# ZoomNotes Lite vs MarginNote 3

The clearest difference is rating: MarginNote 3 at 4.7 against ZoomNotes Lite's 4.2. MarginNote 3 also leads on ratings volume (5K vs 214) and iOS requirement (11.2 vs 15.6). ZoomNotes Lite's advantage is update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 6 weeks). On price, review sentiment, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. ZoomNotes Lite sells 10 one-off in-app purchases and MarginNote 3 sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

MarginNote 3 holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: MarginNote 3 has 5K ratings behind it against 214, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 72% of ZoomNotes Lite's written reviews are positive against 75% of MarginNote 3's.

ZoomNotes Lite ships an update every 3 weeks, MarginNote 3 every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 18, 2026 and October 19, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ZoomNotes Lite | MarginNote 3 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.2 (214 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/zoomnotes-lite/id621255925/reviews) | **[4.7 (5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/marginnote-3/id1348317163/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 214 | **5K** |
| Positive reviews | 72.0% of reviews | **74.6% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 6 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 151 MB | 392 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **11.2** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Deliverance Software Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/374494333) | [Beijing Yunsi Software Technology Co., Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/723205556) |

## What reviewers say

### ZoomNotes Lite

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/zoomnotes-lite/id621255925)

This app allows for handwritten notes and sketches on various digital documents, including PDFs and Office files. It offers unlimited zooming, customizable paper styles, and extensive sharing options. Additional features and pen types are available through in-app purchases.

**Highlights:** Unlimited zoom and panning, Handwritten notes and sketches, Markup PDFs and Office documents, Customizable paper sizes and styles, Extensive document sharing options, Digital planning with calendar integration

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

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Highlighter pen | $0.99 | one-time |
| Text | $0.99 | one-time |
| Images | $0.99 | one-time |
| Bookmarks | $0.99 | one-time |
| Sounds | $0.99 | one-time |
| Sub-documents | $0.99 | one-time |
| Tables | $0.99 | one-time |
| Workspaces | $1.99 | one-time |
| All Pens | $2.99 | one-time |
| All features | $7.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Versatile and feature-rich
- 👍 Smooth handwriting experience
- 💡 Powerful customization options
- 🚀 Seamless PDF annotation
- 👍 Reliable syncing and backup

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes and glitches
- 👎 Confusing and outdated user interface
- 🐛 Inconsistent pen and eraser behavior
- 👎 Limited free version functionality

**Reported bugs**

- Syncing issues leading to document conflicts
- Random lines and dots appearing on the page
- Disappearing handwritten notes after saving
- Inability to unlock paid features after purchase

**Requested features**

- Improved text editing and formatting
- Easier organization with better folder management
- More tutorials and documentation
- Ability to recover accidentally deleted notes


### MarginNote 3

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/marginnote-3/id1348317163)

This app redefines studying by integrating e-reading with powerful annotation, mind mapping, and flashcard tools. Organize knowledge, connect ideas with hashtags, and enhance memory retention through spaced repetition. It offers a seamless workflow across multiple documents and devices.

**Highlights:** Integrated PDF/EPUB reader, Advanced annotation tools, Mind mapping and outline organization, Flashcard creation and Anki export, Multi-document support, Handwriting and Apple Pencil support, OCR for scanned PDFs

**Features:** Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| OCR Pro (Monthly) | $0.99 | per month |
| OCR Pro (Annually) | $9.49 | per year |
| 14 days Free Trial | Free | one-time |
| Unlock Full | $12.99 | one-time |
| Upgrade to Full | $12.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Powerful and efficient for studying and research
- 👍 Excellent mind mapping and note-taking features
- 💡 Unique and innovative functionality like video annotation
- 🚀 Handles large volumes of documents and notes well
- 👍 Useful for organizing and synthesizing information from multiple sources

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and stability issues
- 👎 Steep learning curve and lack of comprehensive documentation
- 👎 Unreliable cloud syncing between devices
- 👎 Cluttered and unintuitive user interface in some areas
- 🐛 Bugs and glitches with certain features like handwriting and OCR

**Reported bugs**

- Syncing issues causing data loss across devices
- Crashes and freezes when working with large documents
- Inconsistent behavior with highlighting, erasing, and text formatting
- OCR not functioning reliably for non-Latin scripts
- Difficulty managing and organizing large document libraries

**Requested features**

- Improved export options and ability to share projects
- Better integration with other productivity apps like Anki
- More customization options for mind maps and annotations
- Smoother handwriting experience and better palm rejection
- Support for more file formats like PowerPoint


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ZoomNotes Lite free?

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

### Is MarginNote 3 free?

MarginNote 3 is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, ZoomNotes Lite or MarginNote 3?

MarginNote 3 is rated higher. ZoomNotes Lite averages 4.2 out of 5 from 214 ratings, while MarginNote 3 averages 4.7 from 5K ratings.

### Do ZoomNotes Lite or MarginNote 3 have ads?

Neither ZoomNotes Lite nor MarginNote 3 shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, ZoomNotes Lite or MarginNote 3?

ZoomNotes Lite ships an update every 3 weeks, and MarginNote 3 every 6 weeks. Most recently, ZoomNotes Lite was updated on October 18, 2026 and MarginNote 3 on October 19, 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.*