# Study Stack vs Element Note

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Study Stack at none against Element Note's 5. Study Stack also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 68%) and rating (5.0 vs 4.6). Element Note's advantage is ratings volume (2.6K vs 2). On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Element Note sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $3.49 per year. Study Stack asks for nothing beyond the download.

Study Stack holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Element Note has 2.6K ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 100% of Study Stack's written reviews are positive against 68% of Element Note's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on June 4, 2026 and September 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Study Stack | Element Note |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/study-stack/id1588432598/reviews)** | [4.6 (2.6K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/element-note/id6444015673/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 2 | **2.6K** |
| Positive reviews | **100.0% of reviews** | 68.1% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | Fortnightly |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 1 MB | 129 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, Mac |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Erik Mederos](https://appshunter.io/developer/1591538592) | [Soysauce Lab](https://appshunter.io/developer/598496583) |

## What reviewers say

### Study Stack

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/study-stack/id1588432598)

Manage all your academic tasks, assignments, and exams in one organized place. Track daily courses, upcoming deadlines, and overdue work with clear visual indicators. Features a clean interface with light and dark mode support.

**Highlights:** Add courses with details, Track assignments and exams, View daily courses and upcoming deadlines, Mark assignments as complete, Sort lists by importance, Light and dark mode support

**In-app purchases:** none


### Element Note

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/element-note/id6444015673)

This app offers a distraction-free digital notebook experience with advanced handwriting, PDF annotation, and sketching capabilities. It features unique brushes, a powerful rendering engine, and smart organization tools. Sync your notes across devices and collaborate with others seamlessly.

**Highlights:** Unique handwriting brushes, Smooth drawing engine, PDF annotation, Text, shape, and image attachments, On-device OCR search, Smart dark mode, iCloud sync and collaboration

**Features:** Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Element Note Yearly | $3.49 | per year |
| Element Note Yearly | $4.99 | per year |
| Lifetime Launch Special | $4.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime | $9.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime | $14.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Smooth handwriting experience
- 💡 Customizable pens and colors
- 👍 Clean and intuitive interface
- 🎨 Gradient and gradient brush tools
- 📚 Great for journaling and note-taking

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and freezes
- 🔍 Search function not working
- 🖼️ Issues with image handling and export
- 🔀 Difficulty switching between pen and eraser
- 🔑 Lack of password/locking feature for notes

**Reported bugs**

- Notes and files randomly disappearing
- Inconsistent behavior when using the floating keyboard
- Handwriting recognition not working as expected
- Exported PDFs losing formatting and background colors

**Requested features**

- Ruler tool
- Ability to resize/rotate selections
- Improved text editing and formatting
- Presentation mode for connecting to displays
- Ability to import/export multiple files at once


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Study Stack free?

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

### Is Element Note free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Study Stack or Element Note?

Study Stack is rated higher. Study Stack averages 5.0 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while Element Note averages 4.6 from 2.6K ratings.

### Do Study Stack or Element Note have ads?

Neither Study Stack nor Element Note shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Study Stack or Element Note?

Study Stack ships an update fortnightly, and Element Note fortnightly. Most recently, Study Stack was updated on June 4, 2026 and Element Note on September 30, 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.*