# Evernote vs Notability

The clearest difference is rating: Notability at 4.8 against Evernote's 4.4. Notability also leads on ratings volume (457K vs 78K). Evernote's advantage is review sentiment (51% vs 36%) and chart position (#23 vs #79). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Evernote sells 9 in-app purchases, starting at $13.95 per month and Notability sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Notability holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Notability has 457K ratings behind it against 78K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 51% of Evernote's written reviews are positive against 36% of Notability's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly weekly. Both last shipped on September 27, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Evernote | Notability |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.4 (78K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/evernote-ai-notes-and-notebook/id281796108/reviews) | **[4.8 (457K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notability-ai-notes-and-planner/id360593530/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 78K | **457K** |
| Positive reviews | **50.8% of reviews** | 36.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Weekly | Weekly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Best chart rank | **#23** | #79 |
| Size | 329 MB | 411 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.1** | 17.5 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, Mac |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Evernote Corporation](https://appshunter.io/developer/281796111) | [Ginger Labs](https://appshunter.io/developer/318126112) |

## What reviewers say

### Evernote

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/evernote-ai-notes-and-notebook/id281796108)

**Currently charting:** #23 Top Grossing · Productivity (US App Store)

Capture ideas, organize notes, and manage tasks across all your devices. This app helps you tame distractions and accomplish more by bringing your to-dos, schedule, and important information together in one searchable place.

**Highlights:** Capture ideas as searchable notes, Create to-do lists with reminders, Organize with notebooks and tags, Scan and digitize paper documents, Sync across all devices, Integrate with Google Calendar, Web clipping for articles

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (9)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Evernote Plus | $13.95 | per month |
| Evernote Plus | $15.00 | per month |
| Evernote Premium | $17.49 | per month |
| Evernote Personal | $17.49 | per month |
| Evernote Personal | $17.49 | per month |
| Monthly Personal Plan | $17.49 | per month |
| Evernote Personal Monthly | $17.49 | per month |
| Evernote Personal Monthly | $22.00 | per month |
| Evernote Premium | $169.00 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 High quality notes app
- 🔒 Secure and reliable
- 👍 Useful features and integrations
- 👍 Powerful search and organization
- 👍 Seamless cross-device sync

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy and unreliable on mobile
- 🔒 Security and privacy concerns
- 💰 Expensive subscription model
- 👎 Declining quality and customer support
- 👎 Aggressive upselling and limitations on free version

**Reported bugs**

- Notes not saving properly
- Sync issues between devices
- Frequent crashes and freezes
- Search functionality not working as expected
- Inability to access notes after subscription changes

**Requested features**

- Improved mobile app performance and stability
- Enhanced security features like encryption and two-factor authentication
- More flexible and affordable subscription options
- Better customer support and communication
- Expanded formatting and customization options


### Notability

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notability-ai-notes-and-planner/id360593530)

**Currently charting:** #79 Top Grossing · Productivity, #179 Top Free · Productivity (US App Store)

Capture, organize, and enhance your thoughts with a versatile digital notebook. Seamlessly blend handwriting, typing, and multimedia to annotate documents, record lectures, and generate summaries. Ideal for students and professionals seeking to boost productivity and learning.

**Highlights:** Handwritten and typed notes, PDF and document annotation, Audio recording and transcription, AI-powered summaries and quizzes, Customizable organization, Cross-device sync

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

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Notability Lite | $5.99 | per month |
| Notability Plus | $7.99 | per month |
| Notability Plus | $12.99 | per 3 months |
| Notability Lite | $14.99 | per year |
| Notability Plus | $19.99 | per year |
| Notability Plus | $19.99 | per year |
| Notability Pro | $19.99 | per month |
| Notability Plus | $29.99 | per year |
| Notability Pro | $99.99 | per year |
| Notability Classic | $49.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Great app for note-taking
- 👍 Smooth handwriting experience
- 📝 Excellent organization and file management
- 🎙️ Useful audio recording feature
- 🔍 Handwriting recognition and search

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Sync issues with iCloud
- 🔍 Limited search and organization options
- 🖍️ Frustrating highlighter behavior
- 🔒 Concerns about subscription model
- 🔧 Buggy after recent updates

**Reported bugs**

- Notes disappearing or getting corrupted
- Frequent crashes and performance issues
- Palm rejection problems after updates
- Inconsistent behavior when importing files

**Requested features**

- Improved folder/hierarchy organization
- More shape recognition and drawing tools
- Side-by-side viewing of multiple notes
- Ability to edit/rename audio recordings
- Better integration with other apps and services


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Evernote free?

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

### Is Notability free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Evernote or Notability?

Notability is rated higher. Evernote averages 4.4 out of 5 from 78K ratings, while Notability averages 4.8 from 457K ratings.

### Do Evernote or Notability have ads?

Neither Evernote nor Notability shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Evernote or Notability?

Evernote ships an update weekly, and Notability weekly. Most recently, Evernote was updated on September 27, 2026 and Notability on September 27, 2026.

### Which is more popular, Evernote or Notability?

Evernote currently peaks at #23 in the App Store charts, and Notability at #79. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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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.*