# NotePlan vs JotNotes

The clearest difference is monetization model: JotNotes at free with in-app purchases against NotePlan's subscription. JotNotes also leads on update cadence (every 3 days vs monthly) and rating (5.0 vs 4.8). NotePlan's advantage is ratings volume (1.5K vs 1) and review sentiment (85% vs 67%). On price, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. NotePlan sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days and JotNotes sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

JotNotes holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: NotePlan has 1.5K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 85% of NotePlan's written reviews are positive against 67% of JotNotes's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

NotePlan ships an update monthly, JotNotes every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and June 5, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | NotePlan | JotNotes |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (1.5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/noteplan-to-do-list-and-notes/id1505432629/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/jotnotes-quick-notes-and-ideas/id1575513403/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **1.5K** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | **85.0% of reviews** | 66.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Every 3 days** |
| Monetization | Subscription | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Size | 210 MB | 6 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 26.2 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [NotePlan LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1137020763) | [Igor Rusinov](https://appshunter.io/developer/1503033744) |

## What reviewers say

### NotePlan

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/noteplan-to-do-list-and-notes/id1505432629)

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:** Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (8)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Personal Weekly | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| Personal Monthly | $6.99 | per month |
| Personal Monthly | $11.99 | per month |
| Personal Monthly | $12.00 | per month |
| Personal Annual | $59.99 | per year |
| Personal Annual | $99.99 | per year |
| Personal Annual | $119.99 | per year |
| Business Class | $199.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 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

**What reviewers complain about**

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

**Reported bugs**

- Inconsistent sync between devices
- Crashes when opening certain files

**Requested features**

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


### JotNotes

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/jotnotes-quick-notes-and-ideas/id1575513403)

Capture notes, ideas, and goals effortlessly with this streamlined application. Organize your thoughts using color-coded boards for easy retrieval in any aspect of your life.

**Highlights:** Clutter-free interface, Organized notes, Color-coded boards, Easy to find notes, Capture ideas and goals

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unlock Full App | $0.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is NotePlan free?

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

### Is JotNotes free?

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

### Which has better reviews, NotePlan or JotNotes?

JotNotes is rated higher. NotePlan averages 4.8 out of 5 from 1.5K ratings, while JotNotes averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do NotePlan or JotNotes have ads?

Neither NotePlan nor JotNotes shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, NotePlan or JotNotes?

NotePlan ships an update monthly, and JotNotes every 3 days. Most recently, NotePlan was updated on September 23, 2026 and JotNotes on June 5, 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.*