PhotoNote vs 2sBrain
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
PhotoNote
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.
- Capture notes via camera
- Organize with tabs
- Categorize with colored tags
- Internal photo storage
- Reorder notes and tags
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Instead of typing letters on the keyboard, I'm sure there are times when I take a picture and use it as a note instead. However, there is a risk that the photo folder will be flooded with notes. It is this application that is useful in such a case. All you have to do is take a picture with the built-in camera. You can organize the notes you have taken with tabs. In addition, the photos you took will be saved in the app, so you won't clutter up your photo folder! Usage examples: - Receipt - Timetable - Cooking Recipes - Deadline for reports written on the blackboard - Organize the screenshot. In addition, you can separate the notes you took with colored tags for each category. Tags can be added, deleted, and reordered from the pre-prepared colors. You can also reorder your notes.
2sBrain
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2sBrain — Your second brain, powered by AI. You read a lot but remember little? Documents, books, and notes scattered everywhere, slowly forgotten? 2sBrain turns them all into a personal knowledge base: AI reads for you, summarizes, connects knowledge across documents, and answers any question — based on exactly what you've added. ADD DOCUMENTS FROM ANY SOURCE • Scan books and paper documents with your camera — capture multiple pages in a row, AI analyzes instantly • Upload PDFs and many other file formats • Write notes in a rich text editor, insert images, one tap for AI analysis CHAT WITH YOUR OWN KNOWLEDGE BASE • Talk to the AI Assistant about your documents: summarize, explain, compare • Every answer comes with document sources and related concepts • Save valuable insights so your knowledge keeps growing and evolving over time KNOWLEDGE WIKI — CONNECTED KNOWLEDGE • AI extracts core concepts from each document • Concepts are cross-linked between documents into your personal knowledge graph • The more you add, the smarter your second brain becomes ANNOTATE & SIGN PDFS DIRECTLY • Highlight key passages and draw freely with a full pen kit: pencil, ink pen, marker, eraser, ruler, and custom colors • Add your signature to documents — sign contracts and forms right on your phone, no printing needed • Insert text notes anywhere on the page • Undo, erase, and edit freely; every change is saved right into the document • Feels like writing on real paper — but never gets lost LEARN LANGUAGES FROM WHAT YOU READ • Tap any word while reading for an instant definition, without leaving the page • Smart dictionary auto-detects the language: English, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, German, Vietnamese • Save words to vocabulary notebooks by topic • Review with flashcards — flip and swipe through your words SYNC ACROSS ALL YOUR DEVICES • Use it instantly without an account; your data stays safe on your device • Sign in to sync documents, notebooks, and chat history across devices 2sBrain is for students preparing for exams, engineers reading technical docs, language learners, and anyone who wants what they read to actually stick. Download 2sBrain for free — and start building your second brain today.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is ads: 2sBrain at none against PhotoNote's shown. 2sBrain also leads on update cadence (weekly vs every 3 weeks) and iOS requirement (15.5 vs 17.0). On price, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. PhotoNote sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $1.99 per month and 2sBrain sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
PhotoNote ships an update every 3 weeks, 2sBrain weekly. Both last shipped on October 8, 2026.
| Parameter | PhotoNote | 2sBrain |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 5.0 (2 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 2 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | Weekly — better |
| Ads | Yes | No — better |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 15.5 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 35 MB | 66 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Satoshi Kobayashi | Nguyen Nhu Vuong |
In-app purchases
PhotoNote
- Pro plan$1.991 Month
2sBrain
- VIP Monthly$3.991 Month
- VIP Yearly3 Days trial$19.991 Year
- VIP Lifetime$39.99









