# Notes Writer vs CollaNote

The clearest difference is review sentiment: CollaNote at 74% against Notes Writer's 45%. CollaNote also leads on monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases) and rating (4.7 vs 4.5). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Notes Writer sells 4 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 74% of CollaNote's.

Notes Writer ships an update every 4 days, CollaNote every 6 days. Both last shipped on November 11, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Notes Writer | CollaNote |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (7.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notes-writer-pdf-quiz-docs/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 | 44.8% of reviews | **73.6% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 4 days** | Every 6 days |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 688 MB | 229 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-pdf-quiz-docs/id1423643723)

This app combines handwriting, PDFs, voice recordings, and AI for note-taking, document annotation, and idea organization. It offers a paper-like writing experience with various tools and supports students, professionals, and writers with specialized features.

**Highlights:** Handwriting with Apple Pencil, PDF annotation and form filling, Voice recording and transcription, AI-powered writing assistance, Flashcard creation and spaced repetition, Quiz generation from notes, Document import and export

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

**In-app purchases (4)**

| 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 |
| 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 powerful note-taking app offers a rich set of tools for writing, PDF markup, and digital planning. Enhance your notes with over 25 pens, handwriting stabilization, and AI assistance. Collaborate in real-time and organize your work with unlimited papers and notebooks.

**Highlights:** 25+ pens and brushes, Handwriting stabilizer, PDF import and markup, Flashcard creation, Real-time collaboration, AI-powered tools, Unlimited papers and notebooks

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support, iPhone Duo 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 4 days, and CollaNote every 6 days. Most recently, Notes Writer was updated on November 11, 2026 and CollaNote on November 11, 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.*