# Notes Writer vs PDF Editor

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: PDF Editor at none against Notes Writer's 9. PDF Editor also leads on review sentiment (57% vs 45%) and iOS requirement (17.0 vs 26.0). Notes Writer's advantage is ratings volume (7.3K vs 20) and update cadence (every 4 days vs every 2 weeks). On price, rating, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Notes Writer sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per 7 days. PDF Editor asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.5 for Notes Writer against 4.5 for PDF Editor. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Notes Writer has 7.3K ratings behind it against 20, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 45% of Notes Writer's written reviews are positive against 57% of PDF Editor's.

Notes Writer ships an update every 4 days, PDF Editor every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 26, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Notes Writer | PDF Editor |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.5 (7.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notes-writer-ai-note-taking/id1423643723/reviews)** | [4.5 (20 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-editor-edit-sign-convert/id1670185874/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **7.3K** | 20 |
| Positive reviews | 45.0% of reviews | **57.1% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 4 days** | Every 2 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 659 MB | 50 MB |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | **17.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, Mac** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Kairoos Solutions SL](https://appshunter.io/developer/978066434) | [RainbowFactory LTD](https://appshunter.io/developer/1670679665) |

## 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, 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


### PDF Editor

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-editor-edit-sign-convert/id1670185874)

This application allows users to annotate PDF documents on Mac and iOS devices. Easily add notes, highlights, and comments to your files with a simple and intuitive interface. It's ideal for providing feedback or filling out forms.

**Highlights:** Add notes and comments, Highlight important text, Fill in PDF forms, User-friendly interface, Cross-device compatibility

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Notes Writer free?

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

### Is PDF Editor free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Notes Writer or PDF Editor?

Notes Writer is rated higher. Notes Writer averages 4.5 out of 5 from 7.3K ratings, while PDF Editor averages 4.5 from 20 ratings.

### Do Notes Writer or PDF Editor have ads?

Neither Notes Writer nor PDF Editor shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Notes Writer or PDF Editor?

Notes Writer ships an update every 4 days, and PDF Editor every 2 weeks. Most recently, Notes Writer was updated on October 26, 2026 and PDF Editor 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.*