# Paper vs Retrotype

The clearest difference is rating: Paper at 4.7 against Retrotype's 4.3. Paper also leads on ratings volume (1.7K vs 6) and update cadence (monthly vs every 3 months). Retrotype's advantage is review sentiment (86% vs 72%). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Paper sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $14.99 per month and Retrotype sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Paper holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Paper has 1.7K ratings behind it against 6, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 72% of Paper's written reviews are positive against 86% of Retrotype's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Paper ships an update monthly, Retrotype every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on September 30, 2026 and September 20, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Paper | Retrotype |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (1.7K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/paper-writing-app-notes/id1476984841/reviews)** | [4.3 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/retrotype/id6752917326/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **1.7K** | 6 |
| Positive reviews | 72.5% of reviews | **85.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Monthly** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Paid |
| Size | 85 MB | 27 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15** | 15.1 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Mihhail Lapushkin](https://appshunter.io/developer/1143513743) | [Good Loop Software LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1852855355) |

## What reviewers say

### Paper

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/paper-writing-app-notes/id1476984841)

This app offers a clean and configurable writing environment for various creative projects. It supports Markdown and plain text, syncs with iCloud, and integrates with other tools. Users can publish drafts to popular blogging platforms and export documents in multiple formats.

**Highlights:** Gorgeous writing space, Silky-smooth typing, Deep personalization (Pro), Markdown or Plain Text support, iCloud sync, Publish to Medium, WordPress, Ghost, Export to PDF, HTML, DOCX, ePub

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

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pro Features — Discounted | $14.99 | per month |
| Pro Features | $29.99 | per month |
| Pro Features — Discounted | $49.99 | per year |
| Pro Features | $99.99 | per year |
| Pro Features — Discounted | $99.99 | one-time |
| Pro Features | $199.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 💗 Fantastic app
- 🎀 Great tool for writers
- 👍 Clean writing app
- 🤩 Awesome app
- 👍 Cute animations

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Glitchy and unreliable
- 💰 Paywalled features
- 🐛 Lost files and documents
- 🐛 Cursor issues
- 🐛 Buggy and unstable

**Reported bugs**

- Files randomly disappearing
- Cursor issues causing freezes
- Syncing and iCloud integration problems

**Requested features**

- Add image support
- Improve file management and recovery
- Expand font and customization options
- Implement team/collaborative writing features
- Add text formatting options like italics and bold


### Retrotype

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/retrotype/id6752917326)

Experience the satisfying feel of a classic typewriter on your device. Choose from multiple vintage models, customize sounds and visuals, and enjoy distraction-free writing with authentic haptic and audio feedback.

**Highlights:** Authentic typewriter models, Customizable sound packs, Haptic feedback, Multiple color palettes and paper themes, External keyboard support, Distraction-free writing environment

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unlock Everything | $4.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Paper free?

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

### Is Retrotype free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Paper or Retrotype?

Paper is rated higher. Paper averages 4.7 out of 5 from 1.7K ratings, while Retrotype averages 4.3 from 6 ratings.

### Do Paper or Retrotype have ads?

Neither Paper nor Retrotype shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Paper or Retrotype?

Paper ships an update monthly, and Retrotype every 3 months. Most recently, Paper was updated on September 30, 2026 and Retrotype on September 20, 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.*