Comparison

Note Taker HD vs ZoomNotes

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

Head to head
About

Note Taker HD

This app allows for versatile handwritten note-taking and PDF annotation on iPad and iPhone. It offers features like zoomed ink, shapes, typed text, and image insertion, with flexible organization and sharing options.

Highlights
  • Zoomed ink for detailed writing
  • PDF annotation capabilities
  • Insert photos and shapes
  • Typed text blocks
  • Organize with folders and tags
  • Export as PDF
Features
Read full description

Zoomed ink, PDF markup, photos, shapes, typed text, folders and tagging, extensive AirPlay control, and much more. The latest upgrade of one of the first note taking apps designed specifically for the Apple iPad and now also available for the Apple iPhone, Note Taker HD has long been known as a powerful and stable application for writing and organizing handwritten notes and diagrams. Note Taker HD can also be used to annotate PDF files. It can shrink your writing so you can easily fit a lot of text on a page. You can read the reduced-size "ink" as if you had written those letters with a very fine pen. It gives you solid functionality and control to produce the pages you need. Documents are flexibly organized by tags, date/time last modified, favorites, and more, with a scrolling list of thumbnail images of part of each page to help you find them later. You can email one or more pages as a single PDF file, "Open In" other apps, or, if your device supports it, print. Note Taker HD lets you create pages by writing on the screen with your finger or an iPad/iPhone-compatible stylus. You can either write directly on the page for large drawings, or have the "ink" you write shrunk down. You can write in large letters on the screen rather than trying to make tiny motions like a pencil. You just keep writing and Note Taker HD automatically adds new writing next to the old. To quickly correct mistakes, it has multi-level undo and redo buttons as well as an eraser -- just drag your finger over the page to erase the "ink" under it. You can zoom in and out on a page using the pinch gesture while viewing or editing. The Zoomed Editing window lets you see both a zoomed-out overview and a zoomed-in close-up writing area at the same time. You can use "Open In" in other apps send PDF files to Note Taker HD for annotation. Other features include: - Pages organized into documents and folders - Typed blocks of text with optional borders - 60+ highly customizable shapes - Insert and crop images from Photo Albums, Pasteboard, or the iPad/iPhone camera - Custom backgrounds from images or PDF pages - Free templates and clip art on the support web site - VGA/HDMI/AirPlay support with zoom, pan, and a moveable pointer - Wrist guard to avoid inadvertent touches - Layout variations better suited to some left-handed users - Optional fields in output footers like in a word processor - Extensive built-in help - Smooth and crisp ink on screen and in PDF output - Share editable copies of your documents with others - Backup to a single file for off-iPad/iPhone storage - Password protected folders - Support for the iOS Data Protection API - Support for languages written right-to-left - Full-screen preview mode - Automatic advance and auto-return in zoomed editing - Copy/Cut/Paste between pages, rotate/resize ink Note Taker HD was designed and programmed by Dan Bricklin, the same person who over 40 years ago came up with VisiCalc, the pioneering electronic spreadsheet that made working with numbers on a personal computer so easy. To see it in action, click on the Support link here or go directly to www.notetakerhd.com.

About

ZoomNotes

This comprehensive visual note-taking app offers extensive zoom capabilities for creating handwritten notes and sketches on various digital surfaces. It supports PDF annotation, digital planning with calendar integration, and advanced features like sub-pages and bookmarks for organized visual files.

Highlights
  • Extensive zoom range for notes and sketches
  • Write over PDF and Office documents
  • Digital planner creation and calendar integration
  • Sub-pages for hierarchical organization
  • Bookmarks with presentation playback
  • Handwriting recognition for search
  • Layers for content control
Features
Read full description

ZoomNotes is the most comprehensive visual note-taking app with huge zoom range. Make handwritten notes and sketches on virtual paper, huge WhiteBoards , PDF files, images and MS Word, Excel and PowerPoint documents (via GoogleDrive). Sync your documents between your iPad and iPhone with iCloud. ZoomNotes is compatible with any capacitive stylus pen and also with the top electronic pens on the market including the fabulous Apple Pencil. ZoomNotes Desktop for Mac now also available. Features include: MULTIPLE PEN TYPES There are 8 pen types to choose from including gel, nib, pencil and watercolour each with unlimited line thicknesses. HANDWRITING RECOGNITION Search handwritten notes. DIGITAL PLANNING Either import a planner pdf or use the ‘Custom digital planner’ option to create your own. You can configure a planner to show events and reminders from the Calendar and Reminder apps. SUB-PAGES This unique feature allows you to use ‘pages within pages’. This allows you to use sticky-notes and enables the creation of hierarchical visual files. You can also insert whole pdf files as sub-pages, or import pages from other ZoomNotes documents into a sub-page. BOOKMARKS Bookmarks allow you save views in your documents, and then return to them at a later date. There are animated playback facilities to allow you to present with or to create videos from your document. LINKS Add links between pages, and even between documents. This lets you create your own digital planners, enhance imported pdf planners or create indices. SPLIT_SCREEN Edit and view two documents side by side (or above and below). You can now also have 2 views of the same document. CALENDAR EVENTS Add events/reminders linked to your documents, possibly with alarms. The URL in the event links back to the document in ZoomNotes. HUGE ZOOM RANGE, WHITEBOARD MODE Zoom in and out without arbitrary limits including rotated views. LAYERS Layers let you control what is visible on a page, also options for 'master layers' which show on all pages. WRITE OVER PDF FILES Import and write over PDFs, Microsoft Office files Word, Excel and PowerPoint (via GoogleDrive). UNLIMITED PAPER SIZES AND STYLES Make your page as small or as large as you like. Choose any type of paper with our configurable paper types. FULLY EDITABLE In ZoomNotes, you can select, scale, rotate, shift and flip (mirror) objects. Cut, copy and paste are also available, including between documents, pages and other apps. SHAPES AND ARROWS Regular shapes and arrows (ideal for visual mapping); they can be drawn with the polygon tool or roughly drawn by hand and automatically converted into the exact geometric shape. SYMBOL LIBRARY Fully configurable library of reusable shapes and images. IMAGES AND IMAGE EDITING Insert images (photos) in your documents at any size and scale. Crop, mask, re-sample, edit transparency, scan-correct and deform images. Insert images and videos from camera or photo library. TYPED TEXT Enter typed text via keyboard; with a wide range of fonts and font sizes, font colours, fills and borders. Text can be entered at all zoom scales and can be selected and moved, scaled and rotated. RECORD AND PLAYBACK SOUNDS Including import and export of mp3 files. You can also insert a sound recording on the page to which it relates. Now linked to drawing. SHARE DOCUMENTS Share documents as PDF files, images, videos or ZoomNotes documents (via email, iTunes, clipboard, Dropbox, Twitter and Evernote, Airdrop, iCloud Drive and Open in. USE FOR PRESENTATIONS ZoomNotes is VGA compatible for use with projectors, monitors and AirPlay. MAGNIFICATION WINDOW Write into a zoomed in view whilst still viewing the zoomed out view. There are lots more details including videos or the app in action at www.zoom-notes.com. We respond to every email sent to support@zoom-notes.com

Screenshots

Note Taker HD4 screens
ZoomNotes4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: ZoomNotes at 4.5 against Note Taker HD's 4.0. ZoomNotes also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 4 months) and ratings volume (907 vs 139). Note Taker HD's advantage is price ($4.99 vs $7.99) and chart position (#130 vs unranked). On review sentiment, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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

Note Taker HD costs $4.99 and ZoomNotes $7.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

ZoomNotes holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: ZoomNotes has 907 ratings behind it against 139, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 84% and 84% positive.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Note Taker HD ships an update every 4 months, ZoomNotes every 3 weeks. Both last shipped on September 23, 2026.

Scorecard6 real differences · 5 level
Note Taker HD versus ZoomNotes: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterNote Taker HDZoomNotes
Price$4.99 — better$7.99
Rating4.0 (139 ratings)4.5 (907 ratings) — better
Positive reviews83.6% of reviews84.3% of reviews — better
Number of ratings139907 — better
Update frequencyEvery 4 monthsEvery 3 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidPaid
Best chart rank#130 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS17.015.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size11 MB149 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperSoftware GardenDeliverance Software Ltd

Customer experience

Note Taker HD

All ratings139 ratings
Positive73.4%
Neutral7.2%
Negative19.4%
Written reviews593 reviews
Positive83.6%
Neutral6.1%
Negative10.3%

ZoomNotes

All ratings907 ratings
Positive88.8%
Neutral4.1%
Negative7.2%
Written reviews324 reviews
Positive84.3%
Neutral5.9%
Negative9.9%

User reviews

Note Taker HD

From 139 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Fantastic app, great for engineering and customer communication
  • 👍 Text and sketching on the same page
  • 👍 Typed notes are more legible than handwritten
  • 👍 Typed text remains as editable text objects
  • 👍 Zoom window for precise drawing

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Crashes when exporting PDFs
  • 🐛 Crashes when adding photos
  • 🐛 Crashes and loses data
  • 🐛 Exporting to email not working well
  • 🔍 Interface not very intuitive, steep learning curve

ZoomNotes

From 907 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Powerful features
  • 👍 Customizable interface
  • 🖋 Smooth handwriting
  • 🗓 Calendar integration
  • 🔗 Linking capabilities

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Crashes and bugs
  • 📚 Steep learning curve
  • 🖥 Outdated user interface
  • 🔍 Cluttered menus
  • 🔀 Inconsistent page navigation

Bugs and requests

Note Taker HD

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Crashes when exporting PDFs
  • Crashes when adding photos
  • Crashes and loses data
  • Exporting to email not working well

Requested features

9 requests
  • Evernote integration
  • Ability to scroll between pages
  • Ability to underline, bold or italicize typed text
  • Ability to group objects together
  • Voice recording and clip function
Show 4 more
  • Dropbox/iCloud sync and backup
  • Ability to convert handwriting to text
  • Folders and sub-folders for better organization
  • Ability to rotate objects

ZoomNotes

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Randomly deleted text and input
  • Syncing issues with cloud storage
  • Unstable performance after updates
  • Compatibility problems with newer devices

Requested features

6 requests
  • Handwriting to text conversion
  • Improved page management
  • Smoother page transitions
  • Customizable keyboard shortcuts
  • Better integration with cloud services
Show 1 more
  • Streamlined UI design

In-app purchases

None

Note Taker HD

No in-app purchases

None

ZoomNotes

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Note Taker HD free?
Note Taker HD costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is ZoomNotes free?
ZoomNotes costs $7.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Note Taker HD or ZoomNotes?
ZoomNotes is rated higher. Note Taker HD averages 4.0 out of 5 from 139 ratings, while ZoomNotes averages 4.5 from 907 ratings.
Do Note Taker HD or ZoomNotes have ads?
Neither Note Taker HD nor ZoomNotes shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Note Taker HD or ZoomNotes?
Note Taker HD ships an update every 4 months, and ZoomNotes every 3 weeks. Most recently, Note Taker HD was updated on September 23, 2026 and ZoomNotes on September 23, 2026.

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