# NoteEase vs StoneNote

The clearest difference is monetization model: StoneNote at free with in-app purchases against NoteEase's subscription. StoneNote also leads on update cadence (every 10 days vs monthly) and review sentiment (50% vs 42%). NoteEase's advantage is ratings volume (66 vs 5) and iOS requirement (14.1 vs 16.0). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. NoteEase sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $4.49 per year and StoneNote sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.4 for NoteEase against 4.4 for StoneNote. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: NoteEase has 66 ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 42% of NoteEase's written reviews are positive against 50% of StoneNote's.

NoteEase ships an update monthly, StoneNote every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and October 8, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | NoteEase | StoneNote |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.4 (66 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/noteease-recording-made-easy/id1571634854/reviews) | [4.4 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/stonenote-video-study-notes/id6479307006/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **66** | 5 |
| Positive reviews | 41.7% of reviews | **50.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Every 10 days** |
| Monetization | Subscription | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Size | 113 MB | 43 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.1** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Hangzhou Jiadi Bozhong](https://appshunter.io/developer/1506720843) | [斯熠 巩](https://appshunter.io/developer/1735501144) |

## What reviewers say

### NoteEase

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/noteease-recording-made-easy/id1571634854)

This app digitizes handwritten notes and photos, allowing for easy annotation and organization. Capture, edit, and share your visual and text-based ideas across devices for a streamlined workflow.

**Highlights:** Convert photos to digital notes, Annotate existing photos, Type and format text notes, Stylus support for drawing, Organize and archive notes, Sync and share across devices

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

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Yearly member | $4.49 | per year |
| Yearly member | $29.99 | per year |
| Xnotes永久会员优惠价 | $3.99 | one-time |
| Permanent member | $6.99 | one-time |
| Permanent member | $49.99 | one-time |


### StoneNote

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/stonenote-video-study-notes/id6479307006)

Seamlessly take handwritten notes while watching study videos on the same page. This app integrates a video player directly into your notes, allowing for automatic pausing, screenshot capture, and video bookmarking. Organize your work with layered notes and folders, and sync across devices.

**Highlights:** Integrated video player within notes, Automatic video pause while writing, Screenshot capture and insertion, Layered notes support, Folder-based organization, iCloud sync

**Features:** Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| StoneNote Pro | $4.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is NoteEase free?

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

### Is StoneNote free?

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

### Which has better reviews, NoteEase or StoneNote?

NoteEase and StoneNote are both rated 4.4 out of 5 on the App Store, from 66 and 5 ratings respectively.

### Do NoteEase or StoneNote have ads?

Neither NoteEase nor StoneNote shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, NoteEase or StoneNote?

NoteEase ships an update monthly, and StoneNote every 10 days. Most recently, NoteEase was updated on October 17, 2026 and StoneNote on October 8, 2026.

---

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