# Notes Writer vs LockRoot

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: LockRoot at none against Notes Writer's 9. LockRoot also leads on update cadence (daily vs weekly) and iOS requirement (16.0 vs 26.0). On price, 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. LockRoot asks for nothing beyond the download.

Notes Writer ships an update weekly, LockRoot daily. The most recent releases landed on October 18, 2026 and October 2, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Notes Writer | LockRoot |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.5 (7.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notes-writer-pdf-voice-ai/id1423643723/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **7.3K** | — |
| Positive reviews | 45.1% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Weekly | **Daily** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 811 MB | 1 MB |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | **16.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, Mac** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Kairoos Solutions SL](https://appshunter.io/developer/978066434) | [M K S NIDEESH Srihass](https://appshunter.io/developer/1860532753) |

## What reviewers say

### Notes Writer

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


### LockRoot

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lockroot/id6770449898)

**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 LockRoot free?

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

### Do Notes Writer or LockRoot have ads?

Neither Notes Writer nor LockRoot shows ads.

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

Notes Writer ships an update weekly, and LockRoot daily. Most recently, Notes Writer was updated on October 18, 2026 and LockRoot on October 2, 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.*