Comparison

Notability vs MyScript Notes

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Notability

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
Read full description

From your first lecture to your next big meeting, Notability helps you think, learn, and work better. Take handwritten notes, annotate documents, record audio, and stay organized in one place so your ideas are always clear, searchable, and ready when you need them. NEW: NOTABILITY CLASSIC IS BACK Prefer to pay one time for Notability? Our Classic plan is a one-time purchase with no subscription required. FREE DIGITAL NOTES FOR WORK & SCHOOL • Write, type, or sketch with digital ink, highlighters, and text tools. • Mark up anything: PDFs, textbooks, lecture slides, images, and more. • Combine handwriting, typed text, images, diagrams, and sketches on the same page. • Stay organized with customizable folders and subjects that grow with you. FOR PROFESSIONALS: WORK SMARTER AND SAVE TIME • Mark up documents, capture meetings, organize ideas, and present with confidence. • Import and handwrite on any document: PDFs, DOCs, presentations, reports, and more. • Fill out forms in the office or on a job site. • Combine handwriting, text, photos and documents in one place. • Record calls and meetings to transcribe voice in real-time. Audio is synced to your notes so nothing is missed. • Receive automated meeting notes, takeaways, and summaries. • Search handwriting, transcripts, text, and PDFs to quickly revisit decisions and action items. • Present notes, documents, and ideas in full screen, with a laser pointer to guide attention. • View and edit two notes side-by-side to stay focused and productive. • Share a PDF of your note in one tap. FOR STUDENTS: STUDY SMARTER AND ACE EXAMS • Take handwritten notes digitally or annotate lecture slides or your textbooks. • Record lectures and get instant audio transcripts and real-time summaries in your notes. • Audio recordings are synced to the exact moment you write in a note — perfect for lectures. • Import lecture slides, textbook PDFs, and assignments into organized folders and subjects. • Search across handwriting, typed notes, and transcripts to instantly find content from classes. • Study content from your note with personalized quizzes and flashcards to practice with active recall. • Chat with your notes to review concepts, clarify ideas, and prepare for exams. WORK YOUR WAY • Seamlessly switch between handwriting and typing. • Import files instantly and keep everything connected. • Share notes easily to collaborate or get feedback when needed. • Access your notes across iPad, iPhone, Mac, and the web. • Create beautiful notes using templates from the Notability Gallery. UPGRADE TO A NOTABILITY SUBSCRIPTION Notability is free to use. With an upgraded subscription, you can receive: • Unlimited note-taking • AI-powered productivity and study tools • Handwriting recognition and math conversion • Live Audio transcripts • Auto-backup and iCloud sync Download for free on iPad, iPhone, Mac, and web. Privacy Policy: notability.com/privacy Terms of Service: notability.com/terms

About

MyScript Notes

Transform handwritten notes into editable text with advanced AI. Brainstorm on an infinite canvas, annotate PDFs, and create structured documents. Supports 66 languages and works across devices.

Highlights
  • AI handwriting recognition
  • Infinite canvas for brainstorming
  • PDF annotation
  • Handwriting to typed text conversion
  • Math equation recognition
  • Multi-language support
Features
Read full description

Create stunning notes and professional documents effortlessly by hand, brainstorm ideas on an infinite canvas, and annotate PDFs seamlessly. Powered by the world's leading AI handwriting recognition technology, MyScript Notes offers a dynamic platform where handwriting, text, drawings, diagrams, and images seamlessly coexist on an expandable canvas. Enhance your note-taking experience with intuitive pen gestures, effortlessly converting handwriting and shapes into typed text and precise forms. MyScript Notes understands every word you write in your choice of 66 languages, and works on mobile platforms — so you can access and search your notes from any compatible device. Enjoy 4 powerful experiences in one app: • Create unlimited notebooks and fixed-size pages for your daily notes. • Take freeform notes on boards — the world's most advanced endless canvas. • Handwrite responsive documents, adding math calculations and diagrams. • Import existing files as PDFs, ready to annotate. Start with a 7-day free trial to get the full experience — then choose to upgrade to keep all features, or continue with a free limited version. ———————— DIGITAL HANDWRITING • Write¹, type or dictate in the same page, sentence or even word. • Accurately convert handwriting and math to typed text, and drawn diagrams to perfect shapes. Diagrams stay editable when pasted into PowerPoint! • Write emoji and symbols with your pen. • Highlight ideas live with a glowing laser pointer — no marks left behind. • Draw straight lines with the ruler — drag, rotate and snap it into place to draw at any angle. EDIT WITH YOUR PEN • Use intuitive gestures to edit and format content without breaking your flow. • Use the marker to highlight or color, the lasso to select, and the eraser to delete entire strokes or precisely defined content. WRITE, TYPE AND DRAW FREELY ON A BOARD • Enjoy an infinite canvas, ideal for brainstorming, mind mapping and freeform note-taking. • Pan around and zoom in or out for a fresh perspective. • Use the lasso to select, move, copy, delete or resize content — and to convert handwriting to typed text. SWITCH TO A DOCUMENT FOR A RESPONSIVE EXPERIENCE • Create and edit structured notes — your handwriting will automatically reflow as needed. • Make edits, adjust layout, rotate your device or split your screen without worrying about readability. ENRICH YOUR NOTES • Personalize content using a range of pen types and page backgrounds. • Add photos, sketches and smart objects like math and diagrams. • Handwrite math equations and matrices across several lines, solve simple calculations and copy math as LaTeX or image. ———————— MyScript Notes respects your privacy and never stores content on our servers without your explicit consent. For help or feature requests, create a ticket at https://myscri.pt/support Check out MyScript Notes' webpage for more information about cross-platform: https://www.myscript.com/notes ———————— ¹You can use any compatible active or passive pen, including Apple Pencil, to write in MyScript Notes. Check minimum and recommended requirements for MyScript Notes: https://myscri.pt/notes-devices

Screenshots

Notability4 screens
MyScript Notes4 screens

Verdict

The call

Notability and MyScript Notes both sit at 4.8 stars, but that hides the real split: 66% of MyScript Notes's written reviews are positive against 36% of Notability's. Notability's advantage is ratings volume (457K vs 39K) and chart position (#83 vs unranked). On price, rating, 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Notability sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month and MyScript Notes sells 9 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for Notability against 4.7 for MyScript Notes. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Notability has 457K ratings behind it against 39K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 36% of Notability's written reviews are positive against 66% of MyScript Notes's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Notability ships an update every 6 days, MyScript Notes every 9 days. Both last shipped on September 30, 2026.

Scorecard3 real differences · 8 level
Notability versus MyScript Notes: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterNotabilityMyScript Notes
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (457K ratings) — better4.7 (39K ratings)
Positive reviews36.3% of reviews66.1% of reviews — better
Number of ratings457K — better39K
Update frequencyEvery 6 days — betterEvery 9 days
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFreemiumFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank#83 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Mac — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS17.517.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size411 MB266 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperGinger LabsMyScript

Customer experience

Notability

All ratings457,158 ratings
Positive94.8%
Neutral1.3%
Negative3.9%
Written reviews3,632 reviews
Positive36.3%
Neutral8.7%
Negative55.0%

MyScript Notes

All ratings38,583 ratings
Positive94.2%
Neutral2.6%
Negative3.2%
Written reviews2,185 reviews
Positive66.1%
Neutral12.4%
Negative21.5%

User reviews

Notability

From 457K App Store ratings

What we love

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

Room to improve

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

MyScript Notes

From 39K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Excellent handwriting recognition
  • 👍 Intuitive and responsive interface
  • 💡 Useful gestures and shortcuts
  • 🚀 Fast conversion of handwriting to text
  • 👍 Ability to organize notes in notebooks and collections

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Occasional crashes and freezes
  • 🐛 Issues with syncing and data loss
  • 🐛 Inconsistent behavior with formatting and editing
  • 💡 Lack of keyboard support and text editing features
  • 💡 Limited customization options for paper styles and fonts

Bugs and requests

Notability

Reported bugs

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

Requested features

5 requests
  • 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

MyScript Notes

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • App crashes when importing large documents
  • Handwriting recognition fails for certain symbols and abbreviations
  • Formatting issues when converting handwritten notes to text
  • Sync issues leading to data loss across devices
  • Inability to move or rearrange pages within notebooks

Requested features

6 requests
  • Add support for keyboard input and text editing
  • Improve syncing and backup functionality
  • Introduce more customization options for paper styles and fonts
  • Enhance diagram and equation handling capabilities
  • Implement better collaboration and sharing features
Show 1 more
  • Add support for dark mode and night-friendly themes

In-app purchases

10 purchases

Notability

Subscriptions9
  • Notability Lite$5.991 Month
  • Notability Plus$7.991 Month
  • Notability Plus$12.993 Months
Show 6 more
  • Notability Lite$14.991 Year
  • Notability Plus1 Year trial2 variants$19.991 Year
  • Notability Plus7 Days trial$19.991 Year
  • Notability Plus$19.991 Year
  • Notability Pro$19.991 Month
  • Notability Pro3 Days trial$99.991 Year
One-time1
  • Notability Classic$49.99
9 purchases

MyScript Notes

Subscriptions2
  • MyScript Notes – Full Access$1.991 Month
  • MyScript Notes – Full Access$7.991 Year
One-time7
  • PDF Pack2 variants$4.99
  • Connect Pack$4.99
  • Essentials Pack$4.99
Show 4 more
  • Full version$9.99
  • Nebo Pro$9.99
  • Full version$14.99
  • MyScript Notes – Full Access$29.99

Questions

Is Notability free?
Notability is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is MyScript Notes free?
MyScript Notes is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Notability or MyScript Notes?
Notability is rated higher. Notability averages 4.8 out of 5 from 457K ratings, while MyScript Notes averages 4.7 from 39K ratings.
Do Notability or MyScript Notes have ads?
Neither Notability nor MyScript Notes shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Notability or MyScript Notes?
Notability ships an update every 6 days, and MyScript Notes every 9 days. Most recently, Notability was updated on September 30, 2026 and MyScript Notes on September 30, 2026.

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