# Handwritten note vs Notebook

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Notebook at 72% against Handwritten note's 0%. Notebook also leads on rating (4.7 vs 1.0) and update cadence (weekly vs every 4 months). Handwritten note's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and device support (3 vs 1). On price and ads there is nothing between them.

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

Notebook holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 1.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Notebook has 14K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 0% of Handwritten note's written reviews are positive against 72% of Notebook's.

Handwritten note ships an update every 4 months, Notebook weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 10, 2026 and October 18, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Handwritten note | Notebook |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [1.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/handwritten-note/id519434272/reviews) | **[4.7 (14K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notebook-diary-and-journal-app/id654645301/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 1 | **14K** |
| Positive reviews | 0.0% of reviews | **72.5% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | **Ad-supported** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 5 MB | 25 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.6** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Kiyoshi Koike](https://appshunter.io/developer/513590141) | [Koji Ito](https://appshunter.io/developer/334329056) |

## What reviewers say

### Handwritten note

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/handwritten-note/id519434272)

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:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### Notebook

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notebook-diary-and-journal-app/id654645301)

This app offers a natural journaling experience by organizing daily notes on a single page, allowing you to flip through your entries like a physical book. It prioritizes simplicity, security with passcode locks, and seamless iCloud synchronization for easy access across devices.

**Highlights:** Realistic page-turning effect, One page per day organization, iCloud sync and backup, Passcode lock with Face ID/Touch ID, Dark mode and font adjustment, Ad-free Premium option

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove Ads | $6.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Simple and easy to use
- 🔒 Password protection
- 💡 Convenient for journaling and note-taking
- 🚀 Smooth and responsive
- 👍 Organized by date

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes or glitches
- 🚫 Unable to insert photos or attachments
- 🚫 Limited formatting options
- 🚫 No cloud sync or backup
- 🚫 Not compatible with iPad

**Reported bugs**

- Deleting entries causes the app to crash
- Long entries can cause the app to become unresponsive
- Password feature doesn't always work as expected

**Requested features**

- Add ability to insert photos and attachments
- Implement cloud sync and backup
- Allow more formatting options (font, size, color, bold, italic, etc.)
- Develop an iPad version with optimized layout
- Add a search function to easily find past entries


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Handwritten note free?

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

### Is Notebook free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Handwritten note or Notebook?

Notebook is rated higher. Handwritten note averages 1.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while Notebook averages 4.7 from 14K ratings.

### Do Handwritten note or Notebook have ads?

Both Handwritten note and Notebook show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Handwritten note or Notebook?

Handwritten note ships an update every 4 months, and Notebook weekly. Most recently, Handwritten note was updated on October 10, 2026 and Notebook on October 18, 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.*