# MarginNote 5 vs AnjiCard

The clearest difference is monetization model: MarginNote 5 at freemium against AnjiCard's subscription. MarginNote 5 also leads on review sentiment (58% vs 47%). AnjiCard's advantage is rating (4.7 vs 4.5) and iOS requirement (15.6 vs 17.0). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. MarginNote 5 sells 9 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 3 months and AnjiCard sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

AnjiCard holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 740 and 757 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 58% of MarginNote 5's written reviews are positive against 47% of AnjiCard's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 3 weeks. Both last shipped on November 7, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | MarginNote 5 | AnjiCard |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (740 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/marginnote-5-ai-notesmindmap/id1531657269/reviews) | **[4.7 (757 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/anjicard/id1599861882/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 740 | **757** |
| Positive reviews | **58.5% of reviews** | 47.1% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | **Freemium** | Subscription |
| Size | 372 MB | 33 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **15.6** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Mac | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Beijing Yunsi Software Technology Co., Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/723205556) | [Shenzhen Jiushan Technology Co., Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1126212702) |

## What reviewers say

### MarginNote 5

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/marginnote-5-ai-notesmindmap/id1531657269)

This app enhances reading and studying with integrated note-taking and flashcard creation. It offers task-based templates for focused learning, AI assistance for content breakdown, and spaced repetition for effective review. Organize your research and master material with a comprehensive study workflow.

**Highlights:** Task-based reading templates, AI-powered content breakdown, Integrated flashcard creation, Spaced repetition review, Mind map organization, PDF and EPUB import, Sync across devices

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

**In-app purchases (9)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Subscription to MAX (3 months) | $4.99 | per 3 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 (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


### AnjiCard

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/anjicard/id1599861882)

This app is a powerful learning tool designed to scientifically enhance your ability to remember information. It aims to significantly improve learning efficiency and test scores by transforming short-term memories into long-term ones. Utilize its advanced algorithms to master virtually any subject and retain knowledge for life.

**Highlights:** Scientific memory enhancement, Improved test scores, Efficient learning algorithms, Long-term knowledge retention, Multi-terminal access, Learn virtually any subject

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Subscription Vip For Month | $4.99 | per month |
| VIPForQuarter | $9.99 | per 3 months |
| Subscription VIP For Year | $17.99 | per year |
| Memory coins 6conis | $0.99 | one-time |
| 记忆币18币 | $2.99 | one-time |
| 记忆币68币 | $9.99 | one-time |
| 记忆币88币 | $12.99 | one-time |
| Permanent membership | $29.99 | one-time |
| 记忆币充值208币 | $29.99 | one-time |
| 记忆币充值388币 | $59.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Helpful for studying
- 💡 Works with video cards

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Doesn't work properly
- 💰 Misleading about being free
- 🔒 Lack of sync and export options
- 🗣️ Language issues

**Reported bugs**

- App won't update
- Keyboard issues
- Importing/exporting problems

**Requested features**

- Ability to create more than 20 cards
- Improve audio recording quality
- Add more language support


## Frequently asked questions

### Is MarginNote 5 free?

MarginNote 5 is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is AnjiCard free?

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

### Which has better reviews, MarginNote 5 or AnjiCard?

AnjiCard is rated higher. MarginNote 5 averages 4.5 out of 5 from 740 ratings, while AnjiCard averages 4.7 from 757 ratings.

### Do MarginNote 5 or AnjiCard have ads?

Neither MarginNote 5 nor AnjiCard shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, MarginNote 5 or AnjiCard?

MarginNote 5 ships an update every 3 weeks, and AnjiCard every 3 weeks. Most recently, MarginNote 5 was updated on November 7, 2026 and AnjiCard on November 7, 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.*