# Noteshelf vs Focado

The clearest difference is update cadence: Noteshelf at every 5 days against Focado's every 3 weeks. Noteshelf also leads on ratings volume (7.2K vs 1.1K) and device support (4 vs 1). Focado's advantage is iOS requirement (16.4 vs 18.0). On price, rating, review sentiment and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Noteshelf sells 17 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days and Focado sells 13 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Focado holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Noteshelf has 7.2K ratings behind it against 1.1K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 57% of Noteshelf's written reviews are positive against 60% of Focado's.

Noteshelf ships an update every 5 days, Focado every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 27, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Noteshelf | Focado |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (7.2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/noteshelf-ai-notes-and-pdf/id6458735203/reviews) | **[4.8 (1.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/focado-focus-timer/id6755039509/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **7.2K** | 1.1K |
| Positive reviews | 57.3% of reviews | **60.4% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 days** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 558 MB | 143 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **16.4** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Fluid Touch Pte. Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/318004740) | [Modernist LTD](https://appshunter.io/developer/1449830298) |

## What reviewers say

### Noteshelf

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

Create handwritten notes, annotate PDFs, and record audio with this app. It offers extensive customization for notebooks, a variety of writing tools, and AI-powered features for summarization and translation. Organize your thoughts and documents seamlessly.

**Highlights:** Handwritten note creation, PDF annotation and markup, Audio recording with notes, AI-powered summarization and translation, Customizable notebooks and templates, Handwriting to text conversion, Document scanning and import

**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


### Focado

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/focado-focus-timer/id6755039509)

This app uses a charming knitting avocado character to motivate users to focus. As you concentrate, the avocado knits items that can be traded for decorations to upgrade its room. It offers features like deep focus mode and Pomodoro breaks to enhance productivity.

**Highlights:** Knitting mechanic with focus progress, Trade knitted items for room decorations, Deep focus mode to block distractions, Pomodoro break timer, Live Activity for Lock Screen tracking, Customizable room themes

**In-app purchases (13)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Focado Monthly Pro | $4.99 | per month |
| Focado Monthly Pro | $4.99 | per month |
| Focado Monthly Pro | $9.99 | per month |
| Focado Yearly Pro | $19.99 | per year |
| Focado Yearly Pro | $24.99 | per year |
| Focado Yearly Pro | $39.99 | per year |
| Focado Yearly Pro | $49.99 | per year |
| Thinkcado | $5.99 | one-time |
| Smartcado | $5.99 | one-time |
| Brainycado | $5.99 | one-time |
| Grungecado | $5.99 | one-time |
| Bookcado | $5.99 | one-time |
| Vibecado | $5.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Noteshelf free?

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

### Is Focado free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Noteshelf or Focado?

Focado is rated higher. Noteshelf averages 4.6 out of 5 from 7.2K ratings, while Focado averages 4.8 from 1.1K ratings.

### Do Noteshelf or Focado have ads?

Neither Noteshelf nor Focado shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Noteshelf or Focado?

Noteshelf ships an update every 5 days, and Focado every 3 weeks. Most recently, Noteshelf was updated on October 27, 2026 and Focado 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.*