# PDC Scan vs markdown notes

The clearest difference is device support: markdown notes at 4 against PDC Scan's 2. PDC Scan's advantage is iOS requirement (15.6 vs 18.0). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. PDC Scan sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and markdown notes sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.49 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

PDC Scan ships an update fortnightly, markdown notes every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on October 2, 2026 and October 10, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | PDC Scan | markdown notes |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/markdown-notes-smolpad/id6792438749/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **1** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | **Every 10 days** |
| Monetization | — | Freemium |
| Size | 61 MB | 71 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.6** | 18.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [SNC GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/465621476) | [BaconWorks, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/6783126115) |

## What reviewers say

### PDC Scan

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdc-scan/id1600878093)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unlimited Version | $64.99 | one-time |


### markdown notes

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/markdown-notes-smolpad/id6792438749)

A minimalist Markdown editor that stores all your notes as plain text files, accessible across your devices. It offers beautiful writing tools, seamless cloud sync, and powerful organization features without any bloat.

**Highlights:** Plain .md file storage, iCloud Drive sync, Markdown syntax highlighting, Task list checkboxes, Folder and instant search organization, Menu bar app on Mac, Export to PDF, HTML, RTF (Pro)

**Features:** Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Smolpad Pro | $1.49 | per month |
| Smolpad Pro | $14.99 | per year |
| Smolpad Pro Lifetime | $29.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is PDC Scan free?

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

### Is markdown notes free?

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

### Do PDC Scan or markdown notes have ads?

Neither PDC Scan nor markdown notes shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, PDC Scan or markdown notes?

PDC Scan ships an update fortnightly, and markdown notes every 10 days. Most recently, PDC Scan was updated on October 2, 2026 and markdown notes on October 10, 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.*