# Trout vs AxNote

The clearest difference is rating: Trout at 4.8 against AxNote's 4.3. Trout also leads on iOS requirement (18.6 vs 26.0). AxNote's advantage is monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases) and update cadence (every 2 months vs every 5 months). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Trout sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.49 per 2 months and AxNote sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Trout holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 4 and 7 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 33% of Trout's written reviews are positive against 50% of AxNote's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Trout ships an update every 5 months, AxNote every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and September 19, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Trout | AxNote |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/trout/id384470167/reviews)** | [4.3 (7 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/axnote-note-taking/id1532017999/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 4 | **7** |
| Positive reviews | 33.3% of reviews | **50.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | **Every 2 months** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 51 MB | 9 MB |
| Requires iOS | **18.6** | 26.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, Mac, Vision Pro** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Digital-Dirtbag](https://appshunter.io/developer/384470170) | [Jonathan Benjamin](https://appshunter.io/developer/1667195856) |

## What reviewers say

### Trout

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/trout/id384470167)

This app helps you organize thoughts and ideas non-linearly using words and images. You can categorize concepts with color and shape, and enhance your maps with sketches and photos. Share your organized ideas as images or PDFs, or export them in OPML or markdown formats.

**Highlights:** Associate words and images, Organize ideas non-linearly, Categorize by color and shape, Add sketches and photos, Share as image or PDF, Export OPML or markdown, Freeform or automatic layout

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 60 Day subscription | $2.49 | per 2 months |
| Free trial | Free | one-time |
| Lifetime Purchase | $3.99 | one-time |


### AxNote

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/axnote-note-taking/id1532017999)

This app offers an intelligent canvas for note-taking, allowing users to generate summaries from text, handwriting, and audio recordings. It supports image annotation, data visualization with tables and charts, and handwriting conversion to typed text. Designed for Apple Pencil, it provides flexible layouts and on-device AI features.

**Highlights:** AI-powered summaries from text, handwriting, and audio, Audio transcription and topic exploration, Image and PDF annotation, Data visualization with tables and charts, Handwriting to typed text conversion, Apple Pencil integration, Customizable layouts

**Features:** Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| AxNote+ | $24.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Trout free?

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

### Is AxNote free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Trout or AxNote?

Trout is rated higher. Trout averages 4.8 out of 5 from 4 ratings, while AxNote averages 4.3 from 7 ratings.

### Do Trout or AxNote have ads?

Neither Trout nor AxNote shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Trout or AxNote?

Trout ships an update every 5 months, and AxNote every 2 months. Most recently, Trout was updated on September 22, 2026 and AxNote on September 19, 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.*