# EteSync Notes vs Notesnook

The clearest difference is rating: Notesnook at 4.7 against EteSync Notes's 3.0. Notesnook also leads on ratings volume (670 vs 2). EteSync Notes's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 20) and review sentiment (100% vs 79%). On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Notesnook sells 17 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. EteSync Notes asks for nothing beyond the download.

Notesnook holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Notesnook has 670 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 100% of EteSync Notes's written reviews are positive against 79% of Notesnook'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 weekly. The most recent releases landed on September 26, 2026 and October 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | EteSync Notes | Notesnook |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/etesync-notes/id1533806351/reviews) | **[4.7 (670 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notesnook-private-notepad/id1544027013/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 2 | **670** |
| Positive reviews | **100.0% of reviews** | 78.6% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Weekly | Weekly |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 21 MB | 89 MB |
| Requires iOS | **10.0** | 15.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [EteSync Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1489574284) | [Streetwriters LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1536533660) |

## What reviewers say

### EteSync Notes

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/etesync-notes/id1533806351)

This app offers a secure and private note-taking experience. It features a change journal for data history, allowing you to restore or revert to past versions. An EteSync account is required, which can be hosted on a free, open-source server.

**Highlights:** Secure and privacy-respecting, Open-source client and server, Full data history and change journal, Easy to use with credentials, Data restoration and versioning

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Notesnook

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notesnook-private-notepad/id1544027013)

This open-source app offers secure, encrypted note-taking and organization across all your devices. It features a robust editor, to-do lists, and a private journal with advanced security to protect your personal information.

**Highlights:** Military-grade encryption, Cross-platform synchronization, To-do lists and task management, Private journal with media support, Rich text and Markdown editor, Notebook organization, App lock with fingerprint support

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (17)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Notesnook Pro | $0.99 | per month |
| Notesnook Essential Plan | $1.99 | per month |
| Notesnook Pro | $2.49 | per month |
| Notesnook Pro Plan | $2.99 | per month |
| Notesnook Pro | $4.49 | per month |
| Notesnook Pro | $4.49 | per month |
| Notesnook Pro Plan | $6.99 | per month |
| Notesnook Believer Plan | $8.99 | per month |
| Notesnook Pro | $9.99 | per year |
| Notesnook Essential Plan | $19.99 | per year |
| Notesnook Pro | $24.99 | per year |
| Notesnook Pro Plan | $29.90 | per year |
| Notesnook Pro Yearly | $49.99 | per year |
| Notesnook Pro | $49.99 | per year |
| Notesnook Pro | $49.99 | per year |
| Notesnook Pro Plan | $69.99 | per year |
| Notesnook Believer Plan | $89.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fast and efficient
- 🔒 Secure and private
- 👍 Clean and intuitive UI
- 👍 Cross-platform compatibility
- 👍 Generous free tier

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Sync and login issues
- 🐛 Buggy and crashes
- 💰 Expensive premium tier
- 🔒 Lack of free encryption features

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes on launch on older iOS devices
- Sync issues leading to data loss
- Unreliable login and verification process

**Requested features**

- Improved search functionality
- Reminders and calendar integration
- Handwriting and drawing support
- Multilingual support
- Improved table and spreadsheet features


## Frequently asked questions

### Is EteSync Notes free?

EteSync Notes is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Notesnook free?

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

### Which has better reviews, EteSync Notes or Notesnook?

Notesnook is rated higher. EteSync Notes averages 3.0 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while Notesnook averages 4.7 from 670 ratings.

### Do EteSync Notes or Notesnook have ads?

Neither EteSync Notes nor Notesnook shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, EteSync Notes or Notesnook?

EteSync Notes ships an update weekly, and Notesnook weekly. Most recently, EteSync Notes was updated on September 26, 2026 and Notesnook on October 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.*