# XNote vs BoardNotes

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.

Both are free to download. BoardNotes sells 23 one-off in-app purchases. XNote asks for nothing beyond the download.

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.

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

## The numbers

| Metric | XNote | BoardNotes |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (76 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/xnote-infinite-boards-and-notes/id1644300153/reviews) | **[4.7 (111 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/boardnotes-whiteboard-and-pdf/id6448847544/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 76 | **111** |
| Positive reviews | 60.0% of reviews | **81.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 10 days |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 40 MB | 356 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [华清 杨](https://appshunter.io/developer/1643454681) | [Chongqing Ouluowa Technology Co., Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1686544790) |

## What reviewers say

### XNote

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/xnote-infinite-boards-and-notes/id1644300153)

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:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### BoardNotes

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/boardnotes-whiteboard-and-pdf/id6448847544)

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:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (23)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 7 days membership | $0.99 | one-time |
| 5 days membership | $0.99 | one-time |
| Math Formula Recognition | $1.99 | one-time |
| 1 month membership | $1.99 | one-time |
| Annual Membership | $3.99 | one-time |
| Permanent Unlock All | $3.99 | one-time |
| 6 months membership | $3.99 | one-time |
| 6 months membership (discount) | $3.99 | one-time |
| Permanent Unlock All | $4.99 | one-time |
| Annual Membership | $4.99 | one-time |
| 6 months membership | $4.99 | one-time |
| Full version Unlock | $5.99 | one-time |
| Annual Membership (discount) | $5.99 | one-time |
| 6 months membership | $6.99 | one-time |
| Permanent Unlock All | $6.99 | one-time |
| Annual Membership | $6.99 | one-time |
| Spring Festival Discount | $6.99 | one-time |
| Annual Membership | $7.99 | one-time |
| Permanent Unlock All | $7.99 | one-time |
| Permanent Unlock All(discount) | $7.99 | one-time |
| Permanent Unlock All | $8.99 | one-time |
| Permanent Unlock All | $9.99 | one-time |
| Permanent Unlock All | $19.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 💎 All-in-one app
- 💡 Feature-rich note-taking
- ✍️ Excellent Apple Pencil integration
- 💰 Affordable one-time purchase
- 🚀 Smooth performance

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔋 High battery consumption
- 🔥 Device gets hot
- 🐛 Data loss (whiteboards erased)
- 🚫 No automatic backup
- 🔍 Limited search functions

**Reported bugs**

- 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

**Requested features**

- Sync to Google Drive/other cloud services
- Faster 'add to cards' function
- View carded items in sidebar
- Color coding for pins
- Image opacity adjustment


## Frequently asked 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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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*