Comparison

MarginNote 4 vs UseMemo

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

MarginNote 4

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
Read full description

MarginNote is the PDF study tool for deep readers. One excerpt is a PDF highlight, a mind map node, and a flashcard — one capture, three places. This is the Card Axis architecture, so you stop ferrying content between a PDF reader, a notes app, and a flashcard tool. A decade of iteration. 188K+ App Store ratings. 【Four Featured Mechanics】 ▸ Card Axis — One excerpt, three renders. Document highlight, mind map node, and flashcard are the same card seen from three angles. ▸ Title Link — Old notes auto-surface in new documents. When a familiar concept appears in what you're reading, your past annotation lights up on the page. ▸ Extended Note — Long-press anywhere on a PDF to open writing space. No anchored text required; three display modes (inline / margin / collapsed). ▸ Immersive Mode (4.4) — Three-state toggle: Read / Write / Recall. UI folds away. Recall blurs excerpts with Gaussian blur — tap to reveal only after you've actually recalled. 【AI Capabilities (introduced in 4.2)】 AI book breakdown · AI OCR templates · AI translation · AI Q&A · AI flashcard generation Our stance is AI as assistant, not replacement — every suggestion can be saved as your own thinking node, never thinking for you. 【Apple Intelligence (iOS 26+)】 Recall Mode hints can run on-device via Apple Intelligence — pick "Apple AI" or "cloud LLM" in Settings. With Apple AI selected, three tiers of help — Neighbor Coordinate · Reasoning Prompt · Key Distinction — are generated by Apple Foundation Models right on your device: no network calls, no AI credits used, your notes never leave your device. Even if you've selected cloud LLM, going offline auto-falls back to Apple Intelligence (provided your device supports it) — so libraries, planes, and exam-day silent rooms never break your hint loop. 【Full Workflow】 Fast OCR · Study Sets (PDF / EPUB / video / audio) · direct read from Zotero / cloud drives / USB · 10 mind map styles · book recomposition · dual-document compare · concept maps · handwriting layers 【FSRS Spaced Repetition】 Built on the open-spaced-repetition project's algorithm (paper accepted by ACM SIGKDD; Anki has used FSRS as its default scheduler since v23.10). Push short-term memory into long-term. 【Built For】 Anyone re-reading a single document until it sticks — med school (USMLE / MCAT) · law school (LSAT / bar exam) · grad prep (GRE / GMAT / CFA) · researchers · language learners (IELTS / TOEFL) · serious readers. 【All Apple Platforms】 iPhone + iPad + Mac under one Apple ID. iCloud syncs Study Sets, notes, and review progress. Native Apple Pencil support on iPad. — Questions? Email service@marginnote.com Terms: https://dist.marginnote.com/MarginNote_Terms_and_Conditions.pdf Privacy: https://dist.marginnote.com/MarginNote_Privacy_Policy.pdf

About

UseMemo

Features
Read full description

UseMemo helps you remember what actually works for your skincare, supplements, and treatments. Track the products and routines you use, log how they made you feel, and build a private history of what to keep, stop, avoid, or buy again. Instead of guessing why your skin reacted, whether a supplement helped, or when you last used a treatment, UseMemo gives you one simple place to keep the evidence. UseMemo is made for real-life routines: the moisturizer you use every night, the supplement you keep forgetting, the eczema cream you want to track carefully, the product you are not sure is worth rebuying. Track what you use Add skincare products, supplements, treatments, medications, or anything else you want to remember. Save notes, photos, versions, prices, expiry dates, and whether you would use it again. Log outcomes over time Quickly record good, neutral, or bad experiences. Add notes about reactions, side effects, improvements, or anything you want to discuss later with a professional. Build your personal memory UseMemo helps you answer questions like: - Did this product actually help? - Did it cause a reaction? - When did I start using it? - Should I buy it again? - What changed between versions? - What should I mention to my doctor or pharmacist? Routines and reminders Create routines, supplement schedules, or treatment plans so you remember what to use and when. UseMemo tracks history only and does not provide medical advice. Quick Check Use Quick Check to scan or search your saved items before buying, using, or combining something. It helps you remember your own past experience before making the same decision again. Private by design UseMemo is your personal tracker. Your notes, products, routines, and outcomes are about you, not a public feed or social profile. UseMemo Pro Upgrade to UseMemo Pro for unlimited tracking and advanced features, including: - More saved items - More routines and treatment plans - Quick Check history - Smart insights - Version history - Full export and backup features UseMemo is not a medical app and does not diagnose, treat, or recommend changes to medication or treatment. Always follow professional medical advice and speak with a doctor or pharmacist before starting, stopping, or changing medication. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://usememo.app/privacy

Screenshots

MarginNote 44 screens
UseMemo4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: UseMemo at every 2 days against MarginNote 4's every 3 weeks. On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. MarginNote 4 sells 12 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month and UseMemo sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

MarginNote 4 ships an update every 3 weeks, UseMemo every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and October 10, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 9 level
MarginNote 4 versus UseMemo: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMarginNote 4UseMemo
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.5 (716 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews58.5% of reviews—
Number of ratings716 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksEvery 2 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Mac — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS17.017.0
Further details — not scored
Size330 MB11 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperBeijing Yunsi Software Technology Co., LtdEmanuel Reis

Bugs and requests

MarginNote 4

Reported bugs

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

Requested features

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

UseMemo

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

12 purchases

MarginNote 4

Subscriptions5
  • Subscription to MAX (Monthly)7 Days trial$1.991 Month
  • Subscription to MAX (3 months)7 Days trial$4.993 Months
  • Subscription to MAX (6 months)7 Days trial$7.996 Months
Show 2 more
  • Subscription to MAX (Annually)1 Month trial$12.991 Year
  • MarginNote Max Annual1 Month trial$16.991 Year
One-time7
  • 14 days Free Trial2 variantsFree
  • Upgrade to PRO from MN3(iOS)$4.99
  • Unlock PRO Forever (New)$12.99
Show 4 more
  • Upgrade to MAX from MN3(macOS)$19.99
  • Unlock MAX based on PRO$39.99
  • Unlock MAX based on PRO (New)$40.00
  • Unlock MAX Forever (New)$51.99
2 purchases

UseMemo

Subscriptions2
  • UseMemo Pro Monthly7 Days trial$9.991 Month
  • UseMemo Pro Yearly7 Days trial$44.991 Year

Questions

Is MarginNote 4 free?
MarginNote 4 is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is UseMemo free?
UseMemo is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do MarginNote 4 or UseMemo have ads?
Neither MarginNote 4 nor UseMemo shows ads.
Which is updated more often, MarginNote 4 or UseMemo?
MarginNote 4 ships an update every 3 weeks, and UseMemo every 2 days. Most recently, MarginNote 4 was updated on October 17, 2026 and UseMemo on October 10, 2026.

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