# Study Stack vs Noteshelf

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Study Stack at 100% against Noteshelf's 58%. Study Stack also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 10) and rating (5.0 vs 4.5). Noteshelf's advantage is ratings volume (7.2K vs 2) and update cadence (every 3 days vs fortnightly). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Noteshelf sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per 7 days. Study Stack asks for nothing beyond the download.

Study Stack holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Noteshelf has 7.2K 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 58% of Noteshelf's.

Study Stack ships an update fortnightly, Noteshelf every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and November 9, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Study Stack | Noteshelf |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/study-stack/id1588432598/reviews)** | [4.5 (7.2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/noteshelf-ai-notes-and-pdf/id6458735203/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 2 | **7.2K** |
| Positive reviews | **100.0% of reviews** | 57.5% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | **Every 3 days** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Freemium |
| Size | 1 MB | 558 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.0** | 18.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Erik Mederos](https://appshunter.io/developer/1591538592) | [Fluid Touch Pte. Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/318004740) |

## 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


### Noteshelf

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/noteshelf-ai-notes-and-pdf/id6458735203)

This app combines natural handwriting, AI summarization, PDF annotation, and audio recording for students, professionals, and journalers. It offers a smooth writing experience with Apple Pencil, extensive templates, and robust organization features. Syncs across devices and offers cloud backup options.

**Highlights:** Natural handwriting with Apple Pencil, AI-powered summarization and explanation, PDF and document annotation, Audio recording alongside notes, 200+ digital planner and journal templates, Handwriting to text conversion, Cross-device iCloud sync

**Features:** Family Sharing, Siri integration, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support, iPhone Duo support

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Noteshelf 3 Weekly Premium | $7.99 | per 7 days |
| Noteshelf3 Weekly Premium | $7.99 | per 7 days |
| Noteshelf3 Monthly Premium | $9.99 | per month |
| Noteshelf 3 Yearly Premium | $19.99 | per year |
| Noteshelf3 Yearly Premium | $29.99 | per year |
| Noteshelf3 Yearly Premium | $39.99 | per year |
| Noteshelf 3 Yearly Premium | $39.99 | per year |
| Noteshelf3 Yearly Premium | $49.99 | per year |
| Premium for Noteshelf 2 users | $9.99 | one-time |
| Noteshelf 3 Premium - Lifetime | $14.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Smooth handwriting experience
- 📚 Versatile note-taking features
- 🎨 Customizable templates and covers
- 🔍 Accurate handwriting recognition
- 💻 Seamless integration across devices

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and freezes
- 🔄 Sync issues between devices
- 🔒 Concerns about privacy and data security
- 🔍 Unreliable search functionality
- 🔧 Buggy or missing features from previous versions

**Reported bugs**

- Notebooks failing to open or sync correctly
- Handwriting recognition not working as expected
- Imported PDFs losing formatting or functionality
- Unexpected loss of data or notes
- Compatibility issues with older devices or operating systems

**Requested features**

- Add ability to create folders within notebooks
- Improve page organization and navigation
- Implement a more intuitive color picker and pen customization
- Introduce a history/undo feature for linked pages
- Add support for custom stickers and templates


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Study Stack free?

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

### Is Noteshelf free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Study Stack or Noteshelf?

Study Stack is rated higher. Study Stack averages 5.0 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while Noteshelf averages 4.5 from 7.2K ratings.

### Do Study Stack or Noteshelf have ads?

Neither Study Stack nor Noteshelf shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Study Stack or Noteshelf?

Study Stack ships an update fortnightly, and Noteshelf every 3 days. Most recently, Study Stack was updated on November 3, 2026 and Noteshelf on November 9, 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.*