ZoomNotes vs AxNote
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
- 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
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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
AxNote
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.
- 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
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AxNote is an intelligent canvas that thinks with you. Generate summaries from your notes and audio recordings with Apple Intelligence. Explore topics in recordings and jump to where they're discussed. Create flashcards from your notes with a single tap. Handwrite your notes and convert it to typed text. Drag and drop images, and instantly annotate on a blank canvas, lined, or grid paper. Snap perfect shapes. Create beautiful tables and charts to visualize your data. AxNote is a next-level digital note-taking experience. FEATURES Magic Summary: Generate summaries of your text, handwriting, or audio recordings using a device that supports Apple Intelligence. Summaries are perfect for catching up with meetings, revision, and for creating flashcards. Magic Summary cards can also be converted to a PDF or plain text for use in your favorite flashcard platform. Ask About Topics: Magic Summary automatically finds key topics discussed in your audio recordings and gives you summaries of those topics. You can also ask specific questions about the contents of your recording and Magic Summary will give you an answer using your recording as the source of truth. Jump To Topic: Instantly skip to the part of a recording where a specific topic is discussed with Magic Summary. No more manually scrubbing through hours of lectures or meetings. Audio Transcription: AxNote features fast, accurate audio transcription that runs directly on your device and supports languages other than English. Audio transcriptions can be added to your note or shared with others. Images, PDFs, Tables, and Charts: Drag and drop images and PDFs anywhere in a note. Images can be annotated directly over using a markup tool. Create simple tables with CSV support and link them with charts to create beautiful data visualizations. Images, tables, and charts live right alongside your handwriting and typed text. AxNote also supports Image Playground, so you can turn a prompt into an image and add it to your note (requires a device with Apple Intelligence enabled). Made for Pencil: AxNote is the perfect companion for Apple Pencil. With support for tilt and pressure sensitivity, shape snapping, Apple Pencil Hover, and handwriting-to-text, it's the only app you need to turn your ideas into beautiful ink. Layouts: Transform your iPad or iPhone into a real notebook with a selection of preset Layouts, including lined, grid, dot grid paper, and a freeform canvas. Customize your layouts with specific measurements for line and grid spacing and colors. Bookmarks: Pin what matters most in your notes. You can access your bookmarks from anywhere in a note, allowing you to jump within (and between) pages for quick access to important content. Privacy and Flexibility: With AxNote, you're in control of your data and where it's stored. Save your documents in your preferred cloud storage provider with the Files app or keep them on your device. AxNote's AI features also run directly on your Apple Intelligence-supported device, so your notes are never sent to an online service for processing or AI model training. Offline Support: AxNote's AI features (including Magic Summary and Audio Transcription) don't need an internet connection after initial setup, so you can work even when you're off the grid. --- AxNote+ - Unlimited pages - Unlimited Magic Summary usage - Customize Layouts These features are available with a one-time in-app purchase to AxNote+. Please read the Terms of Service at animantlabs.com/axnote/terms --- Need help? Please visit support.animantlabs.com/axnote Terms of Service: animantlabs.com/axnote/terms
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: AxNote at Free against ZoomNotes's $7.99. ZoomNotes's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and review sentiment (83% vs 50%). On ads and device support 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
AxNote is free to download; ZoomNotes costs $7.99 up front. AxNote sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. ZoomNotes asks for nothing beyond the download.
ZoomNotes holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: ZoomNotes has 915 ratings behind it against 7, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 83% of ZoomNotes's written reviews are positive against 50% of AxNote's.
ZoomNotes ships an update every 3 weeks, AxNote every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | ZoomNotes | AxNote |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $7.99 | Free — better |
| Rating | 4.5 (915 ratings) — better | 4.3 (7 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 83.3% of reviews — better | 50.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 915 — better | 7 |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks — better | Every 6 weeks |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Paid | Free — better |
| Best chart rank | #132 — better | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, Mac, Vision Pro — better |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 — better | 26.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 149 MB | 9 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Deliverance Software Ltd | Jonathan Benjamin |
Customer experience
ZoomNotes
AxNote
Bugs and requests
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
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- Streamlined UI design
AxNote
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
ZoomNotes
No in-app purchases
AxNote
- AxNote+$24.99









