# Notebook vs UltraNotes

The clearest difference is ads: UltraNotes at none against Notebook's shown. UltraNotes also leads on rating (4.6 vs 4.3) and review sentiment (81% vs 71%). Notebook's advantage is iOS requirement (13.0 vs 16.0). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Notebook sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $2.99 per 7 days and UltraNotes sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UltraNotes holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 523 and 187 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 71% of Notebook's written reviews are positive against 81% of UltraNotes's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 22, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Notebook | UltraNotes |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.3 (523 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notebook-notes-and-journal/id1670365742/reviews) | **[4.6 (187 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ultranotes-note-taking-and-pdf/id6468902627/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **523** | 187 |
| Positive reviews | 70.6% of reviews | **81.2% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 73 MB | 30 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 16.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, Mac |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Solitude Colors](https://appshunter.io/developer/1614422096) | [Skyjos Co., Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/499470116) |

## What reviewers say

### Notebook

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notebook-notes-and-journal/id1670365742)

Organize your thoughts, plans, and ideas with a versatile notebook and list-making application. Create unlimited notes, manage tasks with checklists, and customize your workspace. Sync across devices for seamless access to your organized information.

**Highlights:** Unlimited notes and lists, Folders and organization tools, Rich text editing, Checklists and to-do lists, Cloud sync and backup, Quick search and tags

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekly | $2.99 | per 7 days |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 💡 Great organization system
- 🚀 Simple and quick
- 🤩 Excellent AI-powered features

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes and freezes
- 💸 Excessive ads disrupting usage
- 🔒 Lack of customization options
- 🤯 Confusing navigation

**Reported bugs**

- Login issues and lost user data
- Compatibility problems with older devices
- Copying and pasting not working as expected

**Requested features**

- Add search functionality
- Improve delete/edit options
- Provide subscription-free version
- Enhance calendar integration


### UltraNotes

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ultranotes-note-taking-and-pdf/id6468902627)

This app combines powerful note-taking, handwriting, and PDF annotation features. Create rich text notes, sketch with various tools, and mark up documents. Organize, search, and sync your notes across devices.

**Highlights:** Handwritten notes with Apple Pencil, Rich text formatting and templates, PDF annotation and signing, Cross-device synchronization via iCloud, Searchable handwriting and text, Side-by-side multitasking on iPad/Mac, Audio recording with notes

**Features:** Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| UltraNotes Pro Lifetime | $4.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- ✍️ Excellent handwriting and pen experience
- 👍 Simple and intuitive user interface
- 🎨 Variety of pen styles and drawing tools
- 💰 One-time purchase with no subscription
- 🔒 Strong privacy policy

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Writing/drawing input not registering properly
- 🐛 Frequent page scrolling when attempting to write
- 🔄 Slow or unreliable iCloud sync
- 📤 Export functionality issues
- 🔍 Search feature crashes the app

**Reported bugs**

- Writing and drawing input not working
- Page scrolling interferes with writing
- iCloud sync not functioning
- Export to other apps failing
- Hand gestures changing page zoom during writing

**Requested features**

- Ability to lock zoom while writing with Apple Pencil
- Resize shapes after cutting/moving them
- Export notes to PDF and other apps
- Dark/light theme toggle for pages
- Nested list item support


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Notebook free?

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

### Is UltraNotes free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Notebook or UltraNotes?

UltraNotes is rated higher. Notebook averages 4.3 out of 5 from 523 ratings, while UltraNotes averages 4.6 from 187 ratings.

### Do Notebook or UltraNotes have ads?

Notebook shows ads; UltraNotes does not.

### Which is updated more often, Notebook or UltraNotes?

Notebook ships an update every 3 weeks, and UltraNotes every 3 weeks. Most recently, Notebook was updated on October 22, 2026 and UltraNotes on October 24, 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.*