# LessonNote vs Planbook Mobile

The clearest difference is monetization model: LessonNote at free with in-app purchases against Planbook Mobile's subscription. LessonNote also leads on review sentiment (65% vs 51%). Planbook Mobile's advantage is ratings volume (7.2K vs 10) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 17.6). On price, rating, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. LessonNote sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $29.99 per 3 months and Planbook Mobile sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for LessonNote against 4.8 for Planbook Mobile. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Planbook Mobile has 7.2K ratings behind it against 10, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 65% of LessonNote's written reviews are positive against 51% of Planbook Mobile's.

LessonNote ships an update monthly, Planbook Mobile every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 1, 2026 and October 12, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | LessonNote | Planbook Mobile |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (10 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lessonnote/id507466065/reviews) | **[4.8 (7.2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/planbook-mobile/id1502332358/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 10 | **7.2K** |
| Positive reviews | **65.2% of reviews** | 50.6% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Monthly** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Subscription |
| Size | 62 MB | 83 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.6 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Lesson Study Alliance](https://appshunter.io/developer/507466068) | [Planbook Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/671763637) |

## What reviewers say

### LessonNote

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lessonnote/id507466065)

This tool helps educators document classroom lessons by tracking student interactions, capturing notes, and recording time spent in various learning modalities. It facilitates data-driven conversations to improve teaching and learning outcomes.

**Highlights:** Track student interactions and conversation duration, Record handwritten notes and observations, Capture photos of student work, Measure time spent in different learning modalities, Review data for student-focused discussions, Ideal for peer observation and coaching

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing, Apple Wallet, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 3 Months of Pro | $29.99 | per 3 months |
| 6 Months of Pro | $44.99 | per 6 months |
| 1 Year Pro | $64.99 | per year |
| 6-month LessonNote Pro subscription | $89.99 | one-time |
| 1-year LessonNote Pro subscription | $149.99 | one-time |
| 2-year LessonNote Pro subscription | $249.99 | one-time |


### Planbook Mobile

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/planbook-mobile/id1502332358)

This is a comprehensive online lesson planning tool designed for educators. It offers a wide array of features, meticulous student learning standards, and excellent support. A free trial is available to experience its capabilities.

**Highlights:** Comprehensive lesson planning, Meticulous student learning standards, Extensive features for educators, Outstanding support and tutorials, Continuous improvement based on feedback

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1-Year Planbook Subscription | $20.00 | one-time |
| 2-Year Planbook Subscription | $36.00 | one-time |
| 3-Year Planbook Subscription | $48.00 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Time-saving program
- 👍 Helpful for both homeschool and school teachers
- 👍 Allows for easy sharing and organization of lessons
- 👍 Useful for adapting to changes like snow days

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Events/features not working in app
- 🐛 Google sign-in not working on app
- 🐛 Buggy and unreliable, crashes frequently
- 🐛 Copy/paste feature not working as expected
- 🐛 Inability to access Google Drive files in app

**Reported bugs**

- Unable to add school year dates
- Login page issues (keyboard blocking screen)
- Inability to use Gmail account for sign-up
- Lesson plans deleted without explanation

**Requested features**

- Add copy and paste feature
- Improve mobile app experience (e.g., biometric login, portrait mode)
- Enhance integration with other platforms (e.g., Canvas)


## Frequently asked questions

### Is LessonNote free?

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

### Is Planbook Mobile free?

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

### Which has better reviews, LessonNote or Planbook Mobile?

Planbook Mobile is rated higher. LessonNote averages 4.7 out of 5 from 10 ratings, while Planbook Mobile averages 4.8 from 7.2K ratings.

### Do LessonNote or Planbook Mobile have ads?

Neither LessonNote nor Planbook Mobile shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, LessonNote or Planbook Mobile?

LessonNote ships an update monthly, and Planbook Mobile every 2 months. Most recently, LessonNote was updated on October 1, 2026 and Planbook Mobile on October 12, 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.*