# Pen and Paper vs ZoomNotes Lite

The clearest difference is rating: Pen and Paper at 4.4 against ZoomNotes Lite's 4.2. ZoomNotes Lite's advantage is ratings volume (214 vs 42). On price, review sentiment, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Pen and Paper sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month and ZoomNotes Lite sells 10 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Pen and Paper holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: ZoomNotes Lite has 214 ratings behind it against 42, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 70% of Pen and Paper's written reviews are positive against 72% of ZoomNotes Lite's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Pen and Paper ships an update every 5 weeks, ZoomNotes Lite every 3 weeks. Both last shipped on October 23, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Pen and Paper | ZoomNotes Lite |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.4 (42 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pen-and-paper/id425893570/reviews)** | [4.2 (214 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/zoomnotes-lite/id621255925/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 42 | **214** |
| Positive reviews | 69.7% of reviews | **72.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 50 MB | 151 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15** | 15.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Vivid Apps](https://appshunter.io/developer/291793754) | [Deliverance Software Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/374494333) |

## What reviewers say

### Pen and Paper

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pen-and-paper/id425893570)

Create handwritten notes and drawings, annotate PDFs, and add text and shapes. Zoom in for detailed editing, organize content with layers, and import custom fonts and page styles. Share your creations as PDFs or JPEGs.

**Highlights:** Handwritten notes and drawings, PDF import and annotation, Text and shape insertion, Zoom and split view, Layer management, Custom font installation, PDF export

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pen and Paper PRO monthly | $0.99 | per month |
| Pen and Paper PRO | $5.99 | per year |
| Pen and Paper PRO | $7.99 | one-time |


### ZoomNotes Lite

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/zoomnotes-lite/id621255925)

This app allows for handwritten notes and sketches on various digital documents, including PDFs and Office files. It offers unlimited zooming, customizable paper styles, and extensive sharing options. Additional features and pen types are available through in-app purchases.

**Highlights:** Unlimited zoom and panning, Handwritten notes and sketches, Markup PDFs and Office documents, Customizable paper sizes and styles, Extensive document sharing options, Digital planning with calendar integration

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

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Highlighter pen | $0.99 | one-time |
| Text | $0.99 | one-time |
| Images | $0.99 | one-time |
| Bookmarks | $0.99 | one-time |
| Sounds | $0.99 | one-time |
| Sub-documents | $0.99 | one-time |
| Tables | $0.99 | one-time |
| Workspaces | $1.99 | one-time |
| All Pens | $2.99 | one-time |
| All features | $7.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Versatile and feature-rich
- 👍 Smooth handwriting experience
- 💡 Powerful customization options
- 🚀 Seamless PDF annotation
- 👍 Reliable syncing and backup

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes and glitches
- 👎 Confusing and outdated user interface
- 🐛 Inconsistent pen and eraser behavior
- 👎 Limited free version functionality

**Reported bugs**

- Syncing issues leading to document conflicts
- Random lines and dots appearing on the page
- Disappearing handwritten notes after saving
- Inability to unlock paid features after purchase

**Requested features**

- Improved text editing and formatting
- Easier organization with better folder management
- More tutorials and documentation
- Ability to recover accidentally deleted notes


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Pen and Paper free?

Pen and Paper is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is ZoomNotes Lite free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Pen and Paper or ZoomNotes Lite?

Pen and Paper is rated higher. Pen and Paper averages 4.4 out of 5 from 42 ratings, while ZoomNotes Lite averages 4.2 from 214 ratings.

### Do Pen and Paper or ZoomNotes Lite have ads?

Neither Pen and Paper nor ZoomNotes Lite shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Pen and Paper or ZoomNotes Lite?

Pen and Paper ships an update every 5 weeks, and ZoomNotes Lite every 3 weeks. Most recently, Pen and Paper was updated on October 23, 2026 and ZoomNotes Lite on October 23, 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.*