# Notebook vs BoardNotes

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.

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.

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.

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.

## The numbers

| Metric | Notebook | BoardNotes |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (122 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notebook-cute-notes/id6446192566/reviews) | **[4.7 (111 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/boardnotes-whiteboard-and-pdf/id6448847544/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **122** | 111 |
| Positive reviews | **93.3% of reviews** | 81.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 10 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 31 MB | 356 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [玉坤 林](https://appshunter.io/developer/1662301648) | [Chongqing Ouluowa Technology Co., Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1686544790) |

## What reviewers say

### Notebook

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notebook-cute-notes/id6446192566)

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:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Plus version | $1.99 | per month |
| Plus version Quarterly | $3.99 | per 3 months |
| Pro version | $6.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- ✨ 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

**What reviewers complain about**

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

**Reported bugs**

- Login screen freezes
- Incompatible with older devices

**Requested features**

- 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


### BoardNotes

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/boardnotes-whiteboard-and-pdf/id6448847544)

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:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (23)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 7 days membership | $0.99 | one-time |
| 5 days membership | $0.99 | one-time |
| Math Formula Recognition | $1.99 | one-time |
| 1 month membership | $1.99 | one-time |
| Annual Membership | $3.99 | one-time |
| Permanent Unlock All | $3.99 | one-time |
| 6 months membership | $3.99 | one-time |
| 6 months membership (discount) | $3.99 | one-time |
| Permanent Unlock All | $4.99 | one-time |
| Annual Membership | $4.99 | one-time |
| 6 months membership | $4.99 | one-time |
| Full version Unlock | $5.99 | one-time |
| Annual Membership (discount) | $5.99 | one-time |
| 6 months membership | $6.99 | one-time |
| Permanent Unlock All | $6.99 | one-time |
| Annual Membership | $6.99 | one-time |
| Spring Festival Discount | $6.99 | one-time |
| Annual Membership | $7.99 | one-time |
| Permanent Unlock All | $7.99 | one-time |
| Permanent Unlock All(discount) | $7.99 | one-time |
| Permanent Unlock All | $8.99 | one-time |
| Permanent Unlock All | $9.99 | one-time |
| Permanent Unlock All | $19.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

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

**What reviewers complain about**

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

**Reported bugs**

- 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

**Requested features**

- Sync to Google Drive/other cloud services
- Faster 'add to cards' function
- View carded items in sidebar
- Color coding for pins
- Image opacity adjustment


## Frequently asked 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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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*