Comparison

Notable vs Leaf Note

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

Head to head
About

Notable

Organize your thoughts with a unique pile-based system that adapts to your workflow. Supports text, images, voice memos, and advanced Markdown with code highlighting. Syncs seamlessly via iCloud and prioritizes user privacy with on-device processing.

Highlights
  • Pile-based organization
  • Multiple content types (text, image, voice)
  • Advanced Markdown with live preview
  • Code highlighting for 40+ languages
  • On-device voice memo transcription
  • iCloud sync
  • Open source
Features
Read full description

Notable: Your Thoughts, Beautifully Organized Notable reimagines note-taking with a unique pile-based organization system that mirrors how your mind actually works. Instead of rigid folders, create flexible piles that adapt to your thinking. Powerful Yet Simple • Pile-Based Organization - Group notes naturally, like stacking papers on your desk • Multiple Content Types - Text, images, links, and voice memos in one place • Advanced Markdown - Full CommonMark support with live preview • Code Highlighting - 40+ languages with syntax highlighting • Smart Search - Find anything with natural language semantic search Voice to Text, Instantly • Record Voice Memos - Capture thoughts on the go with waveform visualization • Automatic Transcription - On-device AI transcribes your recordings with WhisperKit • Privacy First - All processing happens on your device Sync Everywhere • iCloud Integration - Seamless sync across all your devices • CloudKit Powered - Secure, private, and automatic • Conflict Resolution - Your changes always take priority Beautiful Design • Native SwiftUI - Smooth, responsive interface designed for iOS • Dark Mode - Gorgeous in light or dark • Link Previews - Rich previews for web links • Customizable Themes - Choose from multiple code editor themes Your Data, Your Control • No Account Required - Just sign in with iCloud • No Tracking - We don't collect or sell your data • Fully Open Source - Transparent development you can trust Whether you're capturing fleeting thoughts, organizing research, or managing projects, Notable adapts to your workflow. Requires iOS 17.0 or later.

About

Leaf Note

This app helps you organize your thoughts into a connected knowledge base using Markdown. It offers secure, local encryption and multiple sync options, ensuring your data is always yours. Features include AI assistance, web clipping, and a smooth, native editing experience.

Highlights
  • Markdown support with syntax highlighting
  • Local data encryption
  • Multiple sync options (iCloud, WebDAV, Git, S3)
  • AI writing assistant
  • Web page to Markdown conversion
  • Bidirectional linking and tagging
  • Chat-style inspiration input
Read full description

"Leaf Note" is a Markdown-based note-taking tool and personal knowledge base, featuring end-to-end encrypted notes and support for multiple cloud synchronization methods—ensuring your notes truly belong to you. Core Features Open Design ・ Notes stored in standard Markdown and plain-text formats ・ File-system-based architecture enables seamless data migration, freeing you from platform lock-in Data Synchronization ・ Supports multiple sync options including iCloud, WebDAV, Git, Amazon S3, and Baidu Netdisk ・ Full control over synchronization pathways; data ownership remains entirely yours Security & Encryption ・ App lock secures entry access ・ AES end-to-end encryption for note content—only you can decrypt and view it Knowledge Capture ・ Full Markdown support with syntax highlighting ・ Supports mathematical formulas, flowcharts, images, audio recordings, and more ・ One-click conversion and saving of web pages as Markdown notes Rapid Input ・ Customizable note templates for one-click insertion—speeding up editing ・ Chat-style inspiration input on the home screen for instantly capturing fleeting ideas Knowledge Management ・ Multi-level directories, tag system, and bidirectional links ・ Global full-text search for effortlessly building your personal knowledge base ・ Multi-dimensional knowledge review with card-based flipping to reinforce learning outcomes ・ Heatmaps and data statistics to help you monitor your knowledge assets at a glance ・ Batch operations for more efficient knowledge management ・ Export notes as images, PDFs, or plain text in multiple formats AI Assistant ・ Built-in writing assistant for real-time conversational support during content creation Smooth Experience ・ Pure native development ensures stable editor performance—even long notes scroll and render smoothly without lag ・ Clean, elegant UI with support for multiple themes to suit diverse usage scenarios --- Start your journey of knowledge accumulation and creative expression with Leaf Note. If you encounter any issues while using the app, please don’t hesitate to contact us. Your feedback continuously drives product iteration and optimization.

Screenshots

Notable4 screens
Leaf Note4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Leaf Note at 4.0 against Notable's 3.0. Leaf Note also leads on device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.0). Notable's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2). On price, ratings volume, update cadence 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. Leaf Note sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Notable asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Leaf Note holds the better App Store score, 4.0 against 3.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2 and 1 respectively.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and November 12, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Notable versus Leaf Note: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterNotableLeaf Note
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.0 (2 ratings)4.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews0.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings2 — better1
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksEvery 3 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationPaidFree with in-app purchases — better
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS17.015.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size8 MB44 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperRunkai Zhang守恒 王

Customer experience

Notable

All ratings2 ratings
Positive50.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative50.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%

Leaf Note

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

Notable

No in-app purchases

2 purchases

Leaf Note

One-time2
  • One Year Pro$6.99
  • Lifetime Pro$24.99

Questions

Is Notable free?
Notable is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Leaf Note free?
Leaf Note is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Notable or Leaf Note?
Leaf Note is rated higher. Notable averages 3.0 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while Leaf Note averages 4.0 from 1 ratings.
Do Notable or Leaf Note have ads?
Neither Notable nor Leaf Note shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Notable or Leaf Note?
Notable ships an update every 3 weeks, and Leaf Note every 3 weeks. Most recently, Notable was updated on November 3, 2026 and Leaf Note on November 12, 2026.

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