Comparison

OrigNotes vs HandyWrite

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

Head to head
About

OrigNotes

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
Read full description

OrigNotes is a powerful, free digital note-taking app built for iPad and iPhone. Whether you're taking handwritten notes, annotating PDFs, organizing ideas with mind maps, or capturing inspiration with images, audio, and video, OrigNotes gives you the tools to keep everything in one place. Write naturally with Apple Pencil, convert handwriting into editable text, search through your notes, and customize your workspace to fit the way you think and work. OrigNotes is free to use, and we're committed to keeping it that way. If you're enjoying OrigNotes, we'd greatly appreciate a 5-star review. Your support helps us continue improving the app and building new features for everyone. Have an idea or feature request? Leave us a review or contact us directly through the app. You can also check our Future Plans inside OrigNotes to see what we're working on and follow the progress of upcoming features. KEY FEATURES • Handwriting & Drawing Enjoy a natural writing experience with a variety of pens, brushes, and creative tools designed for Apple Pencil. • PDF Reading & Annotation Import PDFs to read, highlight, annotate, draw, and take notes directly on your documents. • Mind Maps Create mind maps to organize ideas, study topics, and brainstorm visually. Add topics and subtopics, drag and rearrange nodes, and customize your mind map to fit your ideas. • Handwriting to Text Turn handwritten notes into editable text for easier editing, organizing, and reuse. • Powerful Search Find information faster by searching handwritten notes and text inside PDFs. • Images, GIFs, Audio & Video Bring your notes to life with images, animated GIFs, audio, and video—all within your notebook. • Personalized Notebooks Customize covers, paper templates, and themes to create a workspace that feels like your own. • Custom Toolbar & Tool Box Arrange your favorite tools around the way you work and keep the ones you use most within easy reach. • Smooth Writing Experience Optimized handwriting, palm rejection, and Apple Pencil interactions help writing feel smooth, responsive, and natural. • Easy Organization Organize and sort your documents, bookmark important pages, and quickly get back to the content you need. • Data Protection & Backup Multiple backup options and improved data protection help keep your important notes safe. • Cloud Backup Back up your notebooks to cloud storage for easier long-term storage and management. MADE FOR THE WAY YOU TAKE NOTES From class notes and study materials to work documents, PDF annotation, brainstorming, and everyday ideas, OrigNotes gives you a flexible space to capture, organize, and develop your thoughts. Simple when you need it. Powerful when you need more. Write. Think. Create. Organize. All in OrigNotes.

About

HandyWrite

Features
Read full description

This is a note-taking app designed specifically for handwriting, focused on delivering a natural, smooth, and paper-like writing experience. Whether you’re taking class notes, recording meeting ideas, sketching concepts, or capturing daily thoughts, everything can be written down effortlessly. The app supports high-precision handwriting with ultra-low latency, accurately capturing stroke thickness and writing details. Write freely, draw, highlight key points, and organize your notes in a way that feels intuitive and natural. Key Features • Realistic Handwriting Experience — Paper-like writing feel with smooth and responsive strokes • Multiple Pen Tools — Fountain pen, pencil, highlighter, and more • Free-Form Canvas — Unlimited space for writing and drawing without layout restrictions • Smart Organization — Organize notes with notebooks and tags for quick access • Export & Share — Export notes as images or PDFs for easy sharing and storage Whether you’re a student, professional, or someone who enjoys handwritten notes, this app becomes your personal digital notebook— capturing every idea clearly and preserving every written moment.

Screenshots

OrigNotes4 screens
HandyWrite4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: OrigNotes at none against HandyWrite's shown. OrigNotes also leads on iOS requirement (14.0 vs 17.0). On price, in-app purchases 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
OrigNotes versus HandyWrite: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterOrigNotesHandyWrite
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (336 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews82.8% of reviews—
Number of ratings336 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 11 days—
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS14.0 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size96 MB2 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperHangzhou Future Writing Technology Co.,LTD.俊柯 吴

In-app purchases

None

OrigNotes

No in-app purchases

None

HandyWrite

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is OrigNotes free?
OrigNotes is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is HandyWrite free?
HandyWrite is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do OrigNotes or HandyWrite have ads?
HandyWrite shows ads; OrigNotes does not.

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