# Notate for Microsoft 365 vs ESS Workforce

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: ESS Workforce at none against Notate for Microsoft 365's 9. ESS Workforce also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months). Notate for Microsoft 365's advantage is device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (14.0 vs 16.6). On price and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Notate for Microsoft 365 sells 9 in-app purchases, starting at $3.49 per month. ESS Workforce asks for nothing beyond the download.

Notate for Microsoft 365 ships an update every 2 months, ESS Workforce every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 3, 2026 and October 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Notate for Microsoft 365 | ESS Workforce |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.3 (33 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notate-for-microsoft-365/id1490573353/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **33** | — |
| Positive reviews | 25.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 157 MB | 24 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.0** | 16.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Shafer Systems LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/648469052) | [Garcia Innovations LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1896275151) |

## What reviewers say

### Notate for Microsoft 365

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notate-for-microsoft-365/id1490573353)

This app is an all-in-one productivity tool designed to manage notes, tasks, contacts, calendar events, and email attachments. It integrates seamlessly with Microsoft 365 accounts, allowing users to edit documents, annotate PDFs, and scan business cards directly within the application.

**Highlights:** Edit Outlook email attachments, Fill and sign PDF forms, Annotate and collaborate on PDFs, Scan business cards to Outlook contacts, Scan paper documents to PDF, Syncs with Microsoft 365 accounts, Handwriting and Apple Pencil support

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (9)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Subscription | $3.49 | per month |
| Monthly subscription(promo) | $3.49 | per month |
| Monthly Subscription | $3.49 | per month |
| Monthly Premium Subscription | $3.49 | per month |
| Annual subscription | $29.99 | per year |
| Annual subscription (promo) | $29.99 | per year |
| Annual Subscription | $29.99 | per year |
| Annual Premium Subscription | $29.99 | per year |
| 14 day premium trial | Free | one-time |


### ESS Workforce

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ess-workforce/id6773885092)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Notate for Microsoft 365 free?

Notate for Microsoft 365 is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is ESS Workforce free?

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

### Do Notate for Microsoft 365 or ESS Workforce have ads?

Neither Notate for Microsoft 365 nor ESS Workforce shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Notate for Microsoft 365 or ESS Workforce?

Notate for Microsoft 365 ships an update every 2 months, and ESS Workforce every 3 weeks. Most recently, Notate for Microsoft 365 was updated on October 3, 2026 and ESS Workforce on October 7, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*