Comparison

GUGA vs Noting Pro

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

GUGA

This app combines notebook, whiteboard, and card functionalities for diverse learning needs. It allows for importing various formats, multi-layer handwriting, and creating interconnected learning materials. Share your progress and access cross-device data with ease.

Highlights
  • Import various notebook formats
  • Multi-layer handwriting support
  • Create and link cards
  • Multi-level whiteboard functionality
  • Cross-device data sharing
  • Community sharing platform
Read full description

GUGA is a hyper learning tool that can meet your learning needs in different scenarios. “Notebook”, “Whiteboard” and “Cards” are the three most important functions of GUGA.  In addition, GUGA also provides users with a community-SharePlace to share learning data; and provides a "Inspiration Shorthand" function to send data and record information across devices; and GUGA also provides a large number of shortcuts for you to use after connecting to the keyboard mouse. The “Notebook” is the most common learning material and the most basic learning scenario. GUGA's notebook:  1. Not only other notebook software, but also support a variety of formats to be imported into notebooks, create new notebooks, add/reduce pages, provide more than 100 inner pages and cover templates, DIY outline catalogues, edit page jumps, import pictures/text, etc.  2. It also supports adding an unlimited number of handwriting layers to each page of the notebook, hiding/displaying/merging handwriting layers, which is convenient for brushing questions and other uses when learning.  And, 3. You can also long press to select the content on the notebook to mark/excerpt while writing and taking notes, and make cards for other uses based on the excerpt content.  The “Whiteboard” is a multi-data learning console and a richer learning scenario. GUGA's whiteboard:  1. Support the import of multiple notebooks and use them in one whiteboard at the same time. You can also add/import data in other formats to learn and use them together.  2. Provide a notebook floating window system, which makes it more convenient for you to use multiple notebooks and whiteboards at the same time. The notebook in the whiteboard can be presented in the form of a floating window. The floating window has a variety of states (maximizing/mini window/up and down left and right side windows), which can hide/close/display all floating windows with one click; support floating window memory, type again Open the whiteboard, and all floating windows that are not closed can continue to be used.  3 Provide the "multi-level" whiteboard function. The whiteboard can create a lower-layer whiteboard, or it can be connected with other whiteboards to form a link relationship, thus creating a relationship between learning scenes.  4 You can copy the selected content in the floating notebook to the whiteboard to form a card. The cards on the whiteboard can be freely combined and split, and the cards can also be connected to form a brain map; the jump relationship can be set between the cards.  5 The whiteboard can be divided by frame, and it can also be positioned with pins to make it easier to use and manage the whiteboard content.  In addition, 6 The entire whiteboard can be emitted as pdf, and the frame can also be emitted as a multi-page PDF, and the jump relationship between the frames will also be retained. The card is the achievement of atomization learning, and the card package is the collection of your achievements. GUGA's card:  1. Excerpt cards in the notebook and cards on the whiteboard can be collected in the card package.  2. You can use the "Inspiration Catcher" function of the GUGA WeChat official account/browser's GUGA plug-in to transfer the information you want to save to any of your card package at any time.  3. Each card is a "blocked" rich text editor, which can be combined and split on the whiteboard, or any block can be set as an answer block in flash card mode.  4. Card packs can be converted between ordinary packs and flash card packs; the function of flash card packs is consistent with other flash card software (Anki).  5. Each flash card pack can choose different learning modes and different memory algorithms to help you better learn and review cards.  In addition, 6. The daily learning plan of flash cards will automatically appear in the GUGA log (My Logbook) on the right to learn flash card packages at any time. Have Fun with GUGA 2.0, and Enjoy Your Serious Learning Power.

About

Noting Pro

Create stunning vector notes with gradient ink and pressure-sensitive tools. Features include shape recognition, layers, PDF annotation, and iCloud sync. Unlock all features with a one-time purchase.

Highlights
  • Vector gradient ink strokes
  • Pressure-sensitive pens and erasers
  • Shape recognition and editing
  • Layer system for organization
  • PDF annotation with editable gradients
  • iCloud sync across devices
  • Smart laser pointer with lasso selection
Features
Read full description

NotingPro is a professional handwritten note-taking and PDF annotation app designed exclusively for iPad. Say goodbye to pixelated edges. Powered by our proprietary low-latency vector ink engine, NotingPro lets you write stunningly beautiful strokes with natural gradients and realistic brush character right on your iPad. Even when zoomed in 20x, your notes remain sharp, clear, and distortion-free. Say no to expensive long-term subscriptions! NotingPro uses a one-time purchase model, giving you the purest and most efficient paperless writing experience. [Ultra-Smooth Writing Experience]** - Proprietary vector ink engine: Low latency, incredibly fluid, and works with Apple Pencil pressure sensitivity to effortlessly create elegant stroke variations. - Versatile brush library: Offers fountain pen, pencil, art pen, sketch pen, and a variety of markup pens, with adjustable opacity and thickness. - Signature gradient colors: Freely set start and end colors to write gorgeous gradient text; supports saving frequently used color palettes and syncing them across devices. - Smart laser pointer: Not only writes across pages and changes color on the fly, but also fits geometric shapes — a perfect tool for presentations and annotations. [Powerful PDF and Layout Processing] - All-in-one PDF annotation: Supports long-press excerpting, line highlighting, wavy underlines, and translation. Annotation content also supports gradient colors and secondary editing. - Multi-level outlines and bookmarks: Easily handle thick textbooks; supports margin expansion, so note-taking is no longer confined to the original page layout. - Flexible page management: Insert various A4 paper templates (yellow/black/white backgrounds), add unlimited pages, write across pages, rearrange page order, and support both vertical and horizontal scrolling. [Advanced Tools & Pro-Level Play] - Layer management: Just like professional drawing software, support creating, drag-to-reorder, merging, and deleting layers. - Super lasso and fill: Drag to select content across pages, move, scale, and rotate in one step; one-tap intelligent fill for enclosed areas. - Multimedia insertion: Insert multiple images (drag, drop, and scale across pages) as well as text boxes with keyboard input. - For the detail-obsessed: Customizable delete actions, invisible tape for memory aid (tap to show/hide), and unlimited undo/redo. **[Secure Sync & Multi-Screen Collaboration]** - iCloud real-time sync: Notes are securely saved in your cloud, seamlessly connected across all your devices. - Split View and multi-window: Support opening multiple windows on iPad, allowing you to read literature and take notes side by side, doubling your efficiency. - Easy sharing: Import PDFs directly from the system share sheet, and export beautifully formatted PDFs with one tap to share with others. **[About Free Trial & Unlocking] - To ensure a great experience, NotingPro offers a free trial version. - Free tier limits: You can create up to 5 notes in total (each note can have up to 5 pages and layers). - Kind reminder: The limit is lifetime cumulative; deleting created notes does not restore the quota. We recommend using it to deeply explore the core features. [Lifetime Purchase, No Subscriptions] Just one payment permanently unlocks all limitations and powerful future updates! Now available at a launch half-price promotion — only ¥15.0 (original price ¥30.0) to own this all-in-one note-taking powerhouse. [Contact Us] The developer's progress depends on your genuine feedback. If you have any suggestions while using the app, feel free to reach out to us anytime! Bilibili / Xiaohongshu: NotingPro

Screenshots

GUGA1 screens
Noting Pro4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: GUGA at 4.7 against Noting Pro's 4.4. GUGA also leads on ratings volume (163 vs 8). On price, review sentiment, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. GUGA sells 3 one-off in-app purchases and Noting Pro sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

GUGA holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: GUGA has 163 ratings behind it against 8, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 70% of GUGA's written reviews are positive against 75% of Noting Pro's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

GUGA ships an update every 4 days, Noting Pro every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on July 3, 2026 and September 13, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
GUGA versus Noting Pro: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterGUGANoting Pro
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (163 ratings) — better4.4 (8 ratings)
Positive reviews70.2% of reviews75.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings163 — better8
Update frequencyEvery 4 daysEvery 3 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.015.0
Further details — not scored
Size705 MB116 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperGutenbergGalaxy Technology Co.裕坤 张

Customer experience

GUGA

All ratings163 ratings
Positive92.6%
Neutral3.1%
Negative4.3%
Written reviews57 reviews
Positive70.2%
Neutral7.0%
Negative22.8%

Noting Pro

All ratings8 ratings
Positive87.5%
Neutral0.0%
Negative12.5%
Written reviews4 reviews
Positive75.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative25.0%

Bugs and requests

GUGA

Reported bugs

31 issues
  • Pencil direction does not rotate with pencil movement
  • Cannot check Terms and Privacy Policy on first app open
  • Cannot log in
  • iCloud sync is glitchy
  • Notes get erased when switching devices
Show 26 more
  • All notes disappeared after not using for half a year
  • Lost purchase and notes after re-login
  • Cannot convert to flashcards or use mind map
  • PDF viewing mode changed in version 2.0
  • PDF cards open in a very small window
  • Cannot view PDF in split-screen mode
  • Handwritten notes on imported PDFs lost after automatic update
  • Lasso tool gets stuck when moving objects
  • Frequent crashes when using two-finger undo function
  • Developers not responsive to English customers
  • Two-finger undo is clumsy and often undoes too many steps
  • Drawing a line from outside an image to inside adds points that cannot be removed by eraser
  • Cannot edit curvature of drawn curves
  • Lag when using ruler and pasting images
  • Notes sometimes disappear and are hard to find
  • Whiteboard viewing feature not yet released
  • Pasting URLs no longer shows preview images
  • App is laggy after update, especially when moving cards
  • Cannot login with Apple account
  • PDF export quality is blurry (exported as image/screenshot)
  • Cannot delete pen stroke colors
  • iCloud syncing is slow
  • Handwriting search failed
  • Card excerpt from PDF does not direct back to its location in PDF
  • Vertical videos become horizontal with black bars
  • Added fonts are not usable

Requested features

24 requests
  • Allow Apple Pencil to transition to previous tool
  • Adapt to Apple Pencil Pro squeeze gesture
  • Return to previous PDF card viewing mode
  • Allow Mac OS version with iCloud syncing
  • Add auto backup to other cloud drives (Google Drive, OneDrive)
Show 19 more
  • Add backlinking feature
  • Speedy, glitchless movement of cards
  • Faster UI
  • Ability to zoom with mouse scroll wheel
  • Add presentation mode with set paths
  • iPhone and iMac versions for syncing
  • Add folder functionality for whiteboard organization
  • Allow modification of pen stroke color with lasso tool
  • Allow deletion of pen stroke colors
  • Improve PDF export quality to vector quality
  • Export whole canvas as PDF without limitation
  • Allow adding more fonts
  • Improve URL link preview functionality
  • Allow inputting numbers to adjust pen size
  • Allow editing curve curvature
  • Fix issue with drawing lines from outside to inside images
  • Fix issue with two-finger undo
  • Allow users to see remaining free trial count
  • Allow sign in with Google

Noting Pro

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

3 purchases

GUGA

One-time3
  • Limited-time Discount C$4.99
  • Limited-time Discount B$6.99
  • Unlock GUGA PRO$9.99
1 purchases

Noting Pro

One-time1
  • Noting Pro专业版 - 永久解锁$1.99

Questions

Is GUGA free?
GUGA is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Noting Pro free?
Noting Pro is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, GUGA or Noting Pro?
GUGA is rated higher. GUGA averages 4.7 out of 5 from 163 ratings, while Noting Pro averages 4.4 from 8 ratings.
Do GUGA or Noting Pro have ads?
Neither GUGA nor Noting Pro shows ads.
Which is updated more often, GUGA or Noting Pro?
GUGA ships an update every 4 days, and Noting Pro every 3 days. Most recently, GUGA was updated on July 3, 2026 and Noting Pro on September 13, 2026.

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