# Design Fee vs Notesnook

The clearest difference is update cadence: Notesnook at every 8 days against Design Fee's every 8 months. Notesnook also leads on ratings volume (688 vs 1) and iOS requirement (15.6 vs 26.2). Design Fee's advantage is monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases) and rating (5.0 vs 4.7). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Design Fee sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Notesnook sells 17 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Design Fee holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Notesnook has 688 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 100% of Design Fee's written reviews are positive against 79% of Notesnook's.

Design Fee ships an update every 8 months, Notesnook every 8 days. Both last shipped on October 29, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Design Fee | Notesnook |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/design-fee/id527161043/reviews)** | [4.7 (688 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notesnook-private-notepad/id1544027013/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 1 | **688** |
| Positive reviews | **100.0% of reviews** | 78.9% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 8 months | **Every 8 days** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 3 MB | 82 MB |
| Requires iOS | 26.2 | **15.6** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [John Lein](https://appshunter.io/developer/504182228) | [Streetwriters LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1536533660) |

## What reviewers say

### Design Fee

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/design-fee/id527161043)

Streamline your design fee calculations with this powerful tool. Generate professional PDF estimates, manage job details visually, and utilize advanced calculators for materials and labor. Syncs seamlessly across iOS devices via iCloud.

**Highlights:** CloudKit integration for cross-device sync, Card-based job management with visual identification, Expandable project summary sections, Professional PDF estimate generation, Email integration for client communication, Advanced material and labor calculators, Customizable pricing and cost controls

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium Access | $2.99 | one-time |


### Notesnook

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notesnook-private-notepad/id1544027013)

This open-source app offers secure, encrypted note-taking and organization across all your devices. It features a robust editor, to-do lists, and a private journal with advanced security to protect your personal information.

**Highlights:** Military-grade encryption, Cross-platform synchronization, To-do lists and task management, Private journal with media support, Rich text and Markdown editor, Notebook organization, App lock with fingerprint support

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (17)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Notesnook Pro | $0.99 | per month |
| Notesnook Essential Plan | $1.99 | per month |
| Notesnook Pro | $2.49 | per month |
| Notesnook Pro Plan | $2.99 | per month |
| Notesnook Pro | $4.49 | per month |
| Notesnook Pro | $4.49 | per month |
| Notesnook Pro Plan | $6.99 | per month |
| Notesnook Believer Plan | $8.99 | per month |
| Notesnook Pro | $9.99 | per year |
| Notesnook Essential Plan | $19.99 | per year |
| Notesnook Pro | $24.99 | per year |
| Notesnook Pro Plan | $29.90 | per year |
| Notesnook Pro Yearly | $49.99 | per year |
| Notesnook Pro | $49.99 | per year |
| Notesnook Pro | $49.99 | per year |
| Notesnook Pro Plan | $69.99 | per year |
| Notesnook Believer Plan | $89.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fast and efficient
- 🔒 Secure and private
- 👍 Clean and intuitive UI
- 👍 Cross-platform compatibility
- 👍 Generous free tier

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Sync and login issues
- 🐛 Buggy and crashes
- 💰 Expensive premium tier
- 🔒 Lack of free encryption features

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes on launch on older iOS devices
- Sync issues leading to data loss
- Unreliable login and verification process

**Requested features**

- Improved search functionality
- Reminders and calendar integration
- Handwriting and drawing support
- Multilingual support
- Improved table and spreadsheet features


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Design Fee free?

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

### Is Notesnook free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Design Fee or Notesnook?

Design Fee is rated higher. Design Fee averages 5.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while Notesnook averages 4.7 from 688 ratings.

### Do Design Fee or Notesnook have ads?

Neither Design Fee nor Notesnook shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Design Fee or Notesnook?

Design Fee ships an update every 8 months, and Notesnook every 8 days. Most recently, Design Fee was updated on October 29, 2026 and Notesnook on October 29, 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.*