# Notability vs Noteshelf

The clearest difference is ratings volume: Notability at 459K against Noteshelf's 7.2K. Notability also leads on rating (4.8 vs 4.5) and chart position (#102 vs unranked). Noteshelf's advantage is review sentiment (58% vs 36%) and update cadence (every 3 days vs weekly). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Notability sells 9 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month and Noteshelf sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Notability holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Notability has 459K ratings behind it against 7.2K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 36% of Notability's written reviews are positive against 58% of Noteshelf's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Notability ships an update weekly, Noteshelf every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on November 4, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Notability | Noteshelf |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (459K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notability-ai-notes-and-study/id360593530/reviews)** | [4.5 (7.2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/noteshelf-ai-notes-and-pdf/id6458735203/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **459K** | 7.2K |
| Positive reviews | 36.1% of reviews | **57.5% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Weekly | **Every 3 days** |
| Monetization | Freemium | Freemium |
| Best chart rank | **#102** | — |
| Size | 455 MB | 557 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | 18.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Mac | **iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Ginger Labs](https://appshunter.io/developer/318126112) | [Fluid Touch Pte. Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/318004740) |

## What reviewers say

### Notability

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

**Currently charting:** #102 Top Grossing · Productivity, #151 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, iPhone Duo support

**In-app purchases (9)**

| 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 Plus | $19.99 | per year |
| Notability Pro | $19.99 | per month |
| Notability Pro | $99.99 | per year |

**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


### Noteshelf

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/noteshelf-ai-notes-and-pdf/id6458735203)

This app offers a comprehensive suite for note-taking, planning, and studying. It combines natural handwriting, AI summarization, PDF annotation, and audio recording. Organize your thoughts, annotate documents, and create custom planners with a smooth writing experience.

**Highlights:** Natural handwriting with lifelike pens, AI summarization and explanation, PDF and document annotation, Audio recording alongside notes, Extensive digital planner templates, Handwriting to text conversion, Cross-device iCloud sync

**Features:** Family Sharing, Siri integration, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support, iPhone Duo support

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Noteshelf 3 Weekly Premium | $7.99 | per 7 days |
| Noteshelf3 Weekly Premium | $7.99 | per 7 days |
| Noteshelf3 Monthly Premium | $9.99 | per month |
| Noteshelf 3 Yearly Premium | $19.99 | per year |
| Noteshelf3 Yearly Premium | $29.99 | per year |
| Noteshelf3 Yearly Premium | $39.99 | per year |
| Noteshelf 3 Yearly Premium | $39.99 | per year |
| Noteshelf3 Yearly Premium | $49.99 | per year |
| Premium for Noteshelf 2 users | $9.99 | one-time |
| Noteshelf 3 Premium - Lifetime | $14.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Smooth handwriting experience
- 📚 Versatile note-taking features
- 🎨 Customizable templates and covers
- 🔍 Accurate handwriting recognition
- 💻 Seamless integration across devices

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and freezes
- 🔄 Sync issues between devices
- 🔒 Concerns about privacy and data security
- 🔍 Unreliable search functionality
- 🔧 Buggy or missing features from previous versions

**Reported bugs**

- Notebooks failing to open or sync correctly
- Handwriting recognition not working as expected
- Imported PDFs losing formatting or functionality
- Unexpected loss of data or notes
- Compatibility issues with older devices or operating systems

**Requested features**

- Add ability to create folders within notebooks
- Improve page organization and navigation
- Implement a more intuitive color picker and pen customization
- Introduce a history/undo feature for linked pages
- Add support for custom stickers and templates


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Notability free?

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

### Is Noteshelf free?

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

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

Notability is rated higher. Notability averages 4.8 out of 5 from 459K ratings, while Noteshelf averages 4.5 from 7.2K ratings.

### Do Notability or Noteshelf have ads?

Neither Notability nor Noteshelf shows ads.

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

Notability ships an update weekly, and Noteshelf every 3 days. Most recently, Notability was updated on November 4, 2026 and Noteshelf on November 3, 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.*