Evernote vs Freenotes®
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Evernote
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.
- 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
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Evernote is your second brain — the place to keep everything that matters and find it again the moment you need it. "…an invaluable tool for organizing a messy digital life." — The New York Times Capture a thought, a to-do, a photo, or a whole project, then let Evernote help you organize it, make sense of it, transcribe a meeting or tidy up a rough draft, and bring it back exactly when it counts. From the first spark of an idea to the finished plan, it all lives in one calm, searchable place — at work, at home, and everywhere in between. CAPTURE ANYTHING Jot a quick note, build a checklist, save a photo, an email or a PDF, or clip an article from the web before it disappears. Type it out, write by hand, snap a picture, or record a voice memo — whatever's fastest in the moment. Your ideas land in one place, ready when you are, so nothing gets lost on a sticky note or buried in your inbox. STAY ORGANIZED, EFFORTLESSLY Sort notes into notebooks and add tags, or just start writing and let structure follow. Group related notes together, pin the ones you reach for most, and keep work, school, and life neatly apart — without spending your day tidying up. Evernote keeps things in order so you can stay focused on the thinking. FIND WHAT YOU NEED, FAST Search across everything you've saved — including the text inside your images and PDFs. Ask in plain language and Semantic Search surfaces the right note, even when you can't remember the exact words or where you put it. The more you save, the more useful it becomes. MEET YOUR AI ASSISTANT Your AI Assistant clears away the busywork so you can stay in the thinking, working quietly alongside you. Record a conversation and Evernote AI transcribes and summarizes it for you; AI Transcription turns audio, images, and video into text; and AI Edit cleans up a rough draft, shortens it, or changes the tone while keeping it in your own voice. PLAN YOUR DAY Add due dates, reminders, and to-dos right inside your notes, so the next step is always clear and nothing slips through the cracks. Check things off as you go and keep momentum without switching apps. WORK EVERYWHERE Your notes sync automatically across iPhone, iPad, Mac, Windows, and the web — start on one device and pick up right where you left off on another. Evernote works offline too, so you're never locked out of your own ideas, even when you're far from a signal. FOR WORK, SCHOOL, AND LIFE - Plan projects, prep meetings, and keep every detail in one place. - Take lecture notes, organize research, and study smarter for exams. - Save recipes, plan trips, track goals, and remember the little things that matter. - Keep a journal, draft your next big idea, and capture inspiration whenever it strikes. "Its magic lies in its flexibility." — PCMag However you think, and whatever you're working on, Evernote helps you remember everything and get it done. Capture today's idea — and find it the moment you need it.
Freenotes®
This AI-powered digital notepad transforms your device into an intelligent workspace. It offers handwriting recognition, PDF annotation, and AI assistance for summarizing documents, answering questions, and aiding in study. Organize notes, sketch ideas, and sync across devices for a seamless paperless experience.
- AI Summaries and Chat with PDFs
- AI Homework and Study Helper
- Handwritten Note Organization
- OCR Search and PDF Annotation
- Infinite Canvas and Shape Recognition
- Active Recall Tape and Flashcards
- Picture-in-Picture Video Note-Taking
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Freenotes: Freedom to write, organize, and shine Transform your iPad into a powerful AI-driven digital notepad. Freenotes is an all-in-one workspace designed for students and professionals who want the natural feel of handwriting with the power of artificial intelligence. Whether you are annotating a complex PDF, planning your week, or recording a lecture, Freenotes helps you stay organized with seamless, free-form experience. AI Summary Quickly find key points and action items from long recordings or documents. AI Chat with PDF Ask questions directly to your imported files to get instant answers. AI Homework Helper Take a screenshot or upload a document (PDF or photo) to instantly get answers. AI Study Companion Clarify concepts, define terms, and check your handwritten notes for accuracy, turning passive review into active recall. Organize Notes Categorize and organize your notes by projects, courses, or topics, automating the organization of your note library. Quick Search via OCR Search through your handwritten scripts easily using accurate text recognition. PDF Annotation Highlight, underline, and add comments to documents with custom pen styles. Infinite Canvas Sketch ideas or mind map on a whiteboard that expands as you work. Apple Pencil Pro Support Experience low-latency writing that feels like real paper. Shape Recognition Turn rough drawings into clean, perfect geometric shapes for diagrams. Hyperlink Support Navigate through digital planners using clickable internal and external links. Active Recall Tape Hide specific parts of your notes to test your memory and study better. Paper Templates Access various backgrounds including grid, Cornell, and dotted paper. Flashcards Build study sets directly from your pages to help with exam prep. Seamless Video Learning Use Picture-in-Picture (PiP) to take notes while watching online videos (YouTube, lecture recordings), and instantly capture relevant screenshots directly into your notes. iCloud & Google Drive Sync Securely back up your digital notebook to access your data anywhere. Who is Freenotes For? Students: Create study guides, annotate lecture slides, and use the "Active Recall" tape tool for exam prep. Professionals: Record meetings, organize projects into folders, and sign PDF documents on the go. Creatives: Sketch ideas on an infinite whiteboard and export high-quality files to share with your team. Join over 1 million happy users transitioning to a smarter, paperless future. Try Freenotes today and experience the next era of AI note-taking. Privacy Policy: https://www.freenotetech.com/policy/ Terms of Service: https://www.freenotetech.com/terms/
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Freenotes® at 4.7 against Evernote's 4.4. Freenotes® also leads on review sentiment (60% vs 51%). Evernote's advantage is chart position (#21 vs unranked). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and ads 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. Evernote sells 9 in-app purchases, starting at $13.95 per month and Freenotes® sells 18 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
Freenotes® holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.4. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 78K and 61K respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 51% of Evernote's written reviews are positive against 60% of Freenotes®'s.
Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly weekly. Both last shipped on September 24, 2026.
| Parameter | Evernote | Freenotes® |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.4 (78K ratings) | 4.7 (61K ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 51.1% of reviews | 59.5% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 78K — better | 61K |
| Update frequency | Weekly | Weekly |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | #21 — better | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 — better | 15.5 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 329 MB | 704 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Evernote Corporation | Free Notes AI Note Taker LTD |
Customer experience
Evernote
Freenotes®
User reviews
Evernote
From 78K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 High quality notes app
- 🔒 Secure and reliable
- 👍 Useful features and integrations
- 👍 Powerful search and organization
- 👍 Seamless cross-device sync
Room to improve
- 🐛 Buggy and unreliable on mobile
- 🔒 Security and privacy concerns
- 💰 Expensive subscription model
- 👎 Declining quality and customer support
- 👎 Aggressive upselling and limitations on free version
Freenotes®
From 61K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Completely free app with no ads or in-app purchases
- 👍 Intuitive and user-friendly interface
- 📚 Comprehensive note-taking features (layers, templates, stickers, etc.)
- 🎨 Highly customizable (colors, fonts, covers, etc.)
- 🗂️ Excellent organization tools (folders, notebooks, etc.)
Room to improve
- 🐛 Occasional issues with syncing and iCloud backup
- 🖌️ Limited customization options for pen/pencil settings
- 🔍 Lack of handwriting recognition and search
- 🔗 No support for external links or clickable content
- 🔀 Difficulty in rearranging or splitting notebooks
Bugs and requests
Evernote
Reported bugs
5 issues- 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
5 requests- 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
Freenotes®
Reported bugs
3 issues- Occasional freezing or lagging when writing/drawing
- Issues with the shape recognition tool not working as expected
- Problems with the eraser tool not functioning properly
Requested features
5 requests- Add handwriting recognition and search functionality
- Improve iCloud sync and backup capabilities
- Expand pen/pencil customization options
- Implement support for external links and clickable content
- Introduce features for easier notebook organization and splitting
In-app purchases
Evernote
- Evernote Plus$13.951 Month
- Evernote Plus2 variants$15.001 Month
- Evernote Premium2 variants$17.491 Month
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- Evernote Personal$17.491 Month
- Evernote Personal7 Days trial$17.491 Month
- Monthly Personal Plan7 Days trial$17.491 Month
- Evernote Personal Monthly$17.491 Month
- Evernote Personal Monthly$22.001 Month
- Evernote Premium$169.001 Year
Freenotes®
- Freenotes Weekly Plus Member$1.997 Days
- Freenotes Weekly Pro Member$6.997 Days
- Premium Freenotes AI Weekly7 Days trial$6.997 Days
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- Freenotes Yearly Plus Member$9.991 Year
- Freenotes Yearly Plus Member1 Year trial2 variants$9.991 Year
- Monthly Pro Member Promotion1 Month trial$19.991 Month
- Freenotes Monthly Pro Member$19.991 Month
- Premium Freenotes AI Monthly1 Month trial$19.991 Month
- Freenotes Yearly Pro Member1 Year trial$39.991 Year
- Yearly Pro Member Discount1 Year trial$39.991 Year
- Freenotes Yearly Pro Member$39.991 Year
- Marketplace Content$1.99
- Marketplace Content$2.99
- Marketplace Content$3.99
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- Marketplace Content$9.99
- Marketplace Content$10.99
- Freenotes Remove Ads$29.99
- Freenotes Plus Member Lifetime$29.99








