Comparison

TheMadNote vs X

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

Head to head
About

TheMadNote

Features
Read full description

[In-app purchases are optional] The main functionality is available for free. Individuality, minimalism and expressiveness are perfectly combined with The Mad Note app. All essential features on beautiful meditative backgrounds. The best features for productive work with text: • Make every note unique by using custom animated backgrounds • You can stop the animation at any time and start it again • Feel the soothing effect of backgrounds, immerse yourself in a calm atmosphere and increase your concentration • Combine handwritten and typed text • Insert stickers, photos, graphics, etc • Insert and edit text by changing its color, size and style. Use any tool to highlight whatever you want • Create task lists, mark completed items • Use voice input, voice to text conversion for making quick notes and recording important ideas • Group notes by categories and folders • Sync notes between all your devices Opportunities for creators: • Unleash your exquisite potential to create elegant notes for publications • You can create content for social media using atmospheric backgrounds • Write on top of endless relaxing backgrounds with animations • You can use a different background for each note to immerse yourself even more in the desired work atmosphere. • Attract the attention of your audience through the unusual presentation of information in shorts, stories, etc • A smoothly moving background is a great way to focus if you're working on an article, note or to-do list Enjoy backgrounds that help you perform Terms of Use (EULA) - apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula

About

X

This AI-powered note-taking app helps students organize and access study materials across devices. It converts handwriting, speech, and images to text, and allows for lecture recording. Notes are kept private and secure within the Apple ecosystem.

Highlights
  • Handwriting to Text conversion
  • Speech to Text for lectures
  • Image to Text (OCR)
  • Voice notes for lectures
  • iPad & Mac sync via iCloud
  • Private and secure note-taking
Read full description

X-Notes: The Ultimate Study Companion for iPad & Mac Take your studies to the next level with X-Notes—your AI-powered note-taking app designed for students! Whether you're in class, reviewing lectures, or preparing for exams, X-Notes helps you organize and access your notes effortlessly across iPad and MacBook. Why Students Love X-Notes? Handwriting to Text – Convert handwritten notes into digital text instantly.
 Speech to Text (NEW!) – Turn lectures and voice notes into text automatically.
 Image to Text (OCR) – Extract text from books, handouts, and whiteboards.
 Voice Notes for Lectures – Record classes and review them later.
 Seamless iPad & Mac Sync – Access all notes anytime with iCloud.
 Private & Secure – No accounts, no tracking—just your notes in your Apple ecosystem. Perfect for: Students taking class notes.
 Researchers and learners organizing study materials.
 Anyone who wants AI-powered note-taking with handwriting, voice, and image conversion. Download X-Notes today and simplify your student life!

Screenshots

TheMadNote4 screens
X4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: X at none against TheMadNote's 2. X also leads on device support (4 vs 2). On price, update cadence, ads and iOS requirement 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. TheMadNote sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. X asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

TheMadNote ships an update every 2 weeks, X monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 25, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
TheMadNote versus X: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTheMadNoteX
PriceFreeFree
Rating—5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings—1 — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeks — betterMonthly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
Monetization—Free
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — better
Requires iOS16.015.6 — better
Further details — not scored
Size147 MB84 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperImal FarukVanAnh Nguyen

In-app purchases

2 purchases

TheMadNote

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly subscription$3.991 Month
  • Yearly subscription$19.991 Year
None

X

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is TheMadNote free?
TheMadNote is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is X free?
X is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do TheMadNote or X have ads?
Neither TheMadNote nor X shows ads.
Which is updated more often, TheMadNote or X?
TheMadNote ships an update every 2 weeks, and X monthly. Most recently, TheMadNote was updated on October 25, 2026 and X on October 24, 2026.

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