ZoomNotes Lite vs Neo Notes
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
- 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
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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
Neo Notes
This app digitizes your handwritten notes, allowing you to store, edit, and share them easily. It offers transcription to digital text, voice recording synced with notes, and cloud backup options. Enhance productivity and learning by keeping your handwriting accessible anywhere.
- Digitize handwriting instantly
- Edit and format notes
- Transcribe handwriting to text
- Record audio synced with notes
- Cloud backup and sync
- Share notes in various formats
- Tag and search handwritten data
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Neo smartpen is an innovation which transfers the handwritten data to digital text by using technology. Now, you can keep your handwriting in a digital form and bring them everywhere. Neo Notes is a dedicated application of Neo smartpen. You can digitize your handwriting instantly and simultaneously. It also provides an offline mode that stores your handwriting and transfer when the pen is connected with your smartphone. Transferred data can be easily edited and shared in a variety of platforms. Enhance your work productivity, learning, and self-development. [Main Updates] - The search function has been enhanced. From now on, you can search without running transcribe. - The design has changed from Notebook cover to the Settings. - You can share your handwritten documents in Microsoft Word(.docx) and PowerPoint(pptx) format. This function is experimental, and it will be stabilized gradually. ------------ Main Features ----------- [Digital Storage] Neo smartpen saves the handwritten data to the connected smart device. Its sensitive pressure recognition saves the handwritten data on the Ncode notebook accurately. [Editing Function] You can edit and change the font color and size as you prefer or delete any unnecessary data. You can also emphasize important information with a highlighter in edit mode. [Text Transcription] You can transcribe handwritten to digital text with a simple touch with a fingertip. Convert your written data to a digital text and copy & paste it on your memos or emails. Neo Notes support up to 15 different language transcriptions. [Auto Save Options] Use our “Authentication Center” and log in with your choice of Cloud services; OneNote, Evernote, Adobe CC or Google Drive. Then you can toggle on Auto Save Function at “Auto Save Options”. Now, you can check your data anywhere. [Easy and Convenient Share] Your handwritten contents can be shared via email, SNS and different applications in PDF, image, text and vector format. [Google Drive Backup and Restoring] If you upload your written contents to Google drive, then you can download it to other smart devices and continue to write or edit. Even if you wish to use different devices alternatively or change it to brand new one, you can save and download the existing data from Google drive. [Record & Playback] Record your voice while you write down your notes. You can playback the audio files that are synced with the pen strokes. Do not miss any important parts of your lectures or conversation by using the record function. [Tag & Search] You can easily search for any data by using a tag function. You can effectively manage your handwritten data by tagging it into different subjects. You may easily search your saved written contents by data or text. [Offline Sync] Neo smartpen saves written data on the offline mode and then automatically transfers and saves data once it is connected to your smart device. You can write without connecting it to your smart devices. (Neo smartpen is able to save up to 1,000 pages of written data) [Notebox] You can lock the used notebook before you use the same kind of notebook with this function. (If a used notebook is not locked your handwriting on the new notebook may overlap with used notebook) [Calendar View] The calendar view helps you to quickly search the data by date. Not only the date, but also the written place and the weather are recorded, so it is convenient to remember the environment at the time of writing. [Calendar Sync] Once you write your schedule on to “N Planner” it will sync with the designated online calendar. (Google Calendar, Outlook Calendar)
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: ZoomNotes Lite at 4.2 against Neo Notes's 2.3. ZoomNotes Lite also leads on review sentiment (72% vs 41%) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months). Neo Notes's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 10) and iOS requirement (9.1 vs 15.6). On price, ads and device support 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
Both are free to download. ZoomNotes Lite sells 10 one-off in-app purchases. Neo Notes asks for nothing beyond the download.
ZoomNotes Lite holds the better App Store score, 4.2 against 2.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: ZoomNotes Lite has 214 ratings behind it against 41, 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 41% of Neo Notes's.
ZoomNotes Lite ships an update every 3 weeks, Neo Notes every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 18, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | ZoomNotes Lite | Neo Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.2 (214 ratings) — better | 2.3 (41 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 72.0% of reviews — better | 41.1% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 214 — better | 41 |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks — better | Every 2 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | 9.1 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 151 MB | 179 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Deliverance Software Ltd | NeoLAB Convergence Inc |
Customer experience
ZoomNotes Lite
Neo Notes
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
Neo Notes
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
ZoomNotes Lite
- Highlighter pen$0.99
- Text$0.99
- Images$0.99
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- Bookmarks$0.99
- Sounds$0.99
- Sub-documents$0.99
- Tables$0.99
- Workspaces$1.99
- All Pens$2.99
- All features$7.99
Neo Notes
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is ZoomNotes Lite free?
Is Neo Notes free?
Which has better reviews, ZoomNotes Lite or Neo Notes?
Do ZoomNotes Lite or Neo Notes have ads?
Which is updated more often, ZoomNotes Lite or Neo Notes?
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