Comparison

Microsoft Word vs Freenotes®

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

Head to head
About

Microsoft Word

Create, edit, and share documents on your mobile device. This powerful word processor offers templates, formatting tools, and collaborative features to help you write impactful text documents, resumes, and more. Your office moves with you, allowing for seamless editing and sharing from anywhere.

Highlights
  • Create and edit documents
  • Modern templates
  • Rich formatting and layout options
  • Reading view
  • Collaborate with comments
  • Version history
  • Simplified sharing
Read full description

Send, open and edit Office files from your mobile with the full power of Microsoft’s word-processing tools. Whether you're a writer, freelancer, student or project manager, Word moves with you. Enhance your writing with Copilot in Word when signed in with your Microsoft 365 subscription.* Draft, edit, collaborate, and share with confidence – anytime, anywhere. Create impactful blogs, proposals, CVs, branding materials and more. Customise every document with rich formatting options and professionally designed templates. Create Documents • Kick-start projects with templates for letters, CVs, scripts, proposals, invoices and more • Use robust formatting and layout tools to express ideas clearly • Maintain a polished look across all your devices Read, Write and Edit Anywhere • Edit long documents, letters and scripts on your device with familiar writing tools • Open attachments with the built in viewer • Convert PDFs to Word for quick editing Collaborate and Share • Leave comments directly next to relevant text • Work with others in real time and track layout or formatting changes • Use version history to view and restore previous drafts Simplified Sharing • Invite others to edit or view in just a few taps • Manage permissions and see who’s active in the document • Copy formatted content into emails or attach your files instantly AI Assistance with Copilot* • Draft CVs, polish proposals and organise ideas in seconds • Summarise, refine and format content instantly • Get intelligent suggestions to make your writing clear and compelling *Unlock the full Microsoft 365 experience with a qualifying subscription on phone, tablet, PC or Mac. Microsoft 365 subscriptions purchased in app will be charged to your App Store account and automatically renew unless auto renew is turned off 24 hours before the billing period ends. Manage your subscription in your App Store account settings. Subscriptions cannot be cancelled during the active period. This app may be provided by Microsoft or a third party publisher and is subject to its own privacy statement and terms. Data may be transferred to, stored and processed in the United States or other regions where Microsoft or its affiliates operate. EULA: http://aka.ms/eula

About

Freenotes®

This AI-powered digital notepad transforms your device into an intelligent workspace. It offers handwriting recognition, PDF annotation, and AI assistance for summarizing documents, answering questions, and aiding in study. Organize notes, sketch ideas, and sync across devices for a seamless paperless experience.

Highlights
  • AI Summaries and Chat with PDFs
  • AI Homework and Study Helper
  • Handwritten Note Organization
  • OCR Search and PDF Annotation
  • Infinite Canvas and Shape Recognition
  • Active Recall Tape and Flashcards
  • Picture-in-Picture Video Note-Taking
Features
Read full description

Freenotes: Freedom to write, organize, and shine Transform your iPad into a powerful AI-driven digital notepad. Freenotes is an all-in-one workspace designed for students and professionals who want the natural feel of handwriting with the power of artificial intelligence. Whether you are annotating a complex PDF, planning your week, or recording a lecture, Freenotes helps you stay organized with seamless, free-form experience. AI Summary Quickly find key points and action items from long recordings or documents. AI Chat with PDF Ask questions directly to your imported files to get instant answers. AI Homework Helper Take a screenshot or upload a document (PDF or photo) to instantly get answers. AI Study Companion Clarify concepts, define terms, and check your handwritten notes for accuracy, turning passive review into active recall. Organize Notes Categorize and organize your notes by projects, courses, or topics, automating the organization of your note library. Quick Search via OCR Search through your handwritten scripts easily using accurate text recognition. PDF Annotation Highlight, underline, and add comments to documents with custom pen styles. Infinite Canvas Sketch ideas or mind map on a whiteboard that expands as you work. Apple Pencil Pro Support Experience low-latency writing that feels like real paper. Shape Recognition Turn rough drawings into clean, perfect geometric shapes for diagrams. Hyperlink Support Navigate through digital planners using clickable internal and external links. Active Recall Tape Hide specific parts of your notes to test your memory and study better. Paper Templates Access various backgrounds including grid, Cornell, and dotted paper. Flashcards Build study sets directly from your pages to help with exam prep. Seamless Video Learning Use Picture-in-Picture (PiP) to take notes while watching online videos (YouTube, lecture recordings), and instantly capture relevant screenshots directly into your notes. iCloud & Google Drive Sync Securely back up your digital notebook to access your data anywhere. Who is Freenotes For? Students: Create study guides, annotate lecture slides, and use the "Active Recall" tape tool for exam prep. Professionals: Record meetings, organize projects into folders, and sign PDF documents on the go. Creatives: Sketch ideas on an infinite whiteboard and export high-quality files to share with your team. Join over 1 million happy users transitioning to a smarter, paperless future. Try Freenotes today and experience the next era of AI note-taking. Privacy Policy: https://www.freenotetech.com/policy/ Terms of Service: https://www.freenotetech.com/terms/

Screenshots

Microsoft Word4 screens
Freenotes®4 screens

Verdict

The call

Microsoft Word and Freenotes® both sit at 4.7 stars, but that hides the real split: 60% of Freenotes®'s written reviews are positive against 37% of Microsoft Word's. Freenotes® also leads on iOS requirement (15.5 vs 18.0). Microsoft Word's advantage is ratings volume (3M vs 61K) and chart position (#15 vs unranked). On price, rating, update cadence and ads 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. Microsoft Word sells 12 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month and Freenotes® sells 18 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Microsoft Word against 4.7 for Freenotes®. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Microsoft Word has 3M ratings behind it against 61K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 37% of Microsoft Word's written reviews are positive against 60% of Freenotes®'s.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly weekly. Both last shipped on September 25, 2026.

Scorecard4 real differences · 7 level
Microsoft Word versus Freenotes®: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMicrosoft WordFreenotes®
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (3M ratings) — better4.7 (61K ratings)
Positive reviews36.9% of reviews59.5% of reviews — better
Number of ratings3M — better61K
Update frequencyWeeklyWeekly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank#15 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Vision ProiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS18.015.5 — better
Further details — not scored
Size527 MB704 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMicrosoft CorporationFree Notes AI Note Taker LTD

Customer experience

Microsoft Word

All ratings2,983,486 ratings
Positive93.7%
Neutral2.4%
Negative3.9%
Written reviews4,808 reviews
Positive36.9%
Neutral7.0%
Negative56.1%

Freenotes®

All ratings60,756 ratings
Positive92.0%
Neutral2.9%
Negative5.1%
Written reviews2,345 reviews
Positive59.5%
Neutral5.6%
Negative34.9%

User reviews

Microsoft Word

From 3M App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Seamless sync between devices
  • 📝 Great for writing and editing
  • 🔒 Secure document storage
  • 💡 Helpful for school and work

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Frequent crashes and data loss
  • ⏱️ Laggy and slow performance
  • 💰 Expensive subscription required
  • 🤔 Limited functionality compared to desktop

Freenotes®

From 61K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Completely free app with no ads or in-app purchases
  • 👍 Intuitive and user-friendly interface
  • 📚 Comprehensive note-taking features (layers, templates, stickers, etc.)
  • 🎨 Highly customizable (colors, fonts, covers, etc.)
  • 🗂️ Excellent organization tools (folders, notebooks, etc.)

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Occasional issues with syncing and iCloud backup
  • 🖌️ Limited customization options for pen/pencil settings
  • 🔍 Lack of handwriting recognition and search
  • 🔗 No support for external links or clickable content
  • 🔀 Difficulty in rearranging or splitting notebooks

Bugs and requests

Microsoft Word

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Inconsistent saving and syncing between devices
  • Cursor positioning issues when editing text
  • Formatting problems when importing documents
  • Unreliable text selection and highlighting

Requested features

4 requests
  • Improved mouse/trackpad support
  • Built-in citation and bibliography tools
  • More customization options for formatting
  • Ability to edit documents offline

Freenotes®

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Occasional freezing or lagging when writing/drawing
  • Issues with the shape recognition tool not working as expected
  • Problems with the eraser tool not functioning properly

Requested features

5 requests
  • Add handwriting recognition and search functionality
  • Improve iCloud sync and backup capabilities
  • Expand pen/pencil customization options
  • Implement support for external links and clickable content
  • Introduce features for easier notebook organization and splitting

In-app purchases

12 purchases

Microsoft Word

Subscriptions12
  • Office 365 Personal1 Month trial$5.991 Month
  • Office 365 Personal1 Month trial$6.991 Month
  • Office 365 Home1 Month trial$9.991 Month
Show 9 more
  • Microsoft 365 Personal1 Month trial$9.991 Month
  • Microsoft 365 Personal Student1 Month trial$9.991 Month
  • Microsoft 365 Family1 Month trial$12.991 Month
  • Microsoft 365 Premium Monthly1 Month trial$19.991 Month
  • Microsoft Copilot Pro$20.001 Month
  • Office 365 Personal$69.991 Year
  • Office 365 Home$99.991 Year
  • Microsoft 365 Personal1 Month trial$99.991 Year
  • Microsoft 365 Family1 Month trial$129.991 Year
18 purchases

Freenotes®

Subscriptions11
  • Freenotes Weekly Plus Member$1.997 Days
  • Freenotes Weekly Pro Member$6.997 Days
  • Premium Freenotes AI Weekly7 Days trial$6.997 Days
Show 8 more
  • Freenotes Yearly Plus Member$9.991 Year
  • Freenotes Yearly Plus Member1 Year trial2 variants$9.991 Year
  • Monthly Pro Member Promotion1 Month trial$19.991 Month
  • Freenotes Monthly Pro Member$19.991 Month
  • Premium Freenotes AI Monthly1 Month trial$19.991 Month
  • Freenotes Yearly Pro Member1 Year trial$39.991 Year
  • Yearly Pro Member Discount1 Year trial$39.991 Year
  • Freenotes Yearly Pro Member$39.991 Year
One-time7
  • Marketplace Content$1.99
  • Marketplace Content$2.99
  • Marketplace Content$3.99
Show 4 more
  • Marketplace Content$9.99
  • Marketplace Content$10.99
  • Freenotes Remove Ads$29.99
  • Freenotes Plus Member Lifetime$29.99

Questions

Is Microsoft Word free?
Microsoft Word is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Freenotes® free?
Freenotes® is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Microsoft Word or Freenotes®?
Microsoft Word is rated higher. Microsoft Word averages 4.7 out of 5 from 3M ratings, while Freenotes® averages 4.7 from 61K ratings.
Do Microsoft Word or Freenotes® have ads?
Neither Microsoft Word nor Freenotes® shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Microsoft Word or Freenotes®?
Microsoft Word ships an update weekly, and Freenotes® weekly. Most recently, Microsoft Word was updated on September 25, 2026 and Freenotes® on September 25, 2026.

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