# Notes, MS vs HandNote

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Notes, MS at none against HandNote's 2. Notes, MS also leads on update cadence (daily vs monthly). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. HandNote sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per 7 days. Notes, MS asks for nothing beyond the download.

Notes, MS ships an update daily, HandNote monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Notes, MS | HandNote |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Daily** | Monthly |
| Size | 5 MB | 72 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **15.5** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Marco Signoretto](https://appshunter.io/developer/1683499599) | [skybringup](https://appshunter.io/developer/1841317670) |

## What reviewers say

### Notes, MS

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notes-ms/id6448104667)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### HandNote

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/handnote-handwriting-ocr/id6760887216)

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekly Premium | $1.99 | per 7 days |
| Lifetime Premium | $6.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Notes, MS free?

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

### Is HandNote free?

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

### Do Notes, MS or HandNote have ads?

Neither Notes, MS nor HandNote shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Notes, MS or HandNote?

Notes, MS ships an update daily, and HandNote monthly. Most recently, Notes, MS was updated on October 14, 2026 and HandNote on October 25, 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.*