Comparison

NotePlan vs Moleskine Notebooks

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

NotePlan

Organize your tasks, notes, and calendar in one unified app. Quickly plan your day with Markdown, link notes bi-directionally, and stay on top of your to-dos with powerful review and search features. Seamlessly integrates with your existing calendars and syncs across all your Apple devices.

Highlights
  • Unified task, note, and calendar view
  • Markdown for quick task and note creation
  • Bi-directional note linking
  • Calendar integration (iCloud, Google, Exchange)
  • Flexible recurring tasks
  • Global Command Bar for fast navigation
  • Plaintext note storage
Features
Read full description

Having trouble planning your day, managing your to-do list, and organizing your notes? Always jumping between apps and losing track of what to do and where you put things? Say hello to NotePlan! NotePlan lets you manage everything in one place: your tasks, notes, and calendar. Perfect for project managers, designers, researchers, writers, students, or anyone who wants to be organized and efficient. QUICKLY PLAN YOUR DAY WITH MARKDOWN • Plan your day by seeing your calendar, notes, and tasks in a single view • Create tasks and notes quickly with Markdown • Add #tags to organize tasks and notes • Use @mentions to find people • Reschedule to-do items easily • Create flexible recurring tasks • Work faster with autocomplete BUILD YOUR NETWORK OF NOTES • Create your own network of notes • Organize any way you want to: from simple folders over P.A.R.A. to a Zettelkasten system • Bi-directional notes: link your calendar and your notes in any direction, automatically • Cross-reference and link notes easily STAY ON TOP OF THINGS WITH REVIEW • Search all tasks and notes, instantly • See all open tasks with the click of a button • Get a list of overdue to-do items • See upcoming tasks at a glance • Create custom filters with your own queries using status, #tags, @mentions, or even text SEAMLESS INTEGRATION WITH YOUR CALENDAR • Create events and reminders right in NotePlan • Support for iCloud, Google, and Exchange calendars • Time-block tasks on your calendar simply by typing AVAILABLE ON MAC, IPHONE & IPAD • Sync everything between your Apple devices • Use any sync method you like: CloudKit or iCloud Drive • A single subscription for all your devices OPEN, PRIVATE & FAST • All your notes are stored in plaintext so you're never locked in • Your information is private and cannot be accessed • Enjoy lightning speed thanks to local files and native apps ANY THEME YOU WANT • Choose from a variety of built-in themes • Work with light or dark versions • Create your own custom theme SHORTCUTS FOR MAXIMUM SPEED • Extended Markdown syntax support with customization options • Move around without ever leaving the keyboard • Find everything with the Global Command Bar NotePlan is developed independently and prioritizes user features and requests. We have long-term roadmaps and listen to customers to improve the apps. - - - - - Price may vary by location. Subscriptions will be charged to your credit card through your iTunes account. Your subscription will automatically renew unless canceled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. After purchase, manage your subscriptions in App Store Account Settings. - - - - - Email: hello@noteplan.co Web: noteplan.co Discord: https://discord.gg/D4268MT Twitter: NotePlanApp Reddit: reddit.com/r/NotePlanApp Learn NotePlan course: https://noteplan.eo.page/newsletter Terms of use: http://noteplan.co/tos/ Privacy policy: https://noteplan.co/privacy/

About

Moleskine Notebooks

Capture your handwritten notes and sketches digitally. Transform them into editable text or shareable images, enhanced with AI or Apple Pencil. Seamlessly bridge the gap between your physical notebook and digital devices.

Highlights
  • Handwritten notes to editable text
  • Sketches to digital images
  • AI-powered enhancements
  • Apple Pencil integration
  • Physical to digital workflow
  • Real-time capture
Features
Read full description

From paper to digital, the timeless pleasure of handwriting meets the limitless power of technology to evolve, expand, and reinvent your ideas. Every thought lives on paper, every idea grows beyond its boundaries. With Moleskine Notebooks (formerly Moleskine Notes), your creativity moves seamlessly between the physical world and the digital one. Designed for those who love to write, sketch, and create by hand, while also wanting to revisit, transform, and enhance their work on digital devices. Write on paper, watch it on screen. Place your smart notebook beneath your iPad: as your pen flows on paper, Moleskine Notebook captures every word, every line, every draft in real time. Instantly see your work come to life on your device, ready to explore, edit, or share. From your hand, beyond the page. With Moleskine Notebooks you can: - Turn handwritten notes into editable digital text. - Transform sketches and drawings into images for your digital projects. - Enrich your notes with the Apple Pencil or use the power of Artificial Intelligence to improve, organize, and reinterpret your creations. Rediscover the joy of freehand writing, empowered by digital technology. Moleskine Notebook is more than an app: it is the keyboard for creative minds. It accompanies you on a journey between inspiration and innovation, while preserving the beauty of handwriting. Moleskine Notebooks. Write the future, starting from paper. Terms of Service: https://www.moleskineeveryday.com/terms

Screenshots

NotePlan4 screens
Moleskine Notebooks4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: NotePlan at 85% against Moleskine Notebooks's 15%. NotePlan also leads on rating (4.8 vs 4.1). Moleskine Notebooks's advantage is monetization model (free with in-app purchases vs subscription) and update cadence (fortnightly vs monthly). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. NotePlan sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days and Moleskine Notebooks sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

NotePlan holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.1. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1.5K and 715 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 85% of NotePlan's written reviews are positive against 15% of Moleskine Notebooks's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

NotePlan ships an update monthly, Moleskine Notebooks fortnightly. Both last shipped on November 7, 2026.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
NotePlan versus Moleskine Notebooks: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterNotePlanMoleskine Notebooks
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (1.5K ratings) — better4.1 (715 ratings)
Positive reviews85.1% of reviews — better14.9% of reviews
Number of ratings1.5K — better715
Update frequencyMonthlyFortnightly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationSubscriptionFree with in-app purchases — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Mac — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS16.0 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size204 MB179 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperNotePlan LLCMoleskine Srl

Customer experience

NotePlan

All ratings1,517 ratings
Positive95.3%
Neutral1.9%
Negative2.8%
Written reviews478 reviews
Positive85.1%
Neutral4.6%
Negative10.3%

Moleskine Notebooks

All ratings714 ratings
Positive77.6%
Neutral5.0%
Negative17.4%
Written reviews424 reviews
Positive14.9%
Neutral9.0%
Negative76.2%

User reviews

NotePlan

From 1.5K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Powerful note-taking and task management
  • 👍 Seamless calendar and reminders integration
  • 💡 Flexible and customizable workflow
  • 🔒 Secure and open-format data storage
  • 👍 Responsive and helpful developer

Room to improve

  • 💰 Expensive subscription model
  • 🐛 Occasional sync and performance issues
  • 👤 Limited collaboration and sharing features

Moleskine Notebooks

From 715 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Seamless handwriting-to-digital conversion
  • 🔒 Secure data storage and sync
  • 👍 Intuitive and user-friendly interface
  • 💡 Innovative integration of physical and digital note-taking

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Frequent crashes and app instability
  • 🔌 Unreliable pen-to-app connectivity and sync
  • 🤔 Inconsistent performance across devices
  • ⏱️ Slow and laggy app experience

Bugs and requests

NotePlan

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • Inconsistent sync between devices
  • Crashes when opening certain files

Requested features

4 requests
  • Improved iPad and mobile app experience
  • Better integration with other productivity apps
  • More automation and scripting capabilities
  • Weekly or monthly calendar view

Moleskine Notebooks

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Unable to log in to Moleskine account
  • Google Drive integration and backup issues
  • Incorrect page/date display in planner
  • Partial or missing note transcription

Requested features

4 requests
  • Improved calendar integration and event management
  • Ability to rearrange and organize notebook pages
  • Better handwriting recognition and text editing tools
  • Seamless migration from previous app versions

In-app purchases

8 purchases

NotePlan

Subscriptions8
  • Personal Weekly$4.997 Days
  • Personal Monthly$6.991 Month
  • Personal Monthly1 Month trial$11.991 Month
Show 5 more
  • Personal Monthly2 variants$12.001 Month
  • Personal Annual7 Days trial$59.991 Year
  • Personal Annual7 Days trial2 variants$99.991 Year
  • Personal Annual1 Month trial$119.991 Year
  • Business Class1 Month trial$199.991 Year
2 purchases

Moleskine Notebooks

Subscriptions2
  • Bundle + AI - Monthly Plan$9.991 Month
  • Bundle + AI - Annual Plan3 Days trial$79.991 Year

Questions

Is NotePlan free?
NotePlan is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Moleskine Notebooks free?
Moleskine Notebooks is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, NotePlan or Moleskine Notebooks?
NotePlan is rated higher. NotePlan averages 4.8 out of 5 from 1.5K ratings, while Moleskine Notebooks averages 4.1 from 715 ratings.
Do NotePlan or Moleskine Notebooks have ads?
Neither NotePlan nor Moleskine Notebooks shows ads.
Which is updated more often, NotePlan or Moleskine Notebooks?
NotePlan ships an update monthly, and Moleskine Notebooks fortnightly. Most recently, NotePlan was updated on November 7, 2026 and Moleskine Notebooks on November 7, 2026.

Other comparisons