Comparison

ZoomNotes vs Akela+

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

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.

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
Read full description

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

About

Akela+

Features
Read full description

Akela+ is the toolkit for Cub Scout pack leaders — plan your meetings, run your calendar, organize campouts, and keep your pack's families in the loop, all from your phone. Built by a Cubmaster for the way a pack actually runs: most features work without an account, your data lives on your device, and there are no ads and no subscription. PLAN MEETINGS IN MINUTES • Build a meeting from blocks — gathering, ceremony, activity, announcements — with timing that adds up as you go • Start from a template, or browse full meeting plans shared by leaders everywhere • Libraries of ceremony scripts, activities and event runbooks, rated by the leaders who used them • Track awards to hand out, and check them off as you go RUN THE MEETING FROM YOUR PHONE • A live view walks you block by block, with what's next always in sight • The screen stays awake; timing cues keep the night on track • Share the agenda ahead of time, or a summary afterward — including a per-presenter "what I'm doing tonight" view YOUR PACK'S YEAR, ORGANIZED • A pack calendar built for scouting: den meetings, pack nights, campouts, derbies • Import your unit's calendar from Scoutbook Plus, Google Calendar, or any calendar app — re-import any time to stay in sync • Campout planning with gear checklists, tour plans and a printable packet • Communication drafts that fill in your pack's details automatically, ready to send BRING YOUR FAMILIES IN — NEW IN 2.0 • Invite families to your pack with a code or link; they get a simpler parent view • Publish a meeting and parents see the plan for the evening — never your agendas, notes or award lists • Volunteer sign-up sheets on any event, with capped spots: "Snacks, 2 needed" and two people can't both grab the last one • RSVPs on pack events, so you know your headcount before the night • Pack Chat for announcements, groups and direct messages — parents can reach a leader, and the roster is never a way to cold-message other families MADE FOR SCOUTING SAFETY • Guide to Safe Scouting quick reference built in • Scout roster stores a first name and one initial — no birthdays, no photos, and scouts never have accounts • Adults confirm they're 18+ before any feature that reaches other adults Akela+ is an independent app made by a volunteer pack leader. It is not affiliated with, sponsored by, or endorsed by Scouting America.

Screenshots

ZoomNotes4 screens
Akela+4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Akela+ at Free against ZoomNotes's $7.99. Akela+ also leads on update cadence (every 5 days vs every 3 weeks). ZoomNotes's advantage is iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.0). On ads, in-app purchases 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

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

UpkeepUpdate frequency

ZoomNotes ships an update every 3 weeks, Akela+ every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and September 18, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
ZoomNotes versus Akela+: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterZoomNotesAkela+
Price$7.99Free — better
Rating4.5 (907 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews84.3% of reviews—
Number of ratings907 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksEvery 5 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaid—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.0 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size149 MB33 MB
Age rating4+9+
DeveloperDeliverance Software LtdMichael Krejci

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
Show 1 more
  • Streamlined UI design

Akela+

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

ZoomNotes

No in-app purchases

None

Akela+

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is ZoomNotes free?
ZoomNotes costs $7.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Akela+ free?
Akela+ is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do ZoomNotes or Akela+ have ads?
Neither ZoomNotes nor Akela+ shows ads.
Which is updated more often, ZoomNotes or Akela+?
ZoomNotes ships an update every 3 weeks, and Akela+ every 5 days. Most recently, ZoomNotes was updated on September 23, 2026 and Akela+ on September 18, 2026.

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