# Brain;Notes vs Noteshelf

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Noteshelf at 58% against Brain;Notes's 0%. Noteshelf also leads on rating (4.5 vs 2.5) and ratings volume (7.2K vs 2). Brain;Notes's advantage is monetization model (free vs freemium). On price, ads, in-app purchases and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Brain;Notes sells 4 one-off in-app purchases and Noteshelf sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Noteshelf holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 2.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Noteshelf has 7.2K ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 0% of Brain;Notes's written reviews are positive against 58% of Noteshelf's.

Brain;Notes ships an update every 6 days, Noteshelf every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and November 5, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Brain;Notes | Noteshelf |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [2.5 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/brainnotes-sticky-scrapbook/id1497452677/reviews) | **[4.5 (7.2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/noteshelf-ai-notes-and-pdf/id6458735203/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 2 | **7.2K** |
| Positive reviews | 0.0% of reviews | **57.5% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 days | **Every 3 days** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Freemium |
| Size | 9 MB | 557 MB |
| Requires iOS | **17.6** | 18.0 |
| Devices | iPad | **iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Kouichi Abe](https://appshunter.io/developer/295852950) | [Fluid Touch Pte. Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/318004740) |

## What reviewers say

### Brain;Notes

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/brainnotes-sticky-scrapbook/id1497452677)

Organize your thoughts and information with a scrapbook-style notepad. Freely add text, photos, maps, URLs, and voice memos to multiple workspaces. Notes can be secured with biometric authentication and exported as PDFs.

**Highlights:** Scrapbook-style organization, Support for text, photo, location, URL, and voice notes, Multiple workspaces with custom wallpapers, Biometric note locking, Calendar and Reminder integration, PDF export and AirDrop support, Stable and Shared note modes

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 20 notes | $0.99 | one-time |
| 50 notes | $1.99 | one-time |
| 80 notes | $2.99 | one-time |
| 150 notes | $4.99 | one-time |


### Noteshelf

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/noteshelf-ai-notes-and-pdf/id6458735203)

This app offers a comprehensive suite for note-taking, planning, and studying. It combines natural handwriting, AI summarization, PDF annotation, and audio recording. Organize your thoughts, annotate documents, and create custom planners with a smooth writing experience.

**Highlights:** Natural handwriting with lifelike pens, AI summarization and explanation, PDF and document annotation, Audio recording alongside notes, Extensive digital planner templates, Handwriting to text conversion, Cross-device iCloud sync

**Features:** Family Sharing, Siri integration, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support, iPhone Duo support

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Noteshelf 3 Weekly Premium | $7.99 | per 7 days |
| Noteshelf3 Weekly Premium | $7.99 | per 7 days |
| Noteshelf3 Monthly Premium | $9.99 | per month |
| Noteshelf 3 Yearly Premium | $19.99 | per year |
| Noteshelf3 Yearly Premium | $29.99 | per year |
| Noteshelf3 Yearly Premium | $39.99 | per year |
| Noteshelf 3 Yearly Premium | $39.99 | per year |
| Noteshelf3 Yearly Premium | $49.99 | per year |
| Premium for Noteshelf 2 users | $9.99 | one-time |
| Noteshelf 3 Premium - Lifetime | $14.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Smooth handwriting experience
- 📚 Versatile note-taking features
- 🎨 Customizable templates and covers
- 🔍 Accurate handwriting recognition
- 💻 Seamless integration across devices

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and freezes
- 🔄 Sync issues between devices
- 🔒 Concerns about privacy and data security
- 🔍 Unreliable search functionality
- 🔧 Buggy or missing features from previous versions

**Reported bugs**

- Notebooks failing to open or sync correctly
- Handwriting recognition not working as expected
- Imported PDFs losing formatting or functionality
- Unexpected loss of data or notes
- Compatibility issues with older devices or operating systems

**Requested features**

- Add ability to create folders within notebooks
- Improve page organization and navigation
- Implement a more intuitive color picker and pen customization
- Introduce a history/undo feature for linked pages
- Add support for custom stickers and templates


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Brain;Notes free?

Brain;Notes is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Noteshelf free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Brain;Notes or Noteshelf?

Noteshelf is rated higher. Brain;Notes averages 2.5 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while Noteshelf averages 4.5 from 7.2K ratings.

### Do Brain;Notes or Noteshelf have ads?

Neither Brain;Notes nor Noteshelf shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Brain;Notes or Noteshelf?

Brain;Notes ships an update every 6 days, and Noteshelf every 3 days. Most recently, Brain;Notes was updated on November 3, 2026 and Noteshelf on November 5, 2026.

---

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