# OrigNotes vs StarNote

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: OrigNotes at none against StarNote's 21. OrigNotes also leads on review sentiment (85% vs 74%) and ratings volume (359 vs 94). On price, rating, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. StarNote sells 21 one-off in-app purchases. OrigNotes asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for OrigNotes against 4.6 for StarNote. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 359 and 94 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 85% of OrigNotes's written reviews are positive against 74% of StarNote's.

OrigNotes ships an update every 11 days, StarNote every 2 weeks. Both last shipped on October 18, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | OrigNotes | StarNote |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (359 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/orignotes/id6446162922/reviews)** | [4.6 (94 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/starnote-handwritten-notes/id6751570915/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **359** | 94 |
| Positive reviews | **84.5% of reviews** | 74.4% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 11 days** | Every 2 weeks |
| Monetization | **Free** | Paid |
| Size | 97 MB | 422 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Hangzhou Future Writing Technology Co.,LTD.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1676398498) | [Onyx International Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1527846836) |

## What reviewers say

### OrigNotes

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/orignotes/id6446162922)

Create, organize, and manage high-quality handwritten notes with ease. Supports handwriting, drawing, image insertion, and PDF annotation. Stay organized and productive for study, work, or daily ideas.

**Highlights:** Handwritten notes and drawing, Image insertion and PDF annotation, Organize and search documents, Customizable note covers and paper styles, Palm rejection and writing settings, Variety of brushes and tools, Cloud sync support

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### StarNote

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/starnote-handwritten-notes/id6751570915)

This app offers a realistic pen-on-paper handwriting experience on tablets with an infinite canvas for notes and sketches. It includes advanced layering, PDF annotation, and a robust organizer for efficient digital note-taking and planning.

**Highlights:** Realistic low-latency handwriting, Infinite canvas for unlimited space, Layered design for complex projects, Deep PDF annotation and markup, Robust file management and search, Lifetime access with one-time purchase, Free templates and digital assets

**In-app purchases (21)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| StarNote AI Trial | $0.99 | one-time |
| Templates\Stickers | $3.90 | one-time |
| Templates\Stickers | $4.49 | one-time |
| Templates\Stickers | $4.79 | one-time |
| Templates\Stickers | $5.00 | one-time |
| Templates\Stickers | $5.79 | one-time |
| StarNote Lifetime PRO | $5.99 | one-time |
| Templates\Stickers | $6.69 | one-time |
| Templates\Stickers | $6.79 | one-time |
| StarNote AI Plus | $6.99 | one-time |
| Templates\Stickers | $7.79 | one-time |
| Templates\Stickers | $8.99 | one-time |
| Templates\Stickers | $9.79 | one-time |
| Templates\Stickers | $9.99 | one-time |
| Templates\Stickers | $10.99 | one-time |
| Templates\Stickers | $11.49 | one-time |
| Templates\Stickers | $11.90 | one-time |
| Templates\Stickers | $12.99 | one-time |
| StarNote AI Pro | $22.99 | one-time |
| Templates\Stickers | $38.90 | one-time |
| Templates\Stickers | $42.90 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is OrigNotes free?

OrigNotes is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is StarNote free?

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

### Which has better reviews, OrigNotes or StarNote?

OrigNotes is rated higher. OrigNotes averages 4.7 out of 5 from 359 ratings, while StarNote averages 4.6 from 94 ratings.

### Do OrigNotes or StarNote have ads?

Neither OrigNotes nor StarNote shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, OrigNotes or StarNote?

OrigNotes ships an update every 11 days, and StarNote every 2 weeks. Most recently, OrigNotes was updated on October 18, 2026 and StarNote on October 18, 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.*