# MarginNote 5 vs EchoRead

The clearest difference is review sentiment: EchoRead at 100% against MarginNote 5's 58%. EchoRead also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.5) and update cadence (weekly vs every 3 weeks). MarginNote 5's advantage is ratings volume (740 vs 4). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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 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 5 has 740 ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 58% of MarginNote 5's written reviews are positive against 100% of EchoRead's.

MarginNote 5 ships an update every 3 weeks, EchoRead weekly. The most recent releases landed on November 7, 2026 and November 4, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | MarginNote 5 | EchoRead |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (740 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/marginnote-5-ai-notesmindmap/id1531657269/reviews) | **[5.0 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/echoread-ai-reading-notes/id6740475635/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **740** | 4 |
| Positive reviews | 58.5% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Freemium | Freemium |
| Size | 372 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 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


### 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 5 free?

MarginNote 5 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 5 or EchoRead?

EchoRead is rated higher. MarginNote 5 averages 4.5 out of 5 from 740 ratings, while EchoRead averages 5.0 from 4 ratings.

### Do MarginNote 5 or EchoRead have ads?

Neither MarginNote 5 nor EchoRead shows ads.

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

MarginNote 5 ships an update every 3 weeks, and EchoRead weekly. Most recently, MarginNote 5 was updated on November 7, 2026 and EchoRead on November 4, 2026.

---

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