Comparison

ZoomNotes Lite vs Charcoal

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

Head to head
About

ZoomNotes Lite

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
Read full description

ZoomNotes Lite is an iPad/iPhone visual note-taking app. It lets you quickly make handwritten notes and sketches on virtual paper, on PDF files, on MS Word, Excel and Powerpoint docs (via GoogleDrive), and over images. Uniquely, it also lets you zoom in and out without arbitrary limits, an invaluable feature for this type of app. It has a free fully functioning pen (although you will be able to try the pens too), and more available as in-app purchases. It has unlimited paper sizes/styles, unlimited colours and line thicknesses, and a large range of ways to share its documents making ZoomNotes the most versatile handwriting/drawing app. ZoomNotes Desktop for Mac now also available. ZoomNotes is much more than a replacement for your trusted paper notebook! Compatible with any capacitive stylus pen (although fingers work well too). Here some reviews of the app store of the full version- The best note taking app available! ***** by MarkNance – Version 7.1.4 – Jul 6, 2016 Don’t be put off by all its features! ***** by Stevearcher – Version 7.1.3 – May 24, 2016 Most complete Note app I’ve tried ***** by ItsDartstx – Version 7.1.3 – Apr 20, 2016 Most effective note taking app ***** by John25642 – Version 7.1.3 – Jul 7, 2016 Full featured and innovative ***** by music-major – Version 7.1.3 – May 15, 2016 Hands(writing)-down, best notepad replacement out there. ***** by Jed123zz – Version 7.1.3 – Mar 23, 2016 Free features include: -1 Pen type - Felt tip. -Huge Zoom Range and Whiteboard page style -Rotatable views -Split screen mode (edit 2 documents at once) -Digital planning with links, which can also show events and reminders from the Calendar and Reminder apps -Write over PDF file -Write over MS Word, Powerpoint and Excel files (via GoogleDrive) -Calendar events/reminders :add events linked to your documents, possibly with alarms. The URL in the event links back to the document in ZoomNotes. -Typed text- limited to a single font, fills and borders -Regular shapes and arrows -Symbol library -Select, scale, rotate and shift -Cut, copy, paste (including between documents, pages and other apps) -Write over pdf files (markup) -Configurable paper types -Intuitive folder interface for documents -Sharing as PDF files, images, videos or ZoomNotes documents (via email, iTunes, clipboard, Dropbox, Twitter and Evernote) -In app printing -VGA compatible for use with projectors, monitors and AirPlay -Universal app - iPhone and iPad -iCloud support -Geo-located documents; documents can be optionally geo-located and viewed as pins on a map. -Layers let you control what is visible on a page, also options for 'master layers' which show on all pages. In app purchases features include: -7 extra Pen types, including Italic, Gel, Nib, Pencil and Watercolour. -Sub-pages (pages within pages within...) -Typed text- fully configurable fonts, colours, fills and borders -Unlimited colours and line styles -Bookmarks with animated playback -Insert images from camera or photo library -Insert web pages -Insert videos from camera or photo library -Edit inserted images, including masking and cropping -Record and playback sounds, including import and export of caf files - Handwriting recognition (14 different languages). Please note that the full version of ZoomNotes is equivalent to the Lite version with all the in-app purchases. There are lots more details including some videos of the app in action at www.zoom-notes.com Please remember to leave us a review. If you wish, you can send us feedback directly, we reply to every email sent to support@zoom-notes.com. If you experience any problems or bugs in the app, please email us your device information, which iOS version you are running to support@zoom-notes.com and we will fix it asap. Twitter - @zoomnotes

About

Charcoal

This app offers a simple yet powerful sketching experience with rich tools and beautiful color palettes. Easily create and export your artwork for use in other graphics programs. It supports modern iOS features like multiple windows and dark mode for enhanced productivity.

Highlights
  • Simple sketching interface
  • Rich drawing tools
  • Beautiful color palettes
  • Export sketches
  • Multiple window support
  • Dark mode
Features
Read full description

• Charcoal is incredibly easy to use: Just create or open a sketch and start sketching. There are no layers or confusing settings. Instead, Charcoal features rich tools and beautiful color palettes. • Charcoal allows you to export a sketch to use it in your favorite graphics program. • Charcoal supports modern iOS and iPadOS features like multiple windows and dark mode: use it at night or open multiple sketches, even side by side.

Screenshots

ZoomNotes Lite4 screens
Charcoal3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Charcoal at none against ZoomNotes Lite's 10. Charcoal also leads on rating (4.5 vs 4.2). ZoomNotes Lite's advantage is update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months). On price, review sentiment, ratings volume 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. ZoomNotes Lite sells 10 one-off in-app purchases. Charcoal asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Charcoal holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 4.2. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 214 and 143 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 72% of ZoomNotes Lite's written reviews are positive against 77% of Charcoal's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

ZoomNotes Lite ships an update every 3 weeks, Charcoal every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on August 26, 2026 and September 8, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
ZoomNotes Lite versus Charcoal: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterZoomNotes LiteCharcoal
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.2 (214 ratings)4.5 (143 ratings) — better
Positive reviews72.0% of reviews76.9% of reviews — better
Number of ratings214 — better143
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeks — betterEvery 2 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod, Vision Pro — better
Requires iOS15.615.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size151 MB28 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperDeliverance Software LtdLars Augustin

Customer experience

ZoomNotes Lite

All ratings214 ratings
Positive77.6%
Neutral9.8%
Negative12.6%
Written reviews329 reviews
Positive72.0%
Neutral8.5%
Negative19.5%

Charcoal

All ratings141 ratings
Positive87.2%
Neutral7.1%
Negative5.7%
Written reviews117 reviews
Positive76.9%
Neutral13.7%
Negative9.4%

User reviews

ZoomNotes Lite

From 214 App Store ratings

What we love

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

Room to improve

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

Charcoal

From 143 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Simple and intuitive
  • 👍 Great for quick sketching
  • 🎨 Aesthetically pleasing design
  • 💰 Free with no ads

Room to improve

  • 🎨 Limited color palette
  • 🎨 Lack of customization options
  • 🎨 Missing advanced drawing tools
  • 🐛 Occasional bugs and crashes

Bugs and requests

ZoomNotes Lite

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • 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

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

Charcoal

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Saved sketches lose quality
  • Palette colors change unexpectedly
  • Freezing when opening color palette

Requested features

4 requests
  • Ability to change brush/pen size
  • Layers and blending tools
  • Color wheel and custom color selection
  • Import/export options

In-app purchases

10 purchases

ZoomNotes Lite

One-time10
  • Highlighter pen$0.99
  • Text$0.99
  • Images$0.99
Show 7 more
  • Bookmarks$0.99
  • Sounds$0.99
  • Sub-documents$0.99
  • Tables$0.99
  • Workspaces$1.99
  • All Pens$2.99
  • All features$7.99
None

Charcoal

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is ZoomNotes Lite free?
ZoomNotes Lite is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Charcoal free?
Charcoal is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, ZoomNotes Lite or Charcoal?
Charcoal is rated higher. ZoomNotes Lite averages 4.2 out of 5 from 214 ratings, while Charcoal averages 4.5 from 143 ratings.
Do ZoomNotes Lite or Charcoal have ads?
Neither ZoomNotes Lite nor Charcoal shows ads.
Which is updated more often, ZoomNotes Lite or Charcoal?
ZoomNotes Lite ships an update every 3 weeks, and Charcoal every 2 months. Most recently, ZoomNotes Lite was updated on August 26, 2026 and Charcoal on September 8, 2026.

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