# Notes Writer vs CollaNote

The clearest difference is review sentiment: CollaNote at 71% against Notes Writer's 45%. CollaNote also leads on rating (4.7 vs 4.5) and iOS requirement (18.6 vs 26.0). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

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

CollaNote holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 7.3K and 15K respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 45% of Notes Writer's written reviews are positive against 71% of CollaNote's.

Notes Writer ships an update every 5 days, CollaNote every 6 days. Both last shipped on October 25, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Notes Writer | CollaNote |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (7.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notes-writer-ai-note-taking/id1423643723/reviews) | **[4.7 (15K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/collanote-notes-and-pdf-markup/id1540956268/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 7.3K | **15K** |
| Positive reviews | 45.1% of reviews | **71.4% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 days** | Every 6 days |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 658 MB | 224 MB |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | **18.6** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Kairoos Solutions SL](https://appshunter.io/developer/978066434) | [Zauberberg Lab Company Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/1693142923) |

## What reviewers say

### Notes Writer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notes-writer-ai-note-taking/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

**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


### CollaNote

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/collanote-notes-and-pdf-markup/id1540956268)

This app offers a comprehensive note-taking experience with advanced tools for digital planning, PDF markup, and flashcard creation. It features a wide array of pens, handwriting stabilization, and AI-powered assistance for enhanced productivity and creativity. Organize, secure, and share your notes seamlessly across devices.

**Highlights:** 25+ pens and brushes, PDF, PPT, DOC markup, Flashcard creation, Translation tool, Audio recording, AI-powered tools, Real-time collaboration

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

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Lifetime Premium Loyal Users | $6.95 | one-time |
| Premium: Time Limited Sale | $6.95 | one-time |
| Lifetime Premium Welcome Offer | $9.69 | one-time |
| Lifetime Premium | $13.90 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Very good writing app
- 🚀 Great app and easy to navigate
- 🚀 Excellent note taking app
- 👍 Amazing free note taking app
- 👍 Fantastic for teaching

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Glitching, crashing, and issues with writing tools
- 🐛 Inconsistent performance and bugs
- 🐛 Issues with PDF annotations and exports
- 🐛 Problems with organization and navigation
- 🐛 Frequent crashes and data loss

**Reported bugs**

- Pen and eraser issues after updates
- Freezing and crashing when deleting or moving notes
- Inconsistent behavior of favorite pen settings
- Incompatibility with older devices
- Login screen freezes

**Requested features**

- Add landscape mode support
- Improve text editing and formatting
- Enhance organization with nested folders
- Implement better backup and sync options
- Add more pen/pencil customization


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Notes Writer free?

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

### Is CollaNote free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Notes Writer or CollaNote?

CollaNote is rated higher. Notes Writer averages 4.5 out of 5 from 7.3K ratings, while CollaNote averages 4.7 from 15K ratings.

### Do Notes Writer or CollaNote have ads?

Neither Notes Writer nor CollaNote shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Notes Writer or CollaNote?

Notes Writer ships an update every 5 days, and CollaNote every 6 days. Most recently, Notes Writer was updated on October 25, 2026 and CollaNote on October 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.*