# WinPLUS Playas vs Element Note

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: WinPLUS Playas at none against Element Note's 5. WinPLUS Playas also leads on iOS requirement (12.0 vs 17.0). Element Note's advantage is update cadence (fortnightly vs every 52 months). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Element Note sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $3.49 per year. WinPLUS Playas asks for nothing beyond the download.

WinPLUS Playas ships an update every 52 months, Element Note fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 5, 2026 and October 13, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | WinPLUS Playas | Element Note |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[4.6 (2.6K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/element-note/id6444015673/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **2.6K** |
| Positive reviews | — | 68.5% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 52 months | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | — | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 23 MB | 129 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, Mac |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Informática del Este S. L.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1236840618) | [Soysauce Lab](https://appshunter.io/developer/598496583) |

## What reviewers say

### WinPLUS Playas

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/winplus-playas/id1515447814)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Element Note

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/element-note/id6444015673)

This app offers a distraction-free digital notebook experience with advanced handwriting, PDF annotation, and sketching capabilities. It features unique brushes, a powerful rendering engine, and smart organization tools. Sync your notes across devices and collaborate with others seamlessly.

**Highlights:** Unique handwriting brushes, Smooth drawing engine, PDF annotation, Text, shape, and image attachments, On-device OCR search, Smart dark mode, iCloud sync and collaboration

**Features:** Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Element Note Yearly | $3.49 | per year |
| Element Note Yearly | $4.99 | per year |
| Lifetime Launch Special | $4.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime | $9.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime | $14.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Smooth handwriting experience
- 💡 Customizable pens and colors
- 👍 Clean and intuitive interface
- 🎨 Gradient and gradient brush tools
- 📚 Great for journaling and note-taking

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and freezes
- 🔍 Search function not working
- 🖼️ Issues with image handling and export
- 🔀 Difficulty switching between pen and eraser
- 🔑 Lack of password/locking feature for notes

**Reported bugs**

- Notes and files randomly disappearing
- Inconsistent behavior when using the floating keyboard
- Handwriting recognition not working as expected
- Exported PDFs losing formatting and background colors

**Requested features**

- Ruler tool
- Ability to resize/rotate selections
- Improved text editing and formatting
- Presentation mode for connecting to displays
- Ability to import/export multiple files at once


## Frequently asked questions

### Is WinPLUS Playas free?

WinPLUS Playas is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Element Note free?

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

### Do WinPLUS Playas or Element Note have ads?

Neither WinPLUS Playas nor Element Note shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, WinPLUS Playas or Element Note?

WinPLUS Playas ships an update every 52 months, and Element Note fortnightly. Most recently, WinPLUS Playas was updated on October 5, 2026 and Element Note on October 13, 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.*