# Notesnook vs Synctrain

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Synctrain at none against Notesnook's 20. Synctrain also leads on rating (4.9 vs 4.7) and review sentiment (91% vs 78%). Notesnook's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs every 6 weeks) and ratings volume (653 vs 123). On price, 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. Synctrain asks for nothing beyond the download.

Synctrain holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Notesnook has 653 ratings behind it against 123, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 78% of Notesnook's written reviews are positive against 91% of Synctrain's.

Notesnook ships an update weekly, Synctrain every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 21, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Notesnook | Synctrain |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (653 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notesnook-private-notepad/id1544027013/reviews) | **[4.9 (123 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/synctrain/id6553985316/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **653** | 123 |
| Positive reviews | 78.2% of reviews | **91.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 6 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 89 MB | 33 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.6** | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, Mac |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Streetwriters LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1536533660) | [T-Shaped](https://appshunter.io/developer/1758051723) |

## 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


### Synctrain

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/synctrain/id6553985316)

Securely synchronize files and folders between your devices. Stream audio and video directly from other devices.  Manage file sharing permissions to control access to your data.

**Highlights:** Secure file synchronization, Full folder synchronization, Specific file selection, Audio and video streaming, Cross-device file mirroring, Customizable sharing permissions

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Intuitive interface
- 🚀 Seamless sync between devices
- 🔓 Open-source and free
- 💡 Integrates with iOS Files app

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional connection issues
- 🔍 Could use more Apple-like design

**Reported bugs**

- Occasional app crashes
- Sync delays on some devices

**Requested features**

- Direct photo/video sync to remote devices
- Faster initial connection to server


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Notesnook free?

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

### Is Synctrain free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Notesnook or Synctrain?

Synctrain is rated higher. Notesnook averages 4.7 out of 5 from 653 ratings, while Synctrain averages 4.9 from 123 ratings.

### Do Notesnook or Synctrain have ads?

Neither Notesnook nor Synctrain shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Notesnook or Synctrain?

Notesnook ships an update weekly, and Synctrain every 6 weeks. Most recently, Notesnook was updated on September 21, 2026 and Synctrain on September 24, 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.*