# NeatNotes vs Esse

The clearest difference is ads: Esse at none against NeatNotes's shown. NeatNotes's advantage is monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases). On price, rating, review sentiment and ratings volume there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. NeatNotes sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Esse sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

NeatNotes holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.7. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 39 and 22 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.

NeatNotes ships an update every 4 days, Esse weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 5, 2026 and October 8, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | NeatNotes | Esse |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.9 (39 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/neatnotes-notes-and-lists/id1672575304/reviews)** | [4.7 (22 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/esse-ai-video-summarizer/id6751778111/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **39** | 22 |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 4 days** | Weekly |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 32 MB | 35 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.2 | **17.6** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Fusion Engineering](https://appshunter.io/developer/1233002961) | [100K31D D.O.O.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1826502418) |

## What reviewers say

### NeatNotes

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/neatnotes-notes-and-lists/id1672575304)

Organize and take notes quickly with a clean interface. See full note previews, customize note styles, and set reminders. Features smart grouping and automatic link title generation.

**Highlights:** Full note previews, Customizable note styles (plain, sticky, lined), Home screen widgets, Paragraph-based reminders, Smart Stacks for automatic note grouping, Readable link titles, Photo integration

**Features:** Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Lifetime Unlock | $7.99 | one-time |


### Esse

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/esse-ai-video-summarizer/id6751778111)

Instantly transform lengthy YouTube videos into concise, easy-to-understand summaries. This tool offers bullet-point takeaways, deep dives, and supports over 60 languages, creating a personal knowledge library. Save time and effortlessly share key information.

**Highlights:** AI video summarization, Bullet-point takeaways, Deep dive summaries, 60+ languages supported, Searchable library, Automatic clipboard detection, Time saved tracking

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekly Premium | $1.99 | per 7 days |
| Monthly Premium | $4.99 | per month |
| Yearly Premium | $39.99 | per year |
| Lifetime Premium | $59.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is NeatNotes free?

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

### Is Esse free?

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

### Which has better reviews, NeatNotes or Esse?

NeatNotes is rated higher. NeatNotes averages 4.9 out of 5 from 39 ratings, while Esse averages 4.7 from 22 ratings.

### Do NeatNotes or Esse have ads?

NeatNotes shows ads; Esse does not.

### Which is updated more often, NeatNotes or Esse?

NeatNotes ships an update every 4 days, and Esse weekly. Most recently, NeatNotes was updated on October 5, 2026 and Esse on October 8, 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.*