# Element Note vs Notes for iPad

Element Note and Notes for iPad both sit at 4.6 stars, but that hides the real split: 68% of Element Note's written reviews are positive against 40% of Notes for iPad's. Element Note also leads on ratings volume (2.6K vs 99) and device support (3 vs 1). On price, rating, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Element Note sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $3.49 per year and Notes for iPad sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for Element Note against 4.6 for Notes for iPad. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Element Note has 2.6K ratings behind it against 99, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 68% of Element Note's written reviews are positive against 40% of Notes for iPad's.

Element Note ships an update fortnightly, Notes for iPad every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 22, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Element Note | Notes for iPad |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (2.6K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/element-note/id6444015673/reviews)** | [4.6 (99 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notes-for-ipad-pencil-notes/id6757370665/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **2.6K** | 99 |
| Positive reviews | **68.1% of reviews** | 40.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 2 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 129 MB | 14 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **16.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Mac** | iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Soysauce Lab](https://appshunter.io/developer/598496583) | [Brite Technologies](https://appshunter.io/developer/1620922833) |

## What reviewers say

### Element Note

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/element-note/id6444015673)

This app offers a distraction-free digital notebook experience with advanced handwriting, PDF annotation, and sketching capabilities. It features unique brushes, a powerful rendering engine, and smart organization tools. Sync your notes across devices and collaborate with others seamlessly.

**Highlights:** Unique handwriting brushes, Smooth drawing engine, PDF annotation, Text, shape, and image attachments, On-device OCR search, Smart dark mode, iCloud sync and collaboration

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

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Element Note Yearly | $3.49 | per year |
| Element Note Yearly | $4.99 | per year |
| Lifetime Launch Special | $4.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime | $9.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime | $14.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Smooth handwriting experience
- 💡 Customizable pens and colors
- 👍 Clean and intuitive interface
- 🎨 Gradient and gradient brush tools
- 📚 Great for journaling and note-taking

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and freezes
- 🔍 Search function not working
- 🖼️ Issues with image handling and export
- 🔀 Difficulty switching between pen and eraser
- 🔑 Lack of password/locking feature for notes

**Reported bugs**

- Notes and files randomly disappearing
- Inconsistent behavior when using the floating keyboard
- Handwriting recognition not working as expected
- Exported PDFs losing formatting and background colors

**Requested features**

- Ruler tool
- Ability to resize/rotate selections
- Improved text editing and formatting
- Presentation mode for connecting to displays
- Ability to import/export multiple files at once


### Notes for iPad

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notes-for-ipad-pencil-notes/id6757370665)

Transform your iPad into a digital notebook with a natural writing experience using Apple Pencil. Organize your life with over 60 templates, add stickers, and sync across devices. Perfect for students, professionals, and creatives.

**Highlights:** Natural handwriting with Apple Pencil, 60+ professionally designed templates, Extensive sticker library and import options, Unlimited notebooks with custom covers, iCloud sync across devices, Export notes as PDF

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Notes for iPad - weekly | $5.99 | per 7 days |
| Weekly Plus | $7.99 | per 7 days |
| Monthly | $17.99 | per month |
| Notes for iPad for a year | $19.99 | per year |
| Yearly | $29.99 | per year |
| Lifetime Premium | $39.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Element Note free?

Element Note is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Notes for iPad free?

Notes for iPad is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Element Note or Notes for iPad?

Element Note is rated higher. Element Note averages 4.6 out of 5 from 2.6K ratings, while Notes for iPad averages 4.6 from 99 ratings.

### Do Element Note or Notes for iPad have ads?

Neither Element Note nor Notes for iPad shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Element Note or Notes for iPad?

Element Note ships an update fortnightly, and Notes for iPad every 2 weeks. Most recently, Element Note was updated on September 24, 2026 and Notes for iPad on September 22, 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.*