Comparison

Notebook vs BoardNotes

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

Head to head
About

Notebook

This app offers a simple and efficient way to create various types of notes, from study materials and to-do lists to life records and work summaries. It allows for easy organization with labels, image insertion, and customizable paper styles. It is compatible with Apple devices and supports Apple Pencil.

Highlights
  • Label classification for easy organization
  • Insert pictures into notes
  • Select practical paper styles
  • Supports Apple Pencil
  • Compatible with iPhone and iPad
Features
Read full description

Notebook : Simple note-taking app and notepad. We start from the simple and efficient design concept to create a convenient note for you. You can make study notes, to-do list, record life, work summary, etc. through notebook. Features: *Label classification: You can set different labels for your notes to make it easier to find. *Insert pictures: Take pictures of important notes and insert them into the notes, which saves time and effort. *Practical paper: select special paper for your notes, select paper according to different needs, and make notes easier. *Device support: It is compatible with iPhone and iPad, and supports the use of Apple Pencil. [Subscription Description] We support three methods of monthly, quarterly, and permanent subscription. The payment is made through the user's iTunes account. After the user confirms the purchase, the payment is made immediately. Automatic renewal: Apple's iTunes account will be charged within 24 hours before the expiration date. After successful deduction, the subscription cycle will be extended by one subscription cycle. To cancel the renewal, please operate at least 24 hours before the current fee deduction period by clicking "Settings" - "iTunes Store and AppStore" - "AppleID" - "View AppleID" - "Subscription" to cancel the automatic renewal member subscription. Terms of Service: https://linkunyumou.github.io/posts/likun/fuwu.html Privacy terms: https://linkunyumou.github.io/posts/likun/privacy.html

About

BoardNotes

This app combines whiteboard, notebook, PDF management, mind mapping, and flashcard creation into a single, versatile handwriting note-taking tool. It offers a wide array of pen types, organizational features, and study aids to enhance productivity and learning.

Highlights
  • Handwriting note-taking
  • Integrated whiteboard
  • PDF import and editing
  • Mind mapping functionality
  • Spaced repetition flashcards
  • Multiple pen and brush types
  • Layer management
Features
Read full description

Feature Introduction: BoardNotes is a versatile handwriting note-taking app that integrates five major functions—whiteboard, notebook, PDF, mind map, and flashcards—covering most note-taking scenarios. It serves as your All-In-One App. Handwriting Pen: 1. BoardNotes utilizes Apple's native pen technology and has developed additional pens tailored for Chinese writing, including a fountain pen, a laser pointer for presentations, and a tape pen for masking notes. 2. Choose from a variety of brushes (laser pen, tape pen, ballpoint pen, straight-line pen, wavy-line pen, custom fountain pen, quill pen, pencil, marker, watercolor pen, fill pen, single-line pen, crayon, freehand pen) to unleash your creativity. 3. Lasso tool (extremely powerful). 4. Eraser (pixel eraser and object eraser). Whiteboard: 1. The whiteboard is ideal for organizing fragmented knowledge, brainstorming, and boosting creativity. 2. Write and draw freely without worrying about boundaries. 3. Customize background colors and grid templates. 4. Add various card types (text, image, video, audio, webpage, file, handwriting). 5. Multiple auxiliary tools: background board, pins, link navigation (supports bidirectional links), connectors, timer (countdown supported), calculator. 6. Quickly locate notes using the search function. Notebook & PDF: 1. Create notebooks and PDFs with multiple paper templates and cover options. Import images from Photos or PDFs from the Files app as pages or covers. 2. Add text, images, stickers, videos, webpage snapshots, audio recordings, links (bidirectional links supported), timers, calculators, and floating PDF windows. 3. Layer functionality—show or hide layers as needed. 4. Insert new pages via blank sheets, images, scanned documents, or files. 5. Cut, copy, and paste pages into other notebooks or PDFs. 6. Duplicate, rotate, or delete pages. 7. Reorder pages via long-press and drag in thumbnail view. 8. Create outlines and add bookmarks. 9. Search (text, handwritten notes, etc.). 10. Import e-books (epub, mobi, azw, etc.). Mind Map: 1. Mind mapping is a key feature within the whiteboard. 2. Nodes support multiple formats (text, image, handwriting, video, audio, webpage snapshot, file). 3. Offers 3 structures and 18 color schemes. 4. Add summaries (brackets). 5. Handwritten mind maps (using handwritten cards). 6. Long-press and drag selected cards into the mind map. 7. Reorder nodes or adjust hierarchy via long-press and drag. Flashcard: 1. Flashcards use the SuperMemo algorithm to automatically schedule optimal review intervals, reminding you before forgetting to maximize memory efficiency. 2. Flashcards support text, images, and handwriting. 3. Quickly create cards from notes in whiteboards, notebooks, or PDFs using the rectangular lasso tool. Download BoardNotes for free on iPad, iPhone, and Mac. For suggestions, please contact us via the in-app feedback feature.

Screenshots

Notebook4 screens
BoardNotes4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: BoardNotes at every 10 days against Notebook's every 2 months. Notebook's advantage is review sentiment (93% vs 81%). On price, rating, ratings volume and ads 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. Notebook sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month and BoardNotes sells 23 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for Notebook against 4.7 for BoardNotes. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 122 and 111 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 93% of Notebook's written reviews are positive against 81% of BoardNotes's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Notebook ships an update every 2 months, BoardNotes every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on September 19, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Notebook versus BoardNotes: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterNotebookBoardNotes
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (122 ratings)4.7 (111 ratings) — better
Positive reviews93.3% of reviews — better81.0% of reviews
Number of ratings122 — better111
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 10 days — better
AdsYesYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — better
Requires iOS14.0 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size31 MB356 MB
Age rating4+4+
Developer玉坤 林Chongqing Ouluowa Technology Co., Ltd.

Customer experience

Notebook

All ratings121 ratings
Positive87.6%
Neutral7.4%
Negative5.0%
Written reviews45 reviews
Positive93.3%
Neutral4.4%
Negative2.2%

BoardNotes

All ratings111 ratings
Positive94.6%
Neutral1.8%
Negative3.6%
Written reviews42 reviews
Positive81.0%
Neutral4.8%
Negative14.3%

User reviews

Notebook

From 122 App Store ratings

What we love

  • ✨ Very cute and decorative design
  • 👍 Easy to use and user-friendly
  • 💡 Handy for school and personal notes
  • ✍️ Supports typing and writing/drawing
  • 🎨 Great variety of templates and customization options

Room to improve

  • 🤔 Lacking some basic features
  • 📄 Single page limit per note
  • 🚫 No PDF insertion for annotation
  • 🔄 No landscape mode
  • 🤏 No two-finger pinch to zoom

BoardNotes

From 111 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 💎 All-in-one app
  • 💡 Feature-rich note-taking
  • ✍️ Excellent Apple Pencil integration
  • 💰 Affordable one-time purchase
  • 🚀 Smooth performance

Room to improve

  • 🔋 High battery consumption
  • 🔥 Device gets hot
  • 🐛 Data loss (whiteboards erased)
  • 🚫 No automatic backup
  • 🔍 Limited search functions

Bugs and requests

Notebook

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • Login screen freezes
  • Incompatible with older devices

Requested features

7 requests
  • More themes/customization options
  • Ability to insert PDFs for annotation
  • Landscape mode support
  • Two-finger pinch to zoom functionality
  • Sharper pen tool for black ink
Show 2 more
  • Ability to resize inserted photos
  • More advanced features

BoardNotes

Reported bugs

16 issues
  • Whiteboards erasing automatically
  • No automatic backup leading to data loss
  • Syncing issues between iPad and Mac
  • Pencil tip not appearing on PDF annotations
  • App crashes frequently
Show 11 more
  • Recording data is lost
  • Cannot create new notebooks
  • Gear icon for settings missing in dark mode
  • Issue with eraser and color selection logic
  • Lasso tool missing cut button after cropping
  • PDF embeds appear blurry
  • Handwriting search not implemented
  • Accidental touches/palm rejection issues
  • Chinese font display issues in markdown
  • App freezes when using search function
  • Software flashes back (crashes)

Requested features

24 requests
  • Sync to Google Drive/other cloud services
  • Faster 'add to cards' function
  • View carded items in sidebar
  • Color coding for pins
  • Image opacity adjustment
Show 19 more
  • Faster image copy from whiteboard
  • Android app version
  • WebDAV function
  • Markdown editing/viewing function
  • Handwriting recognition and search
  • Improve palm rejection/anti-touch
  • Add more brush types (with stroke variation)
  • Search for handwritten text
  • Dark Mode UI
  • More calculator functions (square root, trig identities)
  • In-app browser (ChatGPT, YouTube integration)
  • Easier UI navigation of notebook pages
  • Ability to change existing page formats
  • More in-depth pen fine-tuning
  • Optimize UI, move undo/redo to top right
  • Adjust pressure sensitivity
  • Customizable top toolbar icons
  • Add college rule paper
  • Translate function for papers

In-app purchases

3 purchases

Notebook

Subscriptions2
  • Plus version3 Days trial$1.991 Month
  • Plus version Quarterly3 Days trial$3.993 Months
One-time1
  • Pro version$6.99
23 purchases

BoardNotes

One-time23
  • 7 days membership$0.99
  • 5 days membership$0.99
  • Math Formula Recognition$1.99
Show 20 more
  • 1 month membership$1.99
  • Annual Membership$3.99
  • Permanent Unlock All$3.99
  • 6 months membership$3.99
  • 6 months membership (discount)$3.99
  • Permanent Unlock All$4.99
  • Annual Membership$4.99
  • 6 months membership2 variants$4.99
  • Full version Unlock$5.99
  • Annual Membership (discount)$5.99
  • 6 months membership$6.99
  • Permanent Unlock All$6.99
  • Annual Membership2 variants$6.99
  • Spring Festival Discount$6.99
  • Annual Membership$7.99
  • Permanent Unlock All$7.99
  • Permanent Unlock All(discount)$7.99
  • Permanent Unlock All$8.99
  • Permanent Unlock All$9.99
  • Permanent Unlock All$19.99

Questions

Is Notebook free?
Notebook is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is BoardNotes free?
BoardNotes is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Notebook or BoardNotes?
BoardNotes is rated higher. Notebook averages 4.6 out of 5 from 122 ratings, while BoardNotes averages 4.7 from 111 ratings.
Do Notebook or BoardNotes have ads?
Both Notebook and BoardNotes show ads.
Which is updated more often, Notebook or BoardNotes?
Notebook ships an update every 2 months, and BoardNotes every 10 days. Most recently, Notebook was updated on September 19, 2026 and BoardNotes on September 23, 2026.

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