# Noteshelf vs Focus Meadow

The clearest difference is ads: Noteshelf at none against Focus Meadow's shown. Noteshelf also leads on update cadence (every 3 days vs weekly) and device support (4 vs 2). On price, in-app purchases and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Noteshelf sells 17 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days and Focus Meadow sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $1.49 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Noteshelf ships an update every 3 days, Focus Meadow weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 31, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Noteshelf | Focus Meadow |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.5 (7.2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/noteshelf-ai-notes-and-pdf/id6458735203/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **7.2K** | — |
| Positive reviews | 57.2% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 days** | Weekly |
| Monetization | Freemium | — |
| Size | 549 MB | 116 MB |
| Requires iOS | **18.0** | 18.2 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Fluid Touch Pte. Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/318004740) | [MOHAMED SALAH ABDELFATTAH](https://appshunter.io/developer/1824425665) |

## What reviewers say

### Noteshelf

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/noteshelf-ai-notes-and-pdf/id6458735203)

Capture, organize, and enhance your notes with natural handwriting, AI summarization, and PDF annotation. Ideal for students and professionals, it offers a seamless writing experience with extensive customization and secure cloud syncing.

**Highlights:** Natural handwriting with lifelike pens, AI summarization and explanation, PDF and document annotation, Audio recording alongside notes, 200+ digital planner templates, Handwriting to text conversion, Secure cloud sync and backup

**Features:** Family Sharing, Siri integration, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support, iPhone Duo support

**In-app purchases (17)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Noteshelf 3 Weekly Premium | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| Noteshelf 3 Weekly Premium | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| Noteshelf 3 Weekly Premium | $7.99 | per 7 days |
| Noteshelf3 Weekly Premium | $7.99 | per 7 days |
| Noteshelf3 Monthly Premium | $9.99 | per month |
| Noteshelf3 Monthly Premium | $19.99 | per month |
| Noteshelf 3 Yearly Premium | $19.99 | per year |
| Noteshelf3 Yearly Premium | $29.99 | per year |
| Noteshelf3 Yearly Premium | $39.99 | per year |
| Noteshelf 3 Yearly Premium | $39.99 | per year |
| Noteshelf Premium Yearly | $49.99 | per year |
| Noteshelf3 Yearly Premium | $49.99 | per year |
| Noteshelf 3 Yearly Premium | $69.99 | per year |
| Noteshelf3 Yearly Premium | $79.99 | per year |
| Premium | $99.99 | per year |
| Premium for Noteshelf 2 users | $9.99 | one-time |
| Noteshelf 3 Premium - Lifetime | $14.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Smooth handwriting experience
- 📚 Versatile note-taking features
- 🎨 Customizable templates and covers
- 🔍 Accurate handwriting recognition
- 💻 Seamless integration across devices

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and freezes
- 🔄 Sync issues between devices
- 🔒 Concerns about privacy and data security
- 🔍 Unreliable search functionality
- 🔧 Buggy or missing features from previous versions

**Reported bugs**

- Notebooks failing to open or sync correctly
- Handwriting recognition not working as expected
- Imported PDFs losing formatting or functionality
- Unexpected loss of data or notes
- Compatibility issues with older devices or operating systems

**Requested features**

- Add ability to create folders within notebooks
- Improve page organization and navigation
- Implement a more intuitive color picker and pen customization
- Introduce a history/undo feature for linked pages
- Add support for custom stickers and templates


### Focus Meadow

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/focus-meadow-beat-screen-time/id6748879440)

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Subscription Discount | $1.49 | per month |
| Premium Monthly Subscription | $1.99 | per month |
| Yearly Subscription Discount | $9.99 | per year |
| Premium Yearly Subscription | $18.99 | per year |
| Lifetime Premium Discount | $24.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime Premium | $29.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Noteshelf free?

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

### Is Focus Meadow free?

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

### Do Noteshelf or Focus Meadow have ads?

Focus Meadow shows ads; Noteshelf does not.

### Which is updated more often, Noteshelf or Focus Meadow?

Noteshelf ships an update every 3 days, and Focus Meadow weekly. Most recently, Noteshelf was updated on October 31, 2026 and Focus Meadow on October 24, 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.*