# Noto vs NotePlan

The clearest difference is monetization model: Noto at freemium against NotePlan's subscription. NotePlan's advantage is review sentiment (85% vs 68%) and rating (4.8 vs 4.6). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Noto sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month and NotePlan sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

NotePlan holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1.3K and 1.5K respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 68% of Noto's written reviews are positive against 85% of NotePlan's.

Noto ships an update every 4 weeks, NotePlan monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 11, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Noto | NotePlan |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (1.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/noto-elegant-note/id1459055246/reviews) | **[4.8 (1.5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/noteplan-to-do-list-and-notes/id1505432629/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 1.3K | **1.5K** |
| Positive reviews | 68.4% of reviews | **85.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 4 weeks** | Monthly |
| Monetization | **Freemium** | Subscription |
| Size | 87 MB | 210 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Mac | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Soysauce Lab](https://appshunter.io/developer/598496583) | [NotePlan LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1137020763) |

## What reviewers say

### Noto

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/noto-elegant-note/id1459055246)

A modern writing and note-taking application offering powerful text editing tools and extensive organization features. It supports unlimited attachments and various export formats, with optional Pro features for enhanced functionality. Syncs seamlessly across devices.

**Highlights:** Powerful text editing tools, Unlimited attachments (Pro), Dark mode, iCloud sync, Gesture organization, Multiple export formats, Desktop-class organization

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Noto Pro Monthly | $0.99 | per month |
| Noto Pro Yearly | $9.99 | per year |
| Noto Lifetime | $24.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Smooth and fast
- 👍 Clean and intuitive UI
- 🎨 Customizable folders and colors
- 📁 Excellent organization and hierarchy
- 💻 Works well across devices

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and sync issues
- 🔒 Limited free features, requires subscription
- 📁 Difficulty moving/organizing folders and notes
- 🖌️ Lack of font/text customization options
- 🔍 Poor search functionality

**Reported bugs**

- Syncing issues between devices
- Folders and notes disappearing after updates
- Crashes when trying to access certain folders
- Widgets not displaying note content properly

**Requested features**

- Add tags or keywords for better organization
- Improve table editing and formatting
- Implement better export options (PDF, HTML, etc.)
- Add support for Apple Pencil and handwriting
- Integrate calendar and reminder features


### NotePlan

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/noteplan-to-do-list-and-notes/id1505432629)

Organize your tasks, notes, and calendar in one unified app. Quickly plan your day with Markdown, link notes bi-directionally, and stay on top of your to-dos with powerful review and search features. Seamlessly integrates with your existing calendars and syncs across all your Apple devices.

**Highlights:** Unified task, note, and calendar view, Markdown for quick task and note creation, Bi-directional note linking, Calendar integration (iCloud, Google, Exchange), Flexible recurring tasks, Global Command Bar for fast navigation, Plaintext note storage

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

**In-app purchases (8)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Personal Weekly | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| Personal Monthly | $6.99 | per month |
| Personal Monthly | $11.99 | per month |
| Personal Monthly | $12.00 | per month |
| Personal Annual | $59.99 | per year |
| Personal Annual | $99.99 | per year |
| Personal Annual | $119.99 | per year |
| Business Class | $199.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Powerful note-taking and task management
- 👍 Seamless calendar and reminders integration
- 💡 Flexible and customizable workflow
- 🔒 Secure and open-format data storage
- 👍 Responsive and helpful developer

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Expensive subscription model
- 🐛 Occasional sync and performance issues
- 👤 Limited collaboration and sharing features

**Reported bugs**

- Inconsistent sync between devices
- Crashes when opening certain files

**Requested features**

- Improved iPad and mobile app experience
- Better integration with other productivity apps
- More automation and scripting capabilities
- Weekly or monthly calendar view


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Noto free?

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

### Is NotePlan free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Noto or NotePlan?

NotePlan is rated higher. Noto averages 4.6 out of 5 from 1.3K ratings, while NotePlan averages 4.8 from 1.5K ratings.

### Do Noto or NotePlan have ads?

Neither Noto nor NotePlan shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Noto or NotePlan?

Noto ships an update every 4 weeks, and NotePlan monthly. Most recently, Noto was updated on October 11, 2026 and NotePlan on October 15, 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.*