# Birch vs PhotoNote

The clearest difference is ads: Birch at none against PhotoNote's shown. Birch also leads on ratings volume (127 vs 2) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 17.0). PhotoNote's advantage is rating (5.0 vs 4.6) and review sentiment (100% vs 84%). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Birch sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $1.49 per month and PhotoNote sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $3.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

PhotoNote holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Birch has 127 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 84% of Birch's written reviews are positive against 100% of PhotoNote's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 2, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Birch | PhotoNote |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (127 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/birch-organized-photo-notes/id1435221449/reviews) | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/photonote-take-note-by-camera/id1465555338/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **127** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 83.6% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 65 MB | 56 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Daniel McCarthy](https://appshunter.io/developer/635693343) | [Satoshi Kobayashi](https://appshunter.io/developer/909987119) |

## What reviewers say

### Birch

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/birch-organized-photo-notes/id1435221449)

This app helps you organize your life using photos as notes. Simply snap a picture, add hashtags, and find it quickly later. It's ideal for visual individuals who use their photo album for reminders and references.

**Highlights:** Organized photo notes, Hashtag-based organization, Quick photo capture, Fast search functionality, Multiple hashtag support, Light and Dark mode support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pro (Monthly) | $1.49 | per month |
| Pro (Annual) | $14.99 | per year |


### PhotoNote

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/photonote-take-note-by-camera/id1465555338)

Capture information visually by taking photos instead of typing. Organize your visual notes with tabs and colored tags. Photos are stored within the app, preventing clutter in your device's photo gallery.

**Highlights:** Capture notes via camera, Organize with tabs, Categorize with colored tags, Internal photo storage, Reorder notes and tags

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pro plan | $3.99 | per month |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Birch free?

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

### Is PhotoNote free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Birch or PhotoNote?

PhotoNote is rated higher. Birch averages 4.6 out of 5 from 127 ratings, while PhotoNote averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do Birch or PhotoNote have ads?

PhotoNote shows ads; Birch does not.

### Which is updated more often, Birch or PhotoNote?

Birch ships an update every 3 weeks, and PhotoNote every 3 weeks. Most recently, Birch was updated on November 2, 2026 and PhotoNote on November 3, 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.*