Reader's Bench vs CanvasNote
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Reader's Bench
This app is a PDF reader and markup tool designed for serious study and research. It allows users to read, annotate, take notes, and review highlighted content from PDF documents with efficient performance and a distraction-free interface.
- PDF reading and markup
- Handwriting and typed notes
- Annotation extraction for review
- Highlight, underline, strikethrough
- Image capture and insertion
- Export notes and annotated PDFs
- Word definition and sentence translation
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Reader's Bench — Read, Annotate & Take Notes Reader's Bench is a powerful PDF and ePub reader built for students, researchers, and professionals who need to study documents deeply. Import PDFs and ePub files, annotate them with a rich set of tools, take handwritten notes side by side, and organize everything in one place. KEY FEATURES • PDF & ePub Reader Import PDFs from the Files app, share sheet, or Safari. Supports vertical and horizontal scrolling, single-page and continuous page views, and a comfortable dark mode for reading in any lighting. • Rich PDF Annotations Highlight, underline, and strikethrough text. Add text boxes, image boxes, freehand drawings, and capture areas with Apple Pencil or your finger. Every annotation can be edited, moved, or deleted at any time. • Annotation Review View all your annotations in a summary list, filter by type, and export the review as a separate PDF report. Revisit key points without re-reading the entire document. • Handwritten Notes Take notes on a digital canvas with Apple Pencil. Switch between Canvas (infinite scroll) and Page (discrete pages) modes. Choose from dotted, squared, lined, or blank backgrounds and customize colors. Shape detection automatically perfects hand-drawn shapes. • Split View Work with your PDF and notes side by side. Switch between horizontal and vertical layouts and resize panels with a draggable divider. • Bookmarks & Search Bookmark pages for quick access and browse them in one place. Search inside documents and jump to results by page instantly. • Export & Share Export annotated PDFs, handwritten notes as PDFs, or annotation reviews as reports. Share via the iOS share sheet or print directly from the app. • iCloud Sync Documents and annotations sync across your devices via iCloud, so your work is always with you. • ePub Support Import ePub books and convert them to PDF for reading and annotation. • Share Extension Import PDFs directly from any app using the system share sheet. Reader's Bench turns your iPad and iPhone into a complete study and research workstation.
CanvasNote
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The Ultimate Note-Taking App CanvasNote is the indispensable app for everyone who loves to write with a pen and seeks the ultimate note-taking experience. This app is specifically designed for use with a pen and offers a plethora of features to perfect your handwritten notes. It naturally supports the Apple Pencil, as well as alternatives compatible with the iPad or iPad Pro. Here is a detailed overview of everything CanvasNote has to offer: Outstanding Note-Taking Features: Integrated Templates: Choose from a selection of templates, including squared or lined paper, as well as special templates for music notes and mathematics. You can write in both portrait and landscape orientation. The innovative "Own Templates" area: Here, you can not only create individual categories but also share your templates with other users and save them directly on the iPad. A backup of the template folders can also be created to easily restore them on a new device. Effortlessly import templates via the iPad's photo gallery or as a PDF document and explore the variety of free note templates available online in image format or as PDF templates, to save on the iPad and import into CanvasNote. Create your own template collection, neatly divided into categories, to quickly find and apply them in your notes. Customizable Pens and Colors: Switch between different pen types, tools, and colors to give your notes a personal touch. Creating your own color palette is also possible. With three integrated sliders for the individual RGB channels, any conceivable color can be mixed. There are tools for circles, rectangles, and a special line pen that allows for the perfect drawing of vertical and horizontal lines. The line thickness and pressure sensitivity of each pen and tool can be individually adjusted via sliders. The eraser function is also available. Organization and Management: Dynamically Growing Folders: Create folders for different notes that dynamically expand as you add new pages. This keeps you always organized. Image and Document Integration: Add images from the iPad's photo gallery and write directly on them. Use the iPad's internal camera to capture documents and insert them into your notes. The integrated scan function allows for perfect capture of external documents via the iPad camera or photo gallery. Comprehensive PDF Integration: CanvasNote offers extensive PDF features. Import and edit PDF files with ease and export your edited documents in no time. Versatile Application Areas: Perfect for School, Work, and Personal Use: CanvasNote is excellent for use in school, at work, and for personal notes. Whether you want to create lecture notes, ideas, or drawings, this app is the right choice. Intuitive Management: Clear Folders: All your notes are stored neatly in folders within the app and can be easily viewed and organized. Requires a Digital Stylus: Please note that CanvasNote requires a stylus for input (Apple Pencil or iPad-compatible alternative) and cannot be written or drawn on with fingers. Experience the ultimate note-taking experience with CanvasNote and enhance your productivity and creativity. Get CanvasNote now and dive into the world of digital handwritten notes!
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is iOS requirement: CanvasNote at 15.0 against Reader's Bench's 17.0. On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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
Both are free to download. Reader's Bench sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month and CanvasNote sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
Reader's Bench ships an update weekly, CanvasNote every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on October 7, 2026 and October 17, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Reader's Bench | CanvasNote |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.5 (2 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 2 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Weekly | Every 5 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Freemium | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad — better | iPad |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 15.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 7 MB | 44 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Rohmiapps Inc. | Nicolai Kummer |
In-app purchases
Reader's Bench
- Reader's Bench Subscription14 Days trial$0.991 Month
- Pro Monthly$5.991 Month
- Pro Yearly$39.991 Year
- Pro Lifetime$69.99
CanvasNote
- Unlock Full Version$1.99
Questions
Is Reader's Bench free?
Is CanvasNote free?
Do Reader's Bench or CanvasNote have ads?
Which is updated more often, Reader's Bench or CanvasNote?
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