# Goodnotes vs Pocket Scanner by Spalgin

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Pocket Scanner by Spalgin at none against Goodnotes's 10. Pocket Scanner by Spalgin also leads on update cadence (every 2 days vs weekly) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 18.6). Goodnotes's advantage is chart position (#98 vs unranked). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Goodnotes sells 9 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Pocket Scanner by Spalgin asks for nothing beyond the download.

Goodnotes ships an update weekly, Pocket Scanner by Spalgin every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on November 5, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Goodnotes | Pocket Scanner by Spalgin |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (467K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/goodnotes-ai-notes-docs-pdf/id1444383602/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **467K** | — |
| Positive reviews | 33.8% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Weekly | **Every 2 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Best chart rank | **#98** | — |
| Size | 778 MB | 19 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.6 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Mac | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Goodnotes Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/1708570616) | [fevzi emre karahan](https://appshunter.io/developer/1859971862) |

## What reviewers say

### Goodnotes

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

**Currently charting:** #98 Top Grossing · Productivity, #138 Top Free · Productivity (US App Store)

Capture ideas, brainstorm, and create polished documents with powerful AI tools. Transcribe meetings, generate summaries, and organize notes effortlessly for work or study. Plan your life and journal your thoughts with customizable templates and creative freedom.

**Highlights:** AI-powered transcription and summarization, Infinite whiteboard for brainstorming, Handwritten and typed note organization, Customizable planner and journal templates, PDF annotation and document import, Study sets with flashcards, Presentation mode with laser pointer

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

**In-app purchases (9)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| AI Pass (Monthly) | $9.99 | per month |
| Essential (Yearly) | $11.99 | per year |
| Essential (Yearly) | $11.99 | per year |
| Goodnotes Pro (Yearly) | $35.99 | per year |
| Goodnotes 6 Free Trial | Free | one-time |
| Marketplace Content | $1.99 | one-time |
| Marketplace Content | $9.99 | 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


### Pocket Scanner by Spalgin

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pocket-scanner-by-spalgin/id6813529880)

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Goodnotes free?

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

### Is Pocket Scanner by Spalgin free?

Pocket Scanner by Spalgin is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do Goodnotes or Pocket Scanner by Spalgin have ads?

Neither Goodnotes nor Pocket Scanner by Spalgin shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Goodnotes or Pocket Scanner by Spalgin?

Goodnotes ships an update weekly, and Pocket Scanner by Spalgin every 2 days. Most recently, Goodnotes was updated on November 5, 2026 and Pocket Scanner by Spalgin on October 31, 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.*