# Desktop Note vs OpenNotes

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: OpenNotes at none against Desktop Note's 5. OpenNotes also leads on iOS requirement (15.1 vs 17.0). Desktop Note's advantage is review sentiment (91% vs 60%) and rating (4.7 vs 4.3). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Desktop Note sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per 3 months. OpenNotes asks for nothing beyond the download.

Desktop Note holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 29 and 35 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 91% of Desktop Note's written reviews are positive against 60% of OpenNotes's.

Desktop Note ships an update every 5 days, OpenNotes every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Desktop Note | OpenNotes |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (29 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/desktop-note-notes-and-photos/id1618786886/reviews)** | [4.3 (35 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/opennotes-notes-and-pdf-markup/id6771224004/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 29 | **35** |
| Positive reviews | **90.8% of reviews** | 60.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 days | **Every 4 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 5 MB | 44 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **15.1** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Mac | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [文烁 蔡](https://appshunter.io/developer/1522194890) | [Mark Miller](https://appshunter.io/developer/1836539324) |

## What reviewers say

### Desktop Note

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/desktop-note-notes-and-photos/id1618786886)

Create customizable sticky notes and display them on your device's home screen. Organize tasks with checklists, add photos, and format text. Syncs across devices via iCloud for privacy and convenience.

**Highlights:** Customizable note colors, Illustrated backgrounds, To-do checklists, Photos in Home Screen widgets, Text formatting (bold, italics), iCloud backup and sync, Data export/import

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Desktop Note - 1 Quarter | $0.99 | per 3 months |
| Desktop Note Premium | $0.99 | per month |
| Desktop Note Premium | $1.99 | per 3 months |
| Premium | $2.99 | per 3 months |


### OpenNotes

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/opennotes-notes-and-pdf-markup/id6771224004)

Create handwritten notes, import and annotate PDFs, and organize your thoughts with folders. This free, open-source app prioritizes privacy by keeping all your data local and on your device.

**Highlights:** Handwritten notes with Apple Pencil, PDF import and annotation, Folder-based organization, Add images and text, Local-first data storage, Export and share notes

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Desktop Note free?

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

### Is OpenNotes free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Desktop Note or OpenNotes?

Desktop Note is rated higher. Desktop Note averages 4.7 out of 5 from 29 ratings, while OpenNotes averages 4.3 from 35 ratings.

### Do Desktop Note or OpenNotes have ads?

Neither Desktop Note nor OpenNotes shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Desktop Note or OpenNotes?

Desktop Note ships an update every 5 days, and OpenNotes every 4 days. Most recently, Desktop Note was updated on November 3, 2026 and OpenNotes on October 31, 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.*