# Goodnotes vs MindSpace

Goodnotes and MindSpace both sit at 4.7 stars, but that hides the real split: 89% of MindSpace's written reviews are positive against 34% of Goodnotes's. MindSpace also leads on iOS requirement (15.0 vs 18.6). Goodnotes's advantage is ratings volume (455K vs 285) and chart position (#86 vs unranked). On price, rating, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Goodnotes sells 16 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month and MindSpace sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Goodnotes against 4.6 for MindSpace. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Goodnotes has 455K ratings behind it against 285, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 34% of Goodnotes's written reviews are positive against 89% of MindSpace's.

Goodnotes ships an update weekly, MindSpace every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Goodnotes | MindSpace |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (455K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/goodnotes-ai-notes-docs-pdf/id1444383602/reviews)** | [4.6 (285 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mindspace-mind-map/id1585502524/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **455K** | 285 |
| Positive reviews | 33.6% of reviews | **88.6% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Weekly | **Every 4 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Best chart rank | **#86** | — |
| Size | 794 MB | 54 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.6 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Mac | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Goodnotes Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/1708570616) | [佳文 潘](https://appshunter.io/developer/1312631799) |

## What reviewers say

### Goodnotes

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/goodnotes-ai-notes-docs-pdf/id1444383602)

**Currently charting:** #86 Top Grossing · Productivity, #115 Top Free · Productivity (US App Store)

Capture ideas, enhance productivity, and unlock insights with advanced AI features. This app offers tools for professionals, students, and creatives, including infinite whiteboards, AI-powered transcription and summarization, and customizable digital notebooks.

**Highlights:** AI-powered transcription and summarization, Infinite whiteboard canvas, Digital notebooks with customizable templates, Study Sets for flashcards, Presentation mode with laser pointer, Real-time collaboration

**Features:** Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (16)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| AI Pass (Monthly) | $9.99 | per month |
| Goodnotes 6 (1 Year) | $9.99 | per year |
| Essential (Yearly) | $11.99 | per year |
| Essential (Yearly) | $11.99 | per year |
| Goodnotes Pro (Yearly) | $35.99 | per year |
| Bunny Oasis Stickers | Free | one-time |
| Medicine-Academia Sticker Shee | Free | one-time |
| Goodnotes 6 Free Trial | Free | one-time |
| Marketplace Content | $1.99 | one-time |
| Marketplace Content | $6.99 | one-time |
| Marketplace Content | $8.99 | one-time |
| GoodNotes 5 Unlock | $9.99 | one-time |
| Marketplace Content | $9.99 | one-time |
| Marketplace Content | $10.99 | one-time |
| Goodnotes 6 One-Time Payment | $28.99 | one-time |
| Special Edition | $35.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Excellent note-taking experience
- 👍 Intuitive and user-friendly interface
- 🚀 Smooth writing with Apple Pencil
- 📁 Powerful organization with folders and notebooks
- 🖼️ Ability to annotate PDFs and documents

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Glitches and crashes
- 🔍 Syncing and iCloud issues
- 🔍 Lack of flexibility with text input
- 🔍 Limited eraser and highlighting options
- 🔍 Subpar performance on Mac app

**Reported bugs**

- Text box issues - unable to edit, resize, or move properly
- Handwriting recognition problems, especially with cursive
- Unreliable scrolling and page navigation
- Inconsistent behavior when using the zoom feature

**Requested features**

- Add bullet point and formatting options for typed text
- Implement a full-screen writing mode
- Improve the straight line and shape tools
- Integrate audio recording and synchronization
- Allow more customization of the toolbar and interface


### MindSpace

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mindspace-mind-map/id1585502524)

Create and organize ideas quickly with a visual mind mapping tool. Edit, export, and share your maps across devices. Offers a minimalist design and secure data storage.

**Highlights:** Create concise mind maps, Organize ideas with colors and stickers, Capture fleeting inspiration, Exquisite and minimalist themes, Secure document editor for data, Free sharing of mind maps

**Features:** Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Subscription Monthly | $0.99 | per month |
| Subscription Yearly | $7.99 | per year |
| 2000 AI Credits | $1.49 | one-time |
| Lifetime Pro | $12.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime Pro(Original) | $12.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime Pro | $29.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Streamlined and intuitive interface
- 💡 Excellent customization options
- 👍 Affordable one-time purchase
- 🚀 Smooth performance and responsiveness
- 💡 Versatile charting and visualization tools

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional freezing or crashing issues
- 🐛 Inconsistent export functionality
- 🐛 Lack of auto-save feature
- 🐛 Slow keyword search in large mind maps
- 🐛 Inability to connect nodes from separate trees

**Reported bugs**

- Nodes and content randomly disappearing
- Compatibility issues with older devices
- Syncing problems between devices

**Requested features**

- Add ability to scribble or handwrite notes
- Improve keyboard shortcuts and text editing
- Implement more advanced charting and data visualization
- Allow custom node shapes and connection styles
- Add support for importing/exporting other mind map formats


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Goodnotes free?

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

### Is MindSpace free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Goodnotes or MindSpace?

Goodnotes is rated higher. Goodnotes averages 4.7 out of 5 from 455K ratings, while MindSpace averages 4.6 from 285 ratings.

### Do Goodnotes or MindSpace have ads?

Neither Goodnotes nor MindSpace shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Goodnotes or MindSpace?

Goodnotes ships an update weekly, and MindSpace every 4 days. Most recently, Goodnotes was updated on September 24, 2026 and MindSpace on September 23, 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.*