# Note X vs Pencil

The clearest difference is rating: Note X at 4.6 against Pencil's 4.0. Note X also leads on ratings volume (23 vs 4) and iOS requirement (14.0 vs 26.0). Pencil's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 8 days vs every 10 months). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Note X sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month and Pencil sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Note X holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Note X has 23 ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Note X ships an update every 10 months, Pencil every 8 days. The most recent releases landed on September 16, 2026 and October 11, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Note X | Pencil |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (23 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/note-x-notepad/id1673667097/reviews)** | [4.0 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pencil-pdf-notes-with-pencil/id6466286421/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **23** | 4 |
| Positive reviews | — | 25.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 10 months | **Every 8 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Size | 30 MB | 465 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.0** | 26.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [受杰 柯](https://appshunter.io/developer/1634142370) | [Kairoos Solutions SL](https://appshunter.io/developer/978066434) |

## What reviewers say

### Note X

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/note-x-notepad/id1673667097)

A versatile note-taking app for digital and handwritten notes, memos, and drafts. Organize study materials with built-in notebooks, insert images, and customize writing styles. Secure your notes with password protection.

**Highlights:** Keyboard and handwriting input, Built-in notebooks for organization, Insert pictures into notes, Customizable paper and font colors, Password protection and encryption, Share notes as images

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Plus Version | $1.99 | per month |
| Plus Version Quarterly | $3.99 | per 3 months |
| Pro Version | $6.99 | one-time |


### Pencil

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pencil-pdf-notes-with-pencil/id6466286421)

Create beautiful notes, sketch ideas, and annotate PDFs with advanced ink tools and AI assistance. Convert handwriting to text, scan documents, and organize files seamlessly across cloud services. Enjoy a realistic ink-on-paper feel with stylus support.

**Highlights:** Advanced ink tools for writing and sketching, AI Assistant for summarization and translation, Handwritten notes to editable text conversion, Document scanning with automatic frame recognition, Cloud service integration for file management, Full-text search for PDFs, PDF reader with highlighting and read aloud

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unlock All and AI Assistant | $2.99 | per month |
| GoodPencil Upgrade | $3.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Note X free?

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

### Is Pencil free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Note X or Pencil?

Note X is rated higher. Note X averages 4.6 out of 5 from 23 ratings, while Pencil averages 4.0 from 4 ratings.

### Do Note X or Pencil have ads?

Note X shows ads; Pencil does not.

### Which is updated more often, Note X or Pencil?

Note X ships an update every 10 months, and Pencil every 8 days. Most recently, Note X was updated on September 16, 2026 and Pencil on October 11, 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.*