# Notes Writer Pro vs Goodnotes

The clearest difference is price: Goodnotes at Free against Notes Writer Pro's $9.99. Goodnotes also leads on ratings volume (457K vs 3.2K) and chart position (#87 vs unranked). Notes Writer Pro's advantage is review sentiment (48% vs 34%) and iOS requirement (16.4 vs 18.6). On rating, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Goodnotes is free to download; Notes Writer Pro costs $9.99 up front. Notes Writer Pro sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $2.99 per month and Goodnotes sells 16 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for Notes Writer Pro against 4.7 for Goodnotes. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Goodnotes has 457K ratings behind it against 3.2K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 48% of Notes Writer Pro's written reviews are positive against 34% of Goodnotes's.

Notes Writer Pro ships an update every 2 weeks, Goodnotes weekly. The most recent releases landed on September 28, 2026 and September 29, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Notes Writer Pro | Goodnotes |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $9.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [4.6 (3.2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notes-writer-pro-beyond-pdfs/id1422480068/reviews) | **[4.7 (457K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/goodnotes-ai-notes-docs-pdf/id1444383602/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 3.2K | **457K** |
| Positive reviews | **48.3% of reviews** | 33.6% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#87** |
| Size | 375 MB | 795 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.4** | 18.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, Mac** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Kairoos Solutions SL](https://appshunter.io/developer/978066434) | [Goodnotes Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/1708570616) |

## What reviewers say

### Notes Writer Pro

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notes-writer-pro-beyond-pdfs/id1422480068)

This app is a versatile writing and note-taking tool that supports rich text and Markdown. It allows users to annotate PDFs, fill out forms, and organize their work into unlimited notebooks. The app also includes scanning capabilities and various export options for seamless sharing and backup.

**Highlights:** Rich text and Markdown writing, PDF annotation and form filling, Unlimited notebook organization, Document scanning, Cloud sync and multiple export formats, Distraction-free writing mode

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Notes Writer Pro AI Assistant | $2.99 | per month |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Excellent note-taking app
- 📁 Great folder organization
- 🎨 Customizable notebook covers
- 🔍 Useful PDF annotation tools
- 🤖 Impressive AI capabilities

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and bugs
- 🔄 Sync and file transfer issues
- 🕰️ Slow performance and lag
- 🔒 Poor customer support
- 💰 Misleading upgrade pricing

**Reported bugs**

- Notes randomly disappearing
- Formatting issues with text and images
- Unreliable audio recording and playback
- Compatibility problems with newer iOS versions
- Inability to transfer files between free and pro versions

**Requested features**

- Handwriting recognition
- Improved eraser and shape tools
- Customizable keyboard and toolbar
- Better integration with cloud storage
- Ability to rotate and resize images


### Goodnotes

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/goodnotes-ai-notes-docs-pdf/id1444383602)

**Currently charting:** #87 Top Grossing · Productivity, #116 Top Free · Productivity (US App Store)

Capture ideas, enhance productivity, and unlock insights with advanced AI features. This app offers tools for professionals, students, and creatives, including infinite whiteboards, AI-powered transcription and summarization, and customizable digital notebooks.

**Highlights:** AI-powered transcription and summarization, Infinite whiteboard canvas, Digital notebooks with customizable templates, Study Sets for flashcards, Presentation mode with laser pointer, Real-time collaboration

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

**In-app purchases (16)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| AI Pass (Monthly) | $9.99 | per month |
| Goodnotes 6 (1 Year) | $9.99 | per year |
| Essential (Yearly) | $11.99 | per year |
| Essential (Yearly) | $11.99 | per year |
| Goodnotes Pro (Yearly) | $35.99 | per year |
| Bunny Oasis Stickers | Free | one-time |
| Medicine-Academia Sticker Shee | Free | one-time |
| Goodnotes 6 Free Trial | Free | one-time |
| Marketplace Content | $1.99 | one-time |
| Marketplace Content | $6.99 | one-time |
| Marketplace Content | $8.99 | one-time |
| GoodNotes 5 Unlock | $9.99 | one-time |
| Marketplace Content | $9.99 | one-time |
| Marketplace Content | $10.99 | one-time |
| Goodnotes 6 One-Time Payment | $28.99 | one-time |
| Special Edition | $35.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Excellent note-taking experience
- 👍 Intuitive and user-friendly interface
- 🚀 Smooth writing with Apple Pencil
- 📁 Powerful organization with folders and notebooks
- 🖼️ Ability to annotate PDFs and documents

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Glitches and crashes
- 🔍 Syncing and iCloud issues
- 🔍 Lack of flexibility with text input
- 🔍 Limited eraser and highlighting options
- 🔍 Subpar performance on Mac app

**Reported bugs**

- Text box issues - unable to edit, resize, or move properly
- Handwriting recognition problems, especially with cursive
- Unreliable scrolling and page navigation
- Inconsistent behavior when using the zoom feature

**Requested features**

- Add bullet point and formatting options for typed text
- Implement a full-screen writing mode
- Improve the straight line and shape tools
- Integrate audio recording and synchronization
- Allow more customization of the toolbar and interface


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Notes Writer Pro free?

Notes Writer Pro costs $9.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Is Goodnotes free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Notes Writer Pro or Goodnotes?

Goodnotes is rated higher. Notes Writer Pro averages 4.6 out of 5 from 3.2K ratings, while Goodnotes averages 4.7 from 457K ratings.

### Do Notes Writer Pro or Goodnotes have ads?

Neither Notes Writer Pro nor Goodnotes shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Notes Writer Pro or Goodnotes?

Notes Writer Pro ships an update every 2 weeks, and Goodnotes weekly. Most recently, Notes Writer Pro was updated on September 28, 2026 and Goodnotes on September 29, 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.*