# BoardNotes vs Folia

The clearest difference is review sentiment: BoardNotes at 81% against Folia's 0%. BoardNotes also leads on ratings volume (115 vs 2) and rating (4.7 vs 4.5). Folia's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 25) and ads (none vs shown). On price, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. BoardNotes sells 23 one-off in-app purchases. Folia asks for nothing beyond the download.

BoardNotes holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: BoardNotes has 115 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 81% of BoardNotes's written reviews are positive against 0% of Folia's.

BoardNotes ships an update every 10 days, Folia monthly. The most recent releases landed on September 27, 2026 and September 28, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | BoardNotes | Folia |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (115 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/boardnotes-notes-pdf-docs/id6448847544/reviews)** | [4.5 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/folia/id6737592384/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **115** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | **81.0% of reviews** | 0.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 10 days** | Monthly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 339 MB | 63 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 15.1 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Chongqing Ouluowa Technology Co., Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1686544790) | [Branchfire, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/284975584) |

## What reviewers say

### BoardNotes

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/boardnotes-notes-pdf-docs/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


### Folia

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/folia/id6737592384)

This app allows users to annotate any document type from any device, organize work into projects, and capture ideas with intuitive tools. It facilitates real-time sharing with collaborators and recording ideas on the go.

**Highlights:** Annotate any document type, Organize work into projects, Capture ideas with intuitive tools, Real-time collaboration, Integrates with cloud storage, Cross-device support

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is BoardNotes free?

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

### Is Folia free?

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

### Which has better reviews, BoardNotes or Folia?

BoardNotes is rated higher. BoardNotes averages 4.7 out of 5 from 115 ratings, while Folia averages 4.5 from 2 ratings.

### Do BoardNotes or Folia have ads?

BoardNotes shows ads; Folia does not.

### Which is updated more often, BoardNotes or Folia?

BoardNotes ships an update every 10 days, and Folia monthly. Most recently, BoardNotes was updated on September 27, 2026 and Folia on September 28, 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.*