# pdf vs Note!

The clearest difference is rating: Note! at 4.7 against pdf's 3.3. Note! also leads on ratings volume (1K vs 22) and device support (3 vs 1). pdf's advantage is update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 13 months). On price, review sentiment, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. pdf sells 3 one-off in-app purchases and Note! sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Note! holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Note! has 1K ratings behind it against 22, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 68% of pdf's written reviews are positive against 61% of Note!'s, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

pdf ships an update every 3 weeks, Note! every 13 months. The most recent releases landed on September 3, 2026 and September 13, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | pdf | Note! |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.3 (22 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-notes-for-ipad-ads/id391487223/reviews) | **[4.7 (1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/note/id1446333652/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 22 | **1K** |
| Positive reviews | **68.3% of reviews** | 61.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 13 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 141 MB | 5 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [AMuseTec Co., Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/342152781) | [RIEU Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/446267401) |

## What reviewers say

### pdf

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-notes-for-ipad-ads/id391487223)

Manage and annotate PDF files on your iPad with fast page turning and intuitive finger-writing. Easily import PDFs, organize them into bookshelves, and export annotated versions via email. Features include zoom, cropping, and multiple pen options.

**Highlights:** Fast page turning and scanning, Intuitive finger-writing and annotation, Easy PDF import via Dropbox, Email, iTunes, Categorized bookshelves with search, Export annotated PDFs via email, Pinch zoom and crop page margins

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 2-Month Pass | $0.99 | one-time |
| 1-Year Pass | $4.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime License | $9.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Intuitive and easy to use
- 🚀 Fast and responsive
- 💡 Great annotation tools
- 🔒 Secure and reliable
- 📚 Excellent for students and academics

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes and stability issues
- 💸 Expensive paid version
- 📤 Difficulty exporting annotated PDFs
- 🔍 Lack of search functionality
- 🖍️ Inconsistent behavior of highlighting and erasing

**Reported bugs**

- Annotated PDFs losing data during export
- Crashes after recent app updates
- Inconsistent behavior when switching between apps
- Incorrect page numbering and navigation

**Requested features**

- Add text typing and editing capabilities
- Implement a table of contents feature
- Improve integration with cloud storage services
- Allow custom organization of PDF files
- Enhance the note-taking experience


### Note!

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/note/id1446333652)

This app offers a minimalist approach to note-taking, focusing on speed and simplicity. It allows for quick plain text entries, organized by modification date, with options for text resizing and passcode protection for privacy.

**Highlights:** Quick plain text notes, Sorted by latest modified, Pinch to zoom text size, Set passcode to lock notes

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove Ads | $3.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Simple and straightforward
- 🚀 Efficient note-taking
- 💡 Useful for quick notes and ideas
- 👍 Clean and clutter-free interface

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent and intrusive ads
- 🔒 Lack of backup/export functionality
- 🔒 No option to remove ads
- 🐛 Distracting pop-ups

**Reported bugs**

- Ads disrupt note-taking experience
- Inability to delete old notes
- Lack of printing functionality

**Requested features**

- Add iCloud sync and backup
- Implement a paid, ad-free version
- Allow for note organization and sorting
- Improve text formatting and editing capabilities


## Frequently asked questions

### Is pdf free?

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

### Is Note! free?

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

### Which has better reviews, pdf or Note!?

Note! is rated higher. pdf averages 3.3 out of 5 from 22 ratings, while Note! averages 4.7 from 1K ratings.

### Do pdf or Note! have ads?

Both pdf and Note! show ads.

### Which is updated more often, pdf or Note!?

pdf ships an update every 3 weeks, and Note! every 13 months. Most recently, pdf was updated on September 3, 2026 and Note! on September 13, 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.*