Comparison

Element Note vs Shiji、

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

Head to head
About

Element Note

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
Read full description

Element Note is the next-gen note taking, PDF annotation, and light sketching app. We stripped down the unnecessaries and carefully polished the elemental functions for a digital notebook. With a modern look and powerful features, Element Note strives to provide an elegant writing space free of distractions. Features: Unique brushes - Pencil (HB Pencil, Mechanical Pencil) - Pen (Pen, Line Pen, Fountain Pen) - Brush (Art Brush, Round Brush) - Marker (Marker, Round Marker) Best-in-class note rendering engine - Smooth and fluid drawing powered by Metal technology - Support gradient ink for more expressive notes Powerful attachments - Text - Shape - Sticker - Image Universal Search - Search through your PDF & Handwritting using on device OCR Smart Darkmode - Smartly adapts all of your notes to the system darkmode without changing the paper or stroke colors. iCloud Sync & Collaboration - Sync via your personal iCloud (No data is passed to our server) - Collaborate through iCloud collaboration for up to 100 users. Desktop class organization - Intuitive multi-select drag and drop gesture to organize your notes or pages Element Note is free to try for up to 3 notes. Unlock the full app with an in app purchase to create unlimited notes. Terms and Conditions https://elementnote.app/terms Privacy Policy https://elementnote.app/privacy

About

Shiji、

Features
Read full description

【Shiji】Shiji is a minimalist focus timer and productivity tracker designed around the principles of deep work. Whether you need a structured session to stay on task or a quiet space to concentrate, Shiji provides the tools to support your workflow without getting in the way. **Focus Timer** Start timed focus sessions built around deep work rituals. Set your intended duration, begin your session, and let the timer keep you on track. **Ambient Sounds** Choose from a selection of ambient sounds to create a calm working environment. Background audio can help reduce distractions and maintain concentration during longer sessions. **Detailed Analytics** Review your focus history with clear, detailed analytics. Track completed sessions, total focus time, and patterns in your productivity over days and weeks. **Local-First Privacy** All data is stored locally on your device. Your focus history and usage data stay with you, with no account required and no information sent to external servers. Shiji is built for anyone who values focused, uninterrupted work — a simple tool that stays out of your way and helps you make the most of your time. Premium Account Pricing and Terms $ 4.99/week* $ 39.99/year* *Prices shown are in U.S. dollars; actual charges may be converted to your local currency. Payment will be charged to your iTunes account at confirmation of purchase. Subscriptions automatically renew unless auto-renewal is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Your account will be charged for renewal within 24 hours prior to the end of the current period, and the renewal cost will be provided. Subscriptions can be managed by the user. Turning off auto-renewal may be done by going to your account settings after purchase. Cancellation of the current subscription is not allowed during the active subscription period. Any unused portion of a free trial period, if offered, will be forfeited when the user purchases a subscription to that publication. EULA: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://yinweiwei.xyz/shiji/privacy.html

Screenshots

Element Note4 screens
Shiji、3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is device support: Element Note at 3 against Shiji、's 1. On price, ads, in-app purchases and iOS requirement 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. Element Note sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $3.49 per year and Shiji、 sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Scorecard1 real difference · 9 level
Element Note versus Shiji、: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterElement NoteShiji、
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (2.7K ratings) — better—
Positive reviews69.8% of reviews—
Number of ratings2.7K — better—
Update frequencyFortnightly—
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Mac — betteriPhone
Requires iOS17.016.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size129 MB4 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperSoysauce Lab薇薇 殷

Bugs and requests

Element Note

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • 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

6 requests
  • 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
Show 1 more
  • Seasonal or custom sticker packs

Shiji、

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

3 purchases

Element Note

Subscriptions2
  • Element Note Yearly$3.491 Year
  • Element Note Yearly$4.991 Year
One-time1
  • Lifetime$14.99
2 purchases

Shiji、

Subscriptions2
  • Weekly Core3 Days trial$4.997 Days
  • Yearly Core$39.991 Year

Questions

Is Element Note free?
Element Note is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Shiji、 free?
Shiji、 is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Element Note or Shiji、 have ads?
Neither Element Note nor Shiji、 shows ads.

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