# Notability vs Memo Widget

Notability and Memo Widget both sit at 4.8 stars, but that hides the real split: 78% of Memo Widget's written reviews are positive against 36% of Notability's. Memo Widget also leads on iOS requirement (14.0 vs 17.5). Notability's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (weekly vs every 2 months). On price, rating, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Notability sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month and Memo Widget sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for Notability against 4.9 for Memo Widget. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Notability has 457K ratings behind it against 65, 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 78% of Memo Widget's.

Notability ships an update weekly, Memo Widget every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Notability | Memo Widget |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (457K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notability-ai-notes-and-planner/id360593530/reviews) | **[4.9 (65 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/memo-widget-smart-notepad/id1539258115/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **457K** | 65 |
| Positive reviews | 36.3% of reviews | **77.6% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#75** | — |
| Size | 411 MB | 37 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.5 | **14.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Mac | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Ginger Labs](https://appshunter.io/developer/318126112) | [Komorebi Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/481596469) |

## What reviewers say

### Notability

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

**Currently charting:** #75 Top Grossing · Productivity, #134 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


### Memo Widget

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/memo-widget-smart-notepad/id1539258115)

This app provides a simple notepad experience with home screen widgets for quick access. It offers features like PDF output, iCloud backup, and customization options for text and background. Easily attach photos, search notes, and protect them with a passcode lock.

**Highlights:** Home screen widgets, PDF, HTML & PNG output, iCloud backup and sync, Passcode lock, Attach photos, Customizable text/background

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove Ads | $7.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Notability free?

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

### Is Memo Widget free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Notability or Memo Widget?

Memo Widget is rated higher. Notability averages 4.8 out of 5 from 457K ratings, while Memo Widget averages 4.9 from 65 ratings.

### Do Notability or Memo Widget have ads?

Memo Widget shows ads; Notability does not.

### Which is updated more often, Notability or Memo Widget?

Notability ships an update weekly, and Memo Widget every 2 months. Most recently, Notability was updated on September 25, 2026 and Memo Widget on September 24, 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.*