Comparison

XNote vs BoardNotes

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

Head to head
About

XNote

This app offers unlimited whiteboards, PDF annotation, and notebook creation in a simple, intuitive interface. It allows for jotting down ideas, studying materials, and taking daily notes with smooth performance and flexible organization.

Highlights
  • Unlimited whiteboards
  • PDF annotation
  • Notebook creation
  • File organization with folders
  • Web, photo, and file browsing within the app
  • Quick search functionality
  • One-click export and sharing
Features
Read full description

XNote is a passionate app that hopes to slow you down~ XNote combines the ability of using unlimited whiteboards, annotating PDFs and creating notebooks in one, and is easy-to-use You can use it to jot down inspiration, read professional materials and take daliy notes In every possible scenario, Xnote wants to give you smooth experience 【simple and understated, relaxing and flexible】 We made XNote simple and understated, with no complicated buttons and no confusing controls All the important features are at a glance and easy to operate ~ Keep the homepage as default and you'll find most of the files you want to edit ~ On the homepage, you can drag files directly into folders ~ You can quickly create a temporary draft with very simple gestures ~ By clicking the "+" button in the upper right corner, you can easily browse different files and web pages ~ You can take excerpts at any time while browsing files Xnote will become more and more flexible in continuous improvement and iteration 【Pursue the details and control the whole】 We worked on the XNote like horticulturists, pruning the gaudy leaves and carving the key branches You can create folders on the homepage to categorize files Highly compatible with the original pen case gives you a silky writing experience Text, picture, shape, search, every button is irreplaceable You can use the "Search" button to search quickly, and locate the target locator pin with one click You can edit and switch shapes at any time 【Sincere enthusiasm, aspirant and hardworking] We want XNote to be as sincere and passionate as the people it serves We hope that in the classroom, XNote accompanies the students to absorb the essence of knowledge with enthusiasm We hope that in life, XNote accompanies people to record the happy moments of their daily life We hope that at work, XNote accompanies everyone who strives to record the traces of their struggle 【XNote can】 Provide unlimited drawing boards allowing your thoughts and inspiration to extend infinitely Support finger doodling and the original brush of system, making it more convenient for you to draw Support viewing multiple documents simultaneously and inserting pictures, videos, files to enrich your notes Create different shapes to help you highlight key messages quickly Create locator pins to help you locate your target content Support browsing the web, photos and files within the app, helping you integrate internal and external information and study efficiently Search for notes quickly ...... 【Easy to share】 One click export, support for sharing (supports images, PDFs, drafts, and can be shared to guga, goodnotes, notability, collanote, and noteshelf for use) 【Friendly reminder】 XNote is currently in a high-frequency iteration stage, and we are continuously working on new features, welcome to follow and explore! 【Report the issue】 Report bugs and crashes to us, and we'll be happy to fix any problem you encounter while using it Email address:xnoteapp@163.com 【Contact us】 What do you expect from XNote, come and chat with us! ~ Your problems ~ Your advice ~ Your expectations All of the above can be heared in XNote community There are not only users like you, but also our R&D team We believe that everyone here will be excited by the spark of inspiration Contact our WeChat:li1299033501

About

BoardNotes

This app combines whiteboard, notebook, PDF management, mind mapping, and flashcard creation into a single, versatile handwriting note-taking tool. It offers a wide array of pen types, organizational features, and study aids to enhance productivity and learning.

Highlights
  • Handwriting note-taking
  • Integrated whiteboard
  • PDF import and editing
  • Mind mapping functionality
  • Spaced repetition flashcards
  • Multiple pen and brush types
  • Layer management
Features
Read full description

Feature Introduction: BoardNotes is a versatile handwriting note-taking app that integrates five major functions—whiteboard, notebook, PDF, mind map, and flashcards—covering most note-taking scenarios. It serves as your All-In-One App. Handwriting Pen: 1. BoardNotes utilizes Apple's native pen technology and has developed additional pens tailored for Chinese writing, including a fountain pen, a laser pointer for presentations, and a tape pen for masking notes. 2. Choose from a variety of brushes (laser pen, tape pen, ballpoint pen, straight-line pen, wavy-line pen, custom fountain pen, quill pen, pencil, marker, watercolor pen, fill pen, single-line pen, crayon, freehand pen) to unleash your creativity. 3. Lasso tool (extremely powerful). 4. Eraser (pixel eraser and object eraser). Whiteboard: 1. The whiteboard is ideal for organizing fragmented knowledge, brainstorming, and boosting creativity. 2. Write and draw freely without worrying about boundaries. 3. Customize background colors and grid templates. 4. Add various card types (text, image, video, audio, webpage, file, handwriting). 5. Multiple auxiliary tools: background board, pins, link navigation (supports bidirectional links), connectors, timer (countdown supported), calculator. 6. Quickly locate notes using the search function. Notebook & PDF: 1. Create notebooks and PDFs with multiple paper templates and cover options. Import images from Photos or PDFs from the Files app as pages or covers. 2. Add text, images, stickers, videos, webpage snapshots, audio recordings, links (bidirectional links supported), timers, calculators, and floating PDF windows. 3. Layer functionality—show or hide layers as needed. 4. Insert new pages via blank sheets, images, scanned documents, or files. 5. Cut, copy, and paste pages into other notebooks or PDFs. 6. Duplicate, rotate, or delete pages. 7. Reorder pages via long-press and drag in thumbnail view. 8. Create outlines and add bookmarks. 9. Search (text, handwritten notes, etc.). 10. Import e-books (epub, mobi, azw, etc.). Mind Map: 1. Mind mapping is a key feature within the whiteboard. 2. Nodes support multiple formats (text, image, handwriting, video, audio, webpage snapshot, file). 3. Offers 3 structures and 18 color schemes. 4. Add summaries (brackets). 5. Handwritten mind maps (using handwritten cards). 6. Long-press and drag selected cards into the mind map. 7. Reorder nodes or adjust hierarchy via long-press and drag. Flashcard: 1. Flashcards use the SuperMemo algorithm to automatically schedule optimal review intervals, reminding you before forgetting to maximize memory efficiency. 2. Flashcards support text, images, and handwriting. 3. Quickly create cards from notes in whiteboards, notebooks, or PDFs using the rectangular lasso tool. Download BoardNotes for free on iPad, iPhone, and Mac. For suggestions, please contact us via the in-app feedback feature.

Screenshots

XNote3 screens
BoardNotes4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: XNote at none against BoardNotes's 25. XNote also leads on ads (none vs shown). BoardNotes's advantage is review sentiment (81% vs 60%). On price, rating, ratings volume and update cadence 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. BoardNotes sells 23 one-off in-app purchases. XNote asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for XNote against 4.7 for BoardNotes. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 76 and 111 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 60% of XNote's written reviews are positive against 81% of BoardNotes's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

XNote ships an update weekly, BoardNotes every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on August 11, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
XNote versus BoardNotes: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterXNoteBoardNotes
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (76 ratings)4.7 (111 ratings) — better
Positive reviews60.0% of reviews81.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings76111 — better
Update frequencyWeekly — betterEvery 10 days
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — better
Requires iOS14.0 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size40 MB356 MB
Age rating4+4+
Developer华清 杨Chongqing Ouluowa Technology Co., Ltd.

Customer experience

XNote

All ratings76 ratings
Positive86.8%
Neutral9.2%
Negative3.9%
Written reviews5 reviews
Positive60.0%
Neutral40.0%
Negative0.0%

BoardNotes

All ratings111 ratings
Positive94.6%
Neutral1.8%
Negative3.6%
Written reviews42 reviews
Positive81.0%
Neutral4.8%
Negative14.3%

Bugs and requests

XNote

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

BoardNotes

Reported bugs

16 issues
  • Whiteboards erasing automatically
  • No automatic backup leading to data loss
  • Syncing issues between iPad and Mac
  • Pencil tip not appearing on PDF annotations
  • App crashes frequently
Show 11 more
  • Recording data is lost
  • Cannot create new notebooks
  • Gear icon for settings missing in dark mode
  • Issue with eraser and color selection logic
  • Lasso tool missing cut button after cropping
  • PDF embeds appear blurry
  • Handwriting search not implemented
  • Accidental touches/palm rejection issues
  • Chinese font display issues in markdown
  • App freezes when using search function
  • Software flashes back (crashes)

Requested features

24 requests
  • Sync to Google Drive/other cloud services
  • Faster 'add to cards' function
  • View carded items in sidebar
  • Color coding for pins
  • Image opacity adjustment
Show 19 more
  • Faster image copy from whiteboard
  • Android app version
  • WebDAV function
  • Markdown editing/viewing function
  • Handwriting recognition and search
  • Improve palm rejection/anti-touch
  • Add more brush types (with stroke variation)
  • Search for handwritten text
  • Dark Mode UI
  • More calculator functions (square root, trig identities)
  • In-app browser (ChatGPT, YouTube integration)
  • Easier UI navigation of notebook pages
  • Ability to change existing page formats
  • More in-depth pen fine-tuning
  • Optimize UI, move undo/redo to top right
  • Adjust pressure sensitivity
  • Customizable top toolbar icons
  • Add college rule paper
  • Translate function for papers

In-app purchases

None

XNote

No in-app purchases

23 purchases

BoardNotes

One-time23
  • 7 days membership$0.99
  • 5 days membership$0.99
  • Math Formula Recognition$1.99
Show 20 more
  • 1 month membership$1.99
  • Annual Membership$3.99
  • Permanent Unlock All$3.99
  • 6 months membership$3.99
  • 6 months membership (discount)$3.99
  • Permanent Unlock All$4.99
  • Annual Membership$4.99
  • 6 months membership2 variants$4.99
  • Full version Unlock$5.99
  • Annual Membership (discount)$5.99
  • 6 months membership$6.99
  • Permanent Unlock All$6.99
  • Annual Membership2 variants$6.99
  • Spring Festival Discount$6.99
  • Annual Membership$7.99
  • Permanent Unlock All$7.99
  • Permanent Unlock All(discount)$7.99
  • Permanent Unlock All$8.99
  • Permanent Unlock All$9.99
  • Permanent Unlock All$19.99

Questions

Is XNote free?
XNote is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is BoardNotes free?
BoardNotes is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, XNote or BoardNotes?
BoardNotes is rated higher. XNote averages 4.6 out of 5 from 76 ratings, while BoardNotes averages 4.7 from 111 ratings.
Do XNote or BoardNotes have ads?
BoardNotes shows ads; XNote does not.
Which is updated more often, XNote or BoardNotes?
XNote ships an update weekly, and BoardNotes every 10 days. Most recently, XNote was updated on August 11, 2026 and BoardNotes on September 23, 2026.

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