# CROSSNote HLM vs Pencil Paperpad

The clearest difference is price: CROSSNote HLM at Free against Pencil Paperpad's $4.99. CROSSNote HLM also leads on update cadence (every 6 days vs every 6 months). Pencil Paperpad's advantage is iOS requirement (15.0 vs 18.6). On ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

CROSSNote HLM is free to download; Pencil Paperpad costs $4.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

CROSSNote HLM ships an update every 6 days, Pencil Paperpad every 6 months. Both last shipped on October 20, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | CROSSNote HLM | Pencil Paperpad |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $4.99 |
| Rating | — | **[3.3 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pencil-paperpad/id1594035371/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **3** |
| Positive reviews | — | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 6 days** | Every 6 months |
| Monetization | — | Paid |
| Size | 101 MB | 3 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.6 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [OS3e Technologies LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/6821322906) | [Masanori Kobayashi](https://appshunter.io/developer/1890607844) |

## What reviewers say

### CROSSNote HLM

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/crossnote-hlm/id1509713631)

**In-app purchases:** none


### Pencil Paperpad

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pencil-paperpad/id1594035371)

Create custom notepads with various paper styles, including your own images and PDFs. Save drawings as new paper and export your notes as PDF documents. Optimized for iPad with Apple Pencil support.

**Highlights:** Customizable notepads, Use own images/PDFs as paper, Save drawings as new paper, Export pages as PDF, Optimized for iPad, Apple Pencil support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is CROSSNote HLM free?

CROSSNote HLM is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Pencil Paperpad free?

Pencil Paperpad costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Do CROSSNote HLM or Pencil Paperpad have ads?

Neither CROSSNote HLM nor Pencil Paperpad shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, CROSSNote HLM or Pencil Paperpad?

CROSSNote HLM ships an update every 6 days, and Pencil Paperpad every 6 months. Most recently, CROSSNote HLM was updated on October 20, 2026 and Pencil Paperpad on October 20, 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.*