# Flexcil Note & Good PDF Reader vs StarNote

The clearest difference is ads: StarNote at none against Flexcil Note & Good PDF Reader's shown. StarNote also leads on review sentiment (74% vs 59%). Flexcil Note & Good PDF Reader's advantage is monetization model (free with in-app purchases vs paid) and update cadence (weekly vs every 2 weeks). On price, rating, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Flexcil Note & Good PDF Reader sells 13 one-off in-app purchases and StarNote sells 21 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

StarNote holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.4. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 399 and 94 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 59% of Flexcil Note & Good PDF Reader's written reviews are positive against 74% of StarNote's.

Flexcil Note & Good PDF Reader ships an update weekly, StarNote every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and September 22, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Flexcil Note & Good PDF Reader | StarNote |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.4 (399 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/flexcil-note-and-good-pdf-reader/id1531466462/reviews) | **[4.6 (94 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/starnote-handwritten-notes/id6751570915/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **399** | 94 |
| Positive reviews | 59.1% of reviews | **73.5% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 2 weeks |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Paid |
| Size | 227 MB | 422 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Flexcil Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1090873688) | [Onyx International Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1527846836) |

## What reviewers say

### Flexcil Note & Good PDF Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/flexcil-note-and-good-pdf-reader/id1531466462)

This app is a comprehensive note-taking and PDF reader designed for Apple devices. It allows users to edit PDFs, annotate documents, create bullet journals, and record audio, all while offering intuitive gesture controls and seamless integration with cloud services.

**Highlights:** Edit PDF pages, Annotate documents with gestures, Record and playback audio, Create bullet journals, Cloud sync across devices, Masking pen for precise annotations

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (13)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Upgrade product for old users | Free | one-time |
| Premium | $8.99 | one-time |
| Flexcil Standard | $9.99 | one-time |
| 2021-2022 Color Planner | $11.99 | one-time |
| Flexcil NEW Design Planner 22 | $11.99 | one-time |
| Premium & Toolbar Skin Pack | $12.99 | one-time |
| Hello Kitty Planner 2022 | $13.99 | one-time |
| My Melody & Kuromi Planner 22 | $13.99 | one-time |
| Standard & 21-22 Planner Pack | $14.99 | one-time |
| Standard & Design Planner Pack | $14.99 | one-time |
| Standard & 2023 Planner Pack | $14.99 | one-time |
| 2026 Ultimate Planner(Dated) : Pro | $15.49 | one-time |
| Nelna 6-in-1 Planner Bundle | $19.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Best Apps for STUDENTS!!! 😀😀
- 👍 Love this app
- 🚀 Powerful multi-page PDF viewer
- 👍 Great for studying
- 👍 Excellent app for note taking

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes and performance issues
- 🐛 Syncing and backup problems
- 🐛 Buggy handwriting recognition
- 🐛 Unreliable palm rejection
- 🐛 Missing key features from previous version

**Reported bugs**

- Sudden data loss and file deletion
- Inability to restore purchases
- Frequent app crashes and freezes
- Inconsistent behavior of undo/redo functions
- Annotations not exporting correctly

**Requested features**

- Add iCloud sync and backup
- Improve handwriting search and recognition
- Bring back reading mode and one-page scrolling
- Add more pen and brush options
- Allow customizing notebook paper styles


### StarNote

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/starnote-handwritten-notes/id6751570915)

This app offers a realistic pen-on-paper handwriting experience on tablets with an infinite canvas for notes and sketches. It includes advanced layering, PDF annotation, and a robust organizer for efficient digital note-taking and planning.

**Highlights:** Realistic low-latency handwriting, Infinite canvas for unlimited space, Layered design for complex projects, Deep PDF annotation and markup, Robust file management and search, Lifetime access with one-time purchase, Free templates and digital assets

**In-app purchases (21)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| StarNote AI Trial | $0.99 | one-time |
| Templates\Stickers | $3.90 | one-time |
| Templates\Stickers | $4.49 | one-time |
| Templates\Stickers | $4.79 | one-time |
| Templates\Stickers | $5.00 | one-time |
| Templates\Stickers | $5.79 | one-time |
| StarNote Lifetime PRO | $5.99 | one-time |
| Templates\Stickers | $6.69 | one-time |
| Templates\Stickers | $6.79 | one-time |
| StarNote AI Plus | $6.99 | one-time |
| Templates\Stickers | $7.79 | one-time |
| Templates\Stickers | $8.99 | one-time |
| Templates\Stickers | $9.79 | one-time |
| Templates\Stickers | $9.99 | one-time |
| Templates\Stickers | $10.99 | one-time |
| Templates\Stickers | $11.49 | one-time |
| Templates\Stickers | $11.90 | one-time |
| Templates\Stickers | $12.99 | one-time |
| StarNote AI Pro | $22.99 | one-time |
| Templates\Stickers | $38.90 | one-time |
| Templates\Stickers | $42.90 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Flexcil Note & Good PDF Reader free?

Flexcil Note & Good PDF Reader is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is StarNote free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Flexcil Note & Good PDF Reader or StarNote?

StarNote is rated higher. Flexcil Note & Good PDF Reader averages 4.4 out of 5 from 399 ratings, while StarNote averages 4.6 from 94 ratings.

### Do Flexcil Note & Good PDF Reader or StarNote have ads?

Flexcil Note & Good PDF Reader shows ads; StarNote does not.

### Which is updated more often, Flexcil Note & Good PDF Reader or StarNote?

Flexcil Note & Good PDF Reader ships an update weekly, and StarNote every 2 weeks. Most recently, Flexcil Note & Good PDF Reader was updated on September 25, 2026 and StarNote on September 22, 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.*