# MarginNote 4 vs Prodrafts

The clearest difference is update cadence: Prodrafts at every 2 days against MarginNote 4's every 3 weeks. Prodrafts also leads on rating (4.8 vs 4.5) and review sentiment (70% vs 58%). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. MarginNote 4 sells 12 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month and Prodrafts sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per year. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Prodrafts holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Prodrafts has 3.9K ratings behind it against 716, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 58% of MarginNote 4's written reviews are positive against 70% of Prodrafts's.

MarginNote 4 ships an update every 3 weeks, Prodrafts every 2 days. Both last shipped on October 15, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | MarginNote 4 | Prodrafts |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (716 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/marginnote-4-ai-notesmindmap/id1531657269/reviews) | **[4.8 (3.9K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/prodrafts-infinite-notes/id1545810067/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 716 | **3.9K** |
| Positive reviews | 58.5% of reviews | **69.8% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Every 2 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 330 MB | 220 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Mac | iPhone, iPad, Mac |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Beijing Yunsi Software Technology Co., Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/723205556) | [EMMO Corp.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1507868195) |

## What reviewers say

### MarginNote 4

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/marginnote-4-ai-notesmindmap/id1531657269)

This app integrates reading, note-taking, mind mapping, and flashcards into a unified study environment. It supports active learning with features like study sets, book compilation, and dual-article views. Enhance your understanding with visual learning tools and AI-powered content extraction for long-term memory retention.

**Highlights:** Integrated reading, note-taking, mind mapping, and flashcards, Quick Extend Note and Handwriting Layers for annotation, Study Set for organizing PDFs, EPUBs, videos, and audio, Mind Map and Concept Diagram for visual learning, AI Content Detection for formula and chart extraction, FSRS spaced-repetition algorithm for reviews, iCloud sync across Apple devices

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

**In-app purchases (12)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Subscription to MAX (Monthly) | $1.99 | per month |
| Subscription to MAX (3 months) | $4.99 | per 3 months |
| Subscription to MAX (6 months) | $7.99 | per 6 months |
| Subscription to MAX (Annually) | $12.99 | per year |
| MarginNote Max Annual | $16.99 | per year |
| 14 days Free Trial | Free | one-time |
| Upgrade to PRO from MN3(iOS) | $4.99 | one-time |
| Unlock PRO Forever (New) | $12.99 | one-time |
| Upgrade to MAX from MN3(macOS) | $19.99 | one-time |
| Unlock MAX based on PRO | $39.99 | one-time |
| Unlock MAX based on PRO (New) | $40.00 | one-time |
| Unlock MAX Forever (New) | $51.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Powerful features
- 📚 Great for academic/research use
- 👍 Useful note-taking and organization
- 🖊️ Improved handwriting and annotation

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy and crashes frequently
- 🕰️ Slow and laggy sync between devices
- 🤯 Steep learning curve, poor documentation
- 💰 Expensive upgrade from previous version

**Reported bugs**

- Disappearing annotations when using extend function
- Inability to restore accidentally deleted mind maps
- Inconsistent behavior with PDF file management

**Requested features**

- Improved iCloud/cloud sync reliability
- More intuitive and user-friendly interface
- Better support for external document libraries
- Ability to disable auto-excerpt selection


### Prodrafts

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/prodrafts-infinite-notes/id1545810067)

This app offers an infinite canvas for note-taking and mind mapping, supporting various file formats and multimedia attachments. Experience natural handwriting and organize all your thoughts and documents in one place for efficient learning and work.

**Highlights:** Infinite expandable canvas, Realistic pen strokes, Supports all file formats, Multimedia attachments, Mind mapping tools, PDF annotation, Customizable paper backgrounds

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Prodrafts Pro | $7.99 | per year |
| Unlock All | $12.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Syncing works great
- 👍 Infinite canvas
- 👍 Customizable paper backgrounds
- 👍 Supports Apple Pencil
- 👍 Versatile note-taking features

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Sync issues between devices
- 🐛 Occasional data loss
- 🐛 Buggy performance with large files
- 🔧 Limited English support and documentation
- 🔧 Lack of collaboration features

**Reported bugs**

- Notes disappearing without warning
- Inability to create new drafts
- Eraser tool not working as expected
- Compatibility issues with newer Apple Drawing Format
- Inconsistent translations in the UI

**Requested features**

- Bulk export of notes as PDFs
- Ability to link notes to source content
- Flashcard or spaced repetition feature
- Improved organization with folders and tags
- Dark mode option


## Frequently asked questions

### Is MarginNote 4 free?

MarginNote 4 is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Prodrafts free?

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

### Which has better reviews, MarginNote 4 or Prodrafts?

Prodrafts is rated higher. MarginNote 4 averages 4.5 out of 5 from 716 ratings, while Prodrafts averages 4.8 from 3.9K ratings.

### Do MarginNote 4 or Prodrafts have ads?

Neither MarginNote 4 nor Prodrafts shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, MarginNote 4 or Prodrafts?

MarginNote 4 ships an update every 3 weeks, and Prodrafts every 2 days. Most recently, MarginNote 4 was updated on October 15, 2026 and Prodrafts on October 15, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*