# Pocket Note vs SketchNote, Visual Note Taking

The clearest difference is rating: Pocket Note at 4.3 against SketchNote, Visual Note Taking's 3.0. Pocket Note also leads on ratings volume (14 vs 3). SketchNote, Visual Note Taking's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 2 days vs every 2 months). On price, review sentiment, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Pocket Note sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and SketchNote, Visual Note Taking sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Pocket Note holds the better App Store score, 4.3 against 3.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 14 and 3 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 33% and 33% positive.

Pocket Note ships an update every 2 months, SketchNote, Visual Note Taking every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on October 6, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Pocket Note | SketchNote, Visual Note Taking |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.3 (14 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pocket-note-handwritten-note/id1498583819/reviews)** | [3.0 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sketchnote-visual-note-taking/id1659590787/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **14** | 3 |
| Positive reviews | 33.3% of reviews | 33.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 2 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 25 MB | 42 MB |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | 13.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [NAOAKI SEKIGUCHI](https://appshunter.io/developer/1146328819) | [B TO J PTY LTD](https://appshunter.io/developer/569308231) |

## What reviewers say

### Pocket Note

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pocket-note-handwritten-note/id1498583819)

Transform your device into a powerful business notepad. Quickly capture ideas with handwriting, typing, and rich media. Organize notes into groups and export them as images or PDFs for easy sharing and printing.

**Highlights:** Handwritten and typed input, Customizable pen sizes and colors, Paste photos and maps, Insert figures and lines, Export as image or PDF, Organize notes into groups, iCloud synchronization

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pocket Note License | $3.99 | one-time |


### SketchNote, Visual Note Taking

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sketchnote-visual-note-taking/id1659590787)

This app transforms your device into a digital notebook for natural handwriting and drawing. Utilize pre-designed elements, import documents for annotation, and sync notes across devices. It offers a paperless workflow with easy sharing and export options.

**Highlights:** Natural handwriting experience, Pre-designed shapes and clipart, Import and annotate PDFs/images, iCloud Sync for notes, Move, resize, and rotate handwriting, Export and share documents

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1 Month Subscription | $2.99 | per month |
| 1 Year Subscription | $19.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Pocket Note free?

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

### Is SketchNote, Visual Note Taking free?

SketchNote, Visual Note Taking is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Pocket Note or SketchNote, Visual Note Taking?

Pocket Note is rated higher. Pocket Note averages 4.3 out of 5 from 14 ratings, while SketchNote, Visual Note Taking averages 3.0 from 3 ratings.

### Do Pocket Note or SketchNote, Visual Note Taking have ads?

Pocket Note shows ads; SketchNote, Visual Note Taking does not.

### Which is updated more often, Pocket Note or SketchNote, Visual Note Taking?

Pocket Note ships an update every 2 months, and SketchNote, Visual Note Taking every 2 days. Most recently, Pocket Note was updated on October 6, 2026 and SketchNote, Visual Note Taking on October 15, 2026.

---

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