# MarginNote 4 vs EchoRead

The clearest difference is review sentiment: EchoRead at 100% against MarginNote 4's 59%. EchoRead also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.5) and update cadence (weekly vs every 3 weeks). MarginNote 4's advantage is ratings volume (716 vs 4). 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 EchoRead sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

EchoRead holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: MarginNote 4 has 716 ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 59% of MarginNote 4's written reviews are positive against 100% of EchoRead's.

MarginNote 4 ships an update every 3 weeks, EchoRead weekly. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and July 6, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | MarginNote 4 | EchoRead |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (716 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/marginnote-4-ai-notesmindmap/id1531657269/reviews) | **[5.0 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/echoread-ai-reading-notes/id6740475635/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **716** | 4 |
| Positive reviews | 58.8% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Size | 330 MB | 68 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **15.6** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Mac | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Beijing Yunsi Software Technology Co., Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/723205556) | [Wei Lai Zhi Tu Tech Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1688154558) |

## 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


### EchoRead

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/echoread-ai-reading-notes/id6740475635)

This app transforms reading highlights into visual mind maps and uses AI with the Feynman learning method to deepen understanding. It helps organize notes from various sources, connect ideas, and create personalized learning experiences like reading podcasts and summaries.

**Highlights:** Convert highlights to mind maps, AI-powered Q&A and note linking, Automatic idea connections, Feynman learning modes, Generate reading podcasts, Create structured summaries, Card notes with cross-linking

**In-app purchases (8)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1 Month Membership | $4.99 | per month |
| 1 Month Pro Member | $8.99 | per month |
| 3 Month Membership | $12.99 | per 3 months |
| 3 Month Pro Membership | $25.99 | per 3 months |
| 1 Year Memebership | $49.99 | per year |
| 1 year Pro Member | $89.99 | per year |
| Quota package | $2.99 | one-time |
| 100 Import Quota | $8.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is MarginNote 4 free?

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

### Is EchoRead free?

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

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

EchoRead is rated higher. MarginNote 4 averages 4.5 out of 5 from 716 ratings, while EchoRead averages 5.0 from 4 ratings.

### Do MarginNote 4 or EchoRead have ads?

Neither MarginNote 4 nor EchoRead shows ads.

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

MarginNote 4 ships an update every 3 weeks, and EchoRead weekly. Most recently, MarginNote 4 was updated on September 25, 2026 and EchoRead on July 6, 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.*