# EssentialPIM vs Amplenote

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Amplenote at 78% against EssentialPIM's 21%. Amplenote also leads on rating (4.6 vs 2.6) and update cadence (weekly vs every 2 months). EssentialPIM's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 11) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 15.4). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Amplenote sells 11 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per month. EssentialPIM asks for nothing beyond the download.

Amplenote holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 2.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Amplenote has 492 ratings behind it against 12, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 21% of EssentialPIM's written reviews are positive against 78% of Amplenote's.

EssentialPIM ships an update every 2 months, Amplenote weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 6, 2026 and October 18, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | EssentialPIM | Amplenote |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [2.6 (12 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/essentialpim/id537150179/reviews) | **[4.6 (492 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/amplenote/id1436769674/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 12 | **492** |
| Positive reviews | 21.1% of reviews | **78.3% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 15 MB | 55 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 15.4 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Astonsoft](https://appshunter.io/developer/397928091) | [Alloy.dev, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/969793516) |

## What reviewers say

### EssentialPIM

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/essentialpim/id537150179)

Manage your personal information with this comprehensive organizer. It handles calendars, tasks, contacts, and passwords, with seamless synchronization across devices and platforms. Organize tasks hierarchically and securely store sensitive data.

**Highlights:** Calendar management, Task management with hierarchical structure, Contact organization, Secure password storage, Synchronization with Windows version, Synchronization with Google Tasks

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Amplenote

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/amplenote/id1436769674)

This app offers a secure and flexible way to manage notes and tasks. It features rich footnotes, bi-directional linking, and robust sharing options, all while prioritizing data security and seamless syncing across devices. Organize your thoughts and to-dos efficiently with customizable features and offline access.

**Highlights:** Vault encrypted notes, Seamless syncing across devices, Rich footnotes with mixed media, Integrated notes and tasks, Bi-directional linking, Note tagging and organization, Offline access

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (11)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Basic Plan - Monthly | $7.99 | per month |
| Pro Plan - Monthly | $7.99 | per month |
| Ample Agent Pro - Monthly | $7.99 | per month |
| Pro Plan - Monthly | $11.99 | per month |
| Unlimited Plan - Monthly | $11.99 | per month |
| Founder Plan - Monthly | $24.99 | per month |
| Basic Plan - Yearly | $69.99 | per year |
| Pro Plan - Yearly | $69.99 | per year |
| Pro Plan - Yearly | $119.99 | per year |
| Unlimited Plan - Yearly | $119.99 | per year |
| Founder Plan - Yearly | $239.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Game Changer
- 🚀 Powerful Task Management
- 👍 Intuitive Workflow
- 👍 Excellent Note-Taking
- 👍 Great Calendar Integration

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Accessibility Issues
- 🐛 Bugs and Glitches
- 👎 Steep Learning Curve
- 👎 Subpar iPad Experience
- 👎 Lacking Dark Mode

**Reported bugs**

- App freezing and crashing
- Widgets not working on iOS
- Calendar integration issues
- Task pane glitches on iPad

**Requested features**

- Ability to increase text size
- Improved search functionality
- Kanban-style task management
- Handwriting and drawing support
- Customizable calendar views


## Frequently asked questions

### Is EssentialPIM free?

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

### Is Amplenote free?

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

### Which has better reviews, EssentialPIM or Amplenote?

Amplenote is rated higher. EssentialPIM averages 2.6 out of 5 from 12 ratings, while Amplenote averages 4.6 from 492 ratings.

### Do EssentialPIM or Amplenote have ads?

Neither EssentialPIM nor Amplenote shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, EssentialPIM or Amplenote?

EssentialPIM ships an update every 2 months, and Amplenote weekly. Most recently, EssentialPIM was updated on October 6, 2026 and Amplenote 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.*