# ZoomNotes vs Zavala

The clearest difference is price: Zavala at Free against ZoomNotes's $7.99. Zavala also leads on rating (4.8 vs 4.5). ZoomNotes's advantage is ratings volume (907 vs 68) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 26.0). On review sentiment, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Zavala is free to download; ZoomNotes costs $7.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Zavala holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: ZoomNotes has 907 ratings behind it against 68, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 84% of ZoomNotes's written reviews are positive against 88% of Zavala's.

ZoomNotes ships an update every 3 weeks, Zavala every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 12, 2026 and October 8, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ZoomNotes | Zavala |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $7.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [4.5 (907 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/zoomnotes/id462234530/reviews) | **[4.8 (68 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/zavala/id1546457750/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **907** | 68 |
| Positive reviews | 84.0% of reviews | **87.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free** |
| Size | 149 MB | 19 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 26.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, Mac |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Deliverance Software Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/374494333) | [Vincode, Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1434335357) |

## 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


### Zavala

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/zavala/id1546457750)

This app offers a modern approach to outlining, providing a full suite of features. It supports gestures, keyboard shortcuts, and multiple windows for efficient organization and content creation. Easily import and export in various formats, sync across devices, and customize your outlining experience.

**Highlights:** OPML Import & Export, Markdown Export, iCloud Syncing & Sharing, Nested Tags, Image Embedding, Keyboard Shortcuts, Drag and Drop

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ZoomNotes free?

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

### Is Zavala free?

Zavala is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

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

Zavala is rated higher. ZoomNotes averages 4.5 out of 5 from 907 ratings, while Zavala averages 4.8 from 68 ratings.

### Do ZoomNotes or Zavala have ads?

Neither ZoomNotes nor Zavala shows ads.

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

ZoomNotes ships an update every 3 weeks, and Zavala every 2 weeks. Most recently, ZoomNotes was updated on October 12, 2026 and Zavala on October 8, 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.*