# Obsidian vs Handwriting Scan

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Handwriting Scan at 100% against Obsidian's 62%. Handwriting Scan also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.5) and update cadence (every 3 days vs every 3 weeks). Obsidian's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 3) and ratings volume (2.8K vs 1). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Handwriting Scan sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Obsidian asks for nothing beyond the download.

Handwriting Scan holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Obsidian has 2.8K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 62% of Obsidian's written reviews are positive against 100% of Handwriting Scan's.

Obsidian ships an update every 3 weeks, Handwriting Scan every 3 days. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Obsidian | Handwriting Scan |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (2.8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/obsidian-connected-notes/id1557175442/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/handwriting-scan-writescan/id6751835580/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **2.8K** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 61.9% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Every 3 days** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Freemium |
| Best chart rank | **#129** | — |
| Size | 40 MB | 71 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.6** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Dynalist Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1195392807) | [Kodai Hiradate](https://appshunter.io/developer/1475852802) |

## What reviewers say

### Obsidian

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/obsidian-connected-notes/id1557175442)

**Currently charting:** #129 Top Free · Productivity (US App Store)

Organize your thoughts and ideas with a powerful knowledge base that utilizes local Markdown files. This app acts as your personal second brain, accessible on your mobile device for seamless note-taking and idea connection.

**Highlights:** Local Markdown file storage, Customizable toolbar, Graph view for connections, Community plugins, Themes, iCloud sync

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Powerful features
- 👍 Customizable and flexible
- 🔒 Secure and private
- 💡 Innovative note-taking approach
- 🚀 Smooth mobile experience

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Sync issues and unreliable iCloud integration
- 🔋 Slow startup and performance issues on mobile
- 👎 Steep learning curve for new users
- 👎 Limited sorting and organization options
- 👎 Lack of WYSIWYG editing on mobile

**Reported bugs**

- Sync issues leading to data loss
- Freezing and crashing on mobile devices
- Editing bugs and text input issues

**Requested features**

- Improved sorting and organization options
- WYSIWYG editing on mobile
- Better integration with other cloud storage services
- More intuitive onboarding process for new users
- Native mobile widgets and share sheet integration


### Handwriting Scan

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/handwriting-scan-writescan/id6751835580)

Digitize handwritten notes and paper memos, converting them into searchable text. Organize, review, and share your captured information easily. Extract to-do lists and sync them with your reminders.

**Highlights:** OCR for handwritten notes, Searchable text notes, Markdown export, iCloud support, Task extraction and management, Sync with Apple Reminders

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pro plan(monthly) | $3.99 | per month |
| Pro plan (Annual) | $29.99 | per year |
| 20-Scan Add-on Pack | $0.49 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Obsidian free?

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

### Is Handwriting Scan free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Obsidian or Handwriting Scan?

Handwriting Scan is rated higher. Obsidian averages 4.5 out of 5 from 2.8K ratings, while Handwriting Scan averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Obsidian or Handwriting Scan have ads?

Neither Obsidian nor Handwriting Scan shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Obsidian or Handwriting Scan?

Obsidian ships an update every 3 weeks, and Handwriting Scan every 3 days. Most recently, Obsidian was updated on October 24, 2026 and Handwriting Scan on October 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.*