Comparison

PocketJot vs Handwritten note

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

Head to head
About

PocketJot

Transform your iPhone or iPad into a portable notebook for quick, fun note-taking. Draw with your finger or Apple Pencil, organize notes into sections, and set reminders. Share and sync notes across devices via iCloud.

Highlights
  • Handwritten note-taking
  • Apple Pencil support
  • Note organization by sections
  • Drag and drop note reordering
  • Programmable alarms
  • iCloud synchronization
  • PDF export and email sharing
Read full description

Draw your notes on your iPhone/iPad with PocketJot! PocketJot turns your iPhone/iPad into your portable notebook. PocketJot is fast, easy to use, fun and always with you. >> USE IT AS A SMALL PAPER NOTEBOOK Have fun flipping through your notes as if they were on a small notebook. Always with you. >> EASY TO USE PocketJot is designed for everyday use, quick and fun. Just trace with your finger, at full screen on your device. Or, if you like, type a note using the keyboard. >> APPLE PENCIL On devices that support it you can use to draw, if you want, even the pencil. >> SECTIONS You can, if you want, organize your notes in various sections. You can assign a name to each section and organize the order to show the sections. >> DRAG AND DROP You can change the order of the notes within the sections. Just keep your finger pressed on a note and drag it where you want, inside the section or in another. All very easy. >> COMPLETED NOTES If a section contains various notes with things to do, as you complete them you can mark each note as 'completed'. The completed notes are displayed with a check mark. Do you have to shop? Make a 'Supermarket' section with things to take. When you go shopping, as you take them, check them out. Once finished you can hide the check for all things to be taken for the next time. >> PROGRAMMABLE ALARMS Take your notes and, if you need, mark the time when the phone or tablet will warn you: a meeting, a phone call, something to do. PocketJot will remind you to remember it! >> SHARING NOTES BETWEEN YOUR DEVICES Synchronize your notes and keep them automatically updated among all your devices. It is very simple: it does everything for itself. All you need to do is to enable synchronization in app Settings. PocketJot uses your iCloud account. >> COLOR AND DIMENSION OF PENCIL TO CHOOSE When you draw you can choose the color and the size of the stroke. PocketJot remembers for each note the last pencil you used and reuse it when you reopen the drawing if you want to change it. >> PHOTO You can import a photo of your device into the note so you can draw on it. In addition, you can save your note, with what you have drawn, among the photos of your device. >> PDF AND EMAIL If you want to send your notes you can not only export the note saved from the photos, but directly within the app, create an email with an attached pdf file of the note. >> SPLIT VIEW AND SLIDE OVER PocketJot now supports multitasking modes on devices that allow for that >> UNLIMITED NUMBER OF NOTES Do not restrain your creativity! The Premium version of the app allows for an unlimited number of notes. The trial version of the app, which can be downloaded for free, allows for a limited number of notes. Within the trial version you can purchase the Premium version to unlock the limitation. ----------------------------- Have fun with PocketJot! -----------------------------

About

Handwritten note

This app allows users to quickly jot down notes by hand with a smooth writing experience. It offers basic drawing tools like adjustable line thickness and color selection, with options to save or clear your notes.

Highlights
  • Handwritten note-taking
  • Multi-finger writing
  • Adjustable line thickness
  • Four color options
  • Save notes as images
  • Erase written lines
Features
Read full description

Draw it down the moment inspiration strikes. Handwritten Notes is a simple, no-fuss drawing and handwriting app that lets you start sketching or taking notes instantly—no setup, no learning curve. Great for * Jotting down quick handwritten notes or reminders * Sketching ideas and rough concepts * Kids’ doodling and drawing practice * Practicing line art and illustrations Key Features * 5 pen colors: Black, Red, Green, Blue, and Pink * Adjustable pen thickness with an easy-to-use slider * Eraser for quick corrections * Clear all with a single tap * Save your drawings directly to the Photos app Why You’ll Love It * No sign-up required—just install and start drawing * Clean, intuitive interface with a simple toolbar * Free to use (ad-supported) No complicated tools. No unnecessary clutter. Just a blank canvas and your ideas, ready whenever inspiration strikes.

Screenshots

PocketJot4 screens
Handwritten note2 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: PocketJot at 4.4 against Handwritten note's 1.0. PocketJot also leads on review sentiment (42% vs 0%) and ads (none vs shown). Handwritten note's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1). On price, update cadence, device support and iOS requirement 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

Both are free to download. PocketJot sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Handwritten note asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

PocketJot holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 1.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: PocketJot has 50 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 42% of PocketJot's written reviews are positive against 0% of Handwritten note's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

PocketJot ships an update every 2 months, Handwritten note every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on June 1, 2026 and September 22, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
PocketJot versus Handwritten note: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPocketJotHandwritten note
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.4 (50 ratings) — better1.0 (1 ratings)
Positive reviews42.1% of reviews — better0.0% of reviews
Number of ratings50 — better1
Update frequencyEvery 2 months — betterEvery 4 months
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesAd-supported — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.0 — better15.6
Further details — not scored
Size3 MB5 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperiStArtAppKiyoshi Koike

Customer experience

PocketJot

All ratings50 ratings
Positive88.0%
Neutral2.0%
Negative10.0%
Written reviews19 reviews
Positive42.1%
Neutral5.3%
Negative52.6%

Handwritten note

All ratings1 ratings
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral50.0%
Negative50.0%

In-app purchases

1 purchases

PocketJot

One-time1
  • PocketJot version upgrade$5.99
None

Handwritten note

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is PocketJot free?
PocketJot is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Handwritten note free?
Handwritten note is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, PocketJot or Handwritten note?
PocketJot is rated higher. PocketJot averages 4.4 out of 5 from 50 ratings, while Handwritten note averages 1.0 from 1 ratings.
Do PocketJot or Handwritten note have ads?
Handwritten note shows ads; PocketJot does not.
Which is updated more often, PocketJot or Handwritten note?
PocketJot ships an update every 2 months, and Handwritten note every 4 months. Most recently, PocketJot was updated on June 1, 2026 and Handwritten note on September 22, 2026.

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