborate with others seamlessly.

**Highlights:** Unique handwriting brushes, Smooth drawing engine, PDF annotation, Text, shape, and image attachments, On-device OCR search, Smart dark mode, iCloud sync and collaboration

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

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Element Note Yearly | $3.49 | per year |
| Element Note Yearly | $4.99 | per year |
| Lifetime Launch Special | $4.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime | $9.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime | $14.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Smooth handwriting experience
- 💡 Customizable pens and colors
- 👍 Clean and intuitive interface
- 🎨 Gradient and gradient brush tools
- 📚 Great for journaling and note-taking

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and freezes
- 🔍 Search function not working
- 🖼️ Issues with image handling and export
- 🔀 Difficulty switching between pen and eraser
- 🔑 Lack of password/locking feature for notes

**Reported bugs**

- Notes and files randomly disappearing
- Inconsistent behavior when using the floating keyboard
- Handwriting recognition not working as expected
- Exported PDFs losing formatting and background colors

**Requested features**

- Ruler tool
- Ability to resize/rotate selections
- Improved text editing and formatting
- Presentation mode for connecting to displays
- Ability to import/export multiple files at once


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Cards free?

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

### Is Element Note free?

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

### Do Cards or Element Note have ads?

Cards shows ads; Element Note does not.

### Which is updated more often, Cards or Element Note?

Cards ships an update every 3 weeks, and Element Note fortnightly. Most recently, Cards was updated on October 8, 2026 and Element Note on October 21, 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.*