# Smallpdf vs NoteOnly

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: NoteOnly at none against Smallpdf's 11. NoteOnly also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 68%) and rating (5.0 vs 4.8). Smallpdf's advantage is ratings volume (6.9K vs 1) and iOS requirement (15.6 vs 26.0). On price, update cadence, ads and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Smallpdf sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per month. NoteOnly asks for nothing beyond the download.

NoteOnly holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Smallpdf has 6.9K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 68% of Smallpdf's written reviews are positive against 100% of NoteOnly's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 1, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Smallpdf | NoteOnly |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (6.9K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smallpdf-scanner-and-pdf-editor/id1485259500/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/noteonly/id6790184556/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **6.9K** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 67.9% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | Every 2 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Size | 112 MB | 9 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.6** | 26.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, Mac |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Smallpdf](https://appshunter.io/developer/1485259499) | [72mn LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/492594318) |

## What reviewers say

### Smallpdf

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smallpdf-scanner-and-pdf-editor/id1485259500)

This app offers a comprehensive suite of tools to manage PDF documents. Easily convert, edit, compress, sign, merge, and scan PDFs using your mobile device. It also features OCR technology to convert scanned documents into editable text.

**Highlights:** Convert PDFs to Word, Excel, PPT, JPG, PNG, Edit PDFs with text, images, and annotations, Compress PDFs to reduce file size, Sign PDFs electronically, Merge multiple PDF files, Scan documents to PDF with OCR, Fill out PDF forms

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (8)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Plan | $7.99 | per month |
| Monthly Plan | $11.99 | per month |
| Monthly Plan | $14.99 | per month |
| Yearly Plan | $49.99 | per year |
| Yearly Plan | $59.99 | per year |
| Yearly Plan | $107.99 | per year |
| Yearly Plan | $107.99 | per year |
| Yearly Plan | $119.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Fast and efficient
- 💡 Useful features
- 🔒 Secure
- 🆓 Free to use

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy and crashes
- 💰 Paid version required for full functionality
- 🤔 Confusing account management
- 🤯 Missing key features
- 🤖 Poor customer support

**Reported bugs**

- Files not saving properly
- Conversion issues with larger documents
- Unexpected crashes and freezes
- Compatibility problems with older devices
- Incorrect file content after compression

**Requested features**

- Add more color options for annotations
- Improve search functionality for saved documents
- Enhance iPad compatibility
- Allow inserting images into PDFs
- Provide better file management and organization


### NoteOnly

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/noteonly/id6790184556)

Capture thoughts instantly with a single, endless note. This app prioritizes privacy with local data storage and iCloud syncing. AI features enhance voice memos and note summaries for easier retrieval.

**Highlights:** Instant thought capture, AI-enhanced voice memos, Markdown and plain text export, Local data storage, iCloud syncing, Reminders and pinned notes

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Smallpdf free?

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

### Is NoteOnly free?

NoteOnly is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Smallpdf or NoteOnly?

NoteOnly is rated higher. Smallpdf averages 4.8 out of 5 from 6.9K ratings, while NoteOnly averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Smallpdf or NoteOnly have ads?

Neither Smallpdf nor NoteOnly shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Smallpdf or NoteOnly?

Smallpdf ships an update every 2 weeks, and NoteOnly every 2 weeks. Most recently, Smallpdf was updated on October 14, 2026 and NoteOnly on October 1, 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.*