# WizNote HD vs MarginNote 5

The clearest difference is rating: MarginNote 5 at 4.5 against WizNote HD's 4.1. MarginNote 5 also leads on ratings volume (739 vs 13) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months). WizNote HD's advantage is review sentiment (78% vs 58%) and iOS requirement (11.0 vs 17.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. WizNote HD sells 7 one-off in-app purchases and MarginNote 5 sells 9 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 3 months. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

MarginNote 5 holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 4.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: MarginNote 5 has 739 ratings behind it against 13, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 78% of WizNote HD's written reviews are positive against 58% of MarginNote 5's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

WizNote HD ships an update every 2 months, MarginNote 5 every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | WizNote HD | MarginNote 5 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.1 (13 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/wiznote-hd/id634852089/reviews) | **[4.5 (739 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/marginnote-5-ai-notesmindmap/id1531657269/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 13 | **739** |
| Positive reviews | **77.8% of reviews** | 58.5% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Size | 81 MB | 372 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPad | **iPhone, iPad, Mac** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Beijing Wozhi Technology Co. Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/427747942) | [Beijing Yunsi Software Technology Co., Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/723205556) |

## What reviewers say

### WizNote HD

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/wiznote-hd/id634852089)

This cloud-based application allows individuals and teams to efficiently manage notes and knowledge across devices. It supports rich media, flexible organization, and real-time collaboration, with instant synchronization and offline access for important information.

**Highlights:** Rich note content (text, images, audio, documents), Collect notes from web, WeChat, email, Multi-level folder organization, Instant cloud synchronization, Offline note access, Team sharing and simultaneous editing, Notifications for team note updates

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (7)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| WizNote for iPad Pro Monthly | $0.99 | one-time |
| Encrypt Note | $0.99 | one-time |
| Notes Template | $0.99 | one-time |
| Night Mode | $0.99 | one-time |
| Reminders | $0.99 | one-time |
| Share notes with link | $7.99 | one-time |
| WizNote for iPad Pro  Yearly | $8.99 | one-time |


### MarginNote 5

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/marginnote-5-ai-notesmindmap/id1531657269)

This app enhances reading and studying with integrated note-taking and flashcard creation. It offers task-based templates for focused learning, AI assistance for content breakdown, and spaced repetition for effective review. Organize your research and master material with a comprehensive study workflow.

**Highlights:** Task-based reading templates, AI-powered content breakdown, Integrated flashcard creation, Spaced repetition review, Mind map organization, PDF and EPUB import, Sync across devices

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

**In-app purchases (9)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Subscription to MAX (3 months) | $4.99 | per 3 months |
| Subscription to MAX (Annually) | $12.99 | per year |
| MarginNote Max Annual | $16.99 | per year |
| 14 days Free Trial | Free | one-time |
| Upgrade to PRO from MN3(iOS) | $4.99 | one-time |
| Unlock PRO Forever (New) | $12.99 | one-time |
| Upgrade to MAX from MN3(macOS) | $19.99 | one-time |
| Unlock MAX based on PRO (New) | $40.00 | one-time |
| Unlock MAX Forever (New) | $51.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Powerful features
- 📚 Great for academic/research use
- 👍 Useful note-taking and organization
- 🖊️ Improved handwriting and annotation

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy and crashes frequently
- 🕰️ Slow and laggy sync between devices
- 🤯 Steep learning curve, poor documentation
- 💰 Expensive upgrade from previous version

**Reported bugs**

- Disappearing annotations when using extend function
- Inability to restore accidentally deleted mind maps
- Inconsistent behavior with PDF file management

**Requested features**

- Improved iCloud/cloud sync reliability
- More intuitive and user-friendly interface
- Better support for external document libraries
- Ability to disable auto-excerpt selection


## Frequently asked questions

### Is WizNote HD free?

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

### Is MarginNote 5 free?

MarginNote 5 is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, WizNote HD or MarginNote 5?

MarginNote 5 is rated higher. WizNote HD averages 4.1 out of 5 from 13 ratings, while MarginNote 5 averages 4.5 from 739 ratings.

### Do WizNote HD or MarginNote 5 have ads?

Neither WizNote HD nor MarginNote 5 shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, WizNote HD or MarginNote 5?

WizNote HD ships an update every 2 months, and MarginNote 5 every 3 weeks. Most recently, WizNote HD was updated on November 1, 2026 and MarginNote 5 on November 3, 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.*