# ZoomNotes vs Goodnotes

The clearest difference is review sentiment: ZoomNotes at 84% against Goodnotes's 34%. ZoomNotes also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 20) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 18.6). Goodnotes's advantage is price (Free vs $7.99) and ratings volume (455K vs 907). On ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Goodnotes is free to download; ZoomNotes costs $7.99 up front. Goodnotes sells 16 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. ZoomNotes asks for nothing beyond the download.

Goodnotes holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Goodnotes has 455K ratings behind it against 907, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 84% of ZoomNotes's written reviews are positive against 34% of Goodnotes's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

ZoomNotes ships an update every 3 weeks, Goodnotes weekly. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ZoomNotes | Goodnotes |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $7.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [4.5 (907 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/zoomnotes/id462234530/reviews) | **[4.7 (455K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/goodnotes-ai-notes-docs-pdf/id1444383602/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 907 | **455K** |
| Positive reviews | **84.3% of reviews** | 33.6% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Best chart rank | — | **#86** |
| Size | 149 MB | 794 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 18.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, Mac |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Deliverance Software Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/374494333) | [Goodnotes Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/1708570616) |

## What reviewers say

### ZoomNotes

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/zoomnotes/id462234530)

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:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

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

**What reviewers complain about**

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- 🖥 Outdated user interface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

**Reported bugs**

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

**Requested features**

- Handwriting to text conversion
- Improved page management
- Smoother page transitions
- Customizable keyboard shortcuts
- Better integration with cloud services


### Goodnotes

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/goodnotes-ai-notes-docs-pdf/id1444383602)

**Currently charting:** #86 Top Grossing · Productivity, #110 Top Free · Productivity (US App Store)

Capture ideas, enhance productivity, and unlock insights with advanced AI features. This app offers tools for professionals, students, and creatives, including infinite whiteboards, AI-powered transcription and summarization, and customizable digital notebooks.

**Highlights:** AI-powered transcription and summarization, Infinite whiteboard canvas, Digital notebooks with customizable templates, Study Sets for flashcards, Presentation mode with laser pointer, Real-time collaboration

**Features:** Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (16)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| AI Pass (Monthly) | $9.99 | per month |
| Goodnotes 6 (1 Year) | $9.99 | per year |
| Essential (Yearly) | $11.99 | per year |
| Essential (Yearly) | $11.99 | per year |
| Goodnotes Pro (Yearly) | $35.99 | per year |
| Bunny Oasis Stickers | Free | one-time |
| Medicine-Academia Sticker Shee | Free | one-time |
| Goodnotes 6 Free Trial | Free | one-time |
| Marketplace Content | $1.99 | one-time |
| Marketplace Content | $6.99 | one-time |
| Marketplace Content | $8.99 | one-time |
| GoodNotes 5 Unlock | $9.99 | one-time |
| Marketplace Content | $9.99 | one-time |
| Marketplace Content | $10.99 | one-time |
| Goodnotes 6 One-Time Payment | $28.99 | one-time |
| Special Edition | $35.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Excellent note-taking experience
- 👍 Intuitive and user-friendly interface
- 🚀 Smooth writing with Apple Pencil
- 📁 Powerful organization with folders and notebooks
- 🖼️ Ability to annotate PDFs and documents

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Glitches and crashes
- 🔍 Syncing and iCloud issues
- 🔍 Lack of flexibility with text input
- 🔍 Limited eraser and highlighting options
- 🔍 Subpar performance on Mac app

**Reported bugs**

- Text box issues - unable to edit, resize, or move properly
- Handwriting recognition problems, especially with cursive
- Unreliable scrolling and page navigation
- Inconsistent behavior when using the zoom feature

**Requested features**

- Add bullet point and formatting options for typed text
- Implement a full-screen writing mode
- Improve the straight line and shape tools
- Integrate audio recording and synchronization
- Allow more customization of the toolbar and interface


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ZoomNotes free?

ZoomNotes costs $7.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Goodnotes free?

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

### Which has better reviews, ZoomNotes or Goodnotes?

Goodnotes is rated higher. ZoomNotes averages 4.5 out of 5 from 907 ratings, while Goodnotes averages 4.7 from 455K ratings.

### Do ZoomNotes or Goodnotes have ads?

Neither ZoomNotes nor Goodnotes shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, ZoomNotes or Goodnotes?

ZoomNotes ships an update every 3 weeks, and Goodnotes weekly. Most recently, ZoomNotes was updated on September 23, 2026 and Goodnotes on September 24, 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.*