# Notesnook vs eM Client

The clearest difference is rating: Notesnook at 4.7 against eM Client's 3.7. Notesnook also leads on review sentiment (79% vs 48%) and ratings volume (672 vs 47). eM Client's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 20). 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. eM Client asks for nothing beyond the download.

Notesnook holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Notesnook has 672 ratings behind it against 47, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 79% of Notesnook's written reviews are positive against 48% of eM Client's.

Notesnook ships an update every 8 days, eM Client every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and October 9, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Notesnook | eM Client |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (672 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notesnook-private-notepad/id1544027013/reviews)** | [3.7 (47 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/em-client/id1561166404/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **672** | 47 |
| Positive reviews | **78.7% of reviews** | 48.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 8 days** | Every 10 days |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 96 MB | 178 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Streetwriters LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1536533660) | [eM Client](https://appshunter.io/developer/1561166526) |

## What reviewers say

### 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


### eM Client

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/em-client/id1561166404)

This app unifies email, calendar, tasks, contacts, and notes into a single, AI-enhanced platform. It offers advanced features typically found on desktop, including instant message translation and robust encryption, for seamless management of multiple accounts on your iPhone and iPad.

**Highlights:** AI-enhanced email drafting and replies, Unified inbox for email, calendar, tasks, contacts, and notes, Instant message translation, PGP and S/MIME encryption, Quick import from desktop app, Mail-tracking pixel detection, Snooze and Undo Send features

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Reliable and customizable
- 🔒 Great privacy and security features
- 👍 Clean and intuitive interface
- 🚀 Smooth and fast performance
- 👍 Seamless sync between desktop and mobile

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Slow email sync and loading issues
- 🐛 Unreliable push notifications and badge counts
- 🐛 Inconsistent behavior compared to other email apps
- 🐛 Bugs and glitches, especially in the initial release
- 🔋 High battery consumption

**Reported bugs**

- Emails not sending immediately
- Drafts not visible or editable
- Inconsistent behavior when switching between folders
- Trouble signing in to multiple Google accounts

**Requested features**

- Calendar integration
- Improved background refresh and sync
- Custom notification sounds
- Ability to sort emails by sender
- More customization options


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Notesnook free?

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

### Is eM Client free?

eM Client is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Notesnook or eM Client?

Notesnook is rated higher. Notesnook averages 4.7 out of 5 from 672 ratings, while eM Client averages 3.7 from 47 ratings.

### Do Notesnook or eM Client have ads?

Neither Notesnook nor eM Client shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Notesnook or eM Client?

Notesnook ships an update every 8 days, and eM Client every 10 days. Most recently, Notesnook was updated on October 13, 2026 and eM Client on October 9, 2026.

---

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