# UltraNotes vs Open Scanner

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Open Scanner at none against UltraNotes's 1. UltraNotes's advantage is review sentiment (81% vs 71%) and device support (3 vs 1). On price, rating, ratings volume and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. UltraNotes sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Open Scanner asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for UltraNotes against 4.7 for Open Scanner. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 187 and 205 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 81% of UltraNotes's written reviews are positive against 71% of Open Scanner's.

UltraNotes ships an update every 3 weeks, Open Scanner every 10 days. Both last shipped on October 30, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | UltraNotes | Open Scanner |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (187 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ultranotes-note-taking-and-pdf/id6468902627/reviews) | **[4.7 (205 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/open-scanner-pdf-scanning/id6578414558/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 187 | **205** |
| Positive reviews | **81.2% of reviews** | 71.4% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Every 10 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 30 MB | 1 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Mac** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Skyjos Co., Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/499470116) | [Pencil Research](https://appshunter.io/developer/1473063859) |

## What reviewers say

### UltraNotes

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ultranotes-note-taking-and-pdf/id6468902627)

This app combines powerful note-taking, handwriting, and PDF annotation features. Create rich text notes, sketch with various tools, and mark up documents. Organize, search, and sync your notes across devices.

**Highlights:** Handwritten notes with Apple Pencil, Rich text formatting and templates, PDF annotation and signing, Cross-device synchronization via iCloud, Searchable handwriting and text, Side-by-side multitasking on iPad/Mac, Audio recording with notes

**Features:** Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| UltraNotes Pro Lifetime | $4.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- ✍️ Excellent handwriting and pen experience
- 👍 Simple and intuitive user interface
- 🎨 Variety of pen styles and drawing tools
- 💰 One-time purchase with no subscription
- 🔒 Strong privacy policy

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Writing/drawing input not registering properly
- 🐛 Frequent page scrolling when attempting to write
- 🔄 Slow or unreliable iCloud sync
- 📤 Export functionality issues
- 🔍 Search feature crashes the app

**Reported bugs**

- Writing and drawing input not working
- Page scrolling interferes with writing
- iCloud sync not functioning
- Export to other apps failing
- Hand gestures changing page zoom during writing

**Requested features**

- Ability to lock zoom while writing with Apple Pencil
- Resize shapes after cutting/moving them
- Export notes to PDF and other apps
- Dark/light theme toggle for pages
- Nested list item support


### Open Scanner

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/open-scanner-pdf-scanning/id6578414558)

Transform your device into a powerful document scanner. Quickly capture papers, automatically recognize text, and organize your scans with AI-powered features. Seamlessly share and edit your documents in various formats.

**Highlights:** Automatic text recognition (OCR), Automatic document naming, Location-based tagging, Add saved signatures, Organize and re-order pages, iCloud sync, Annotate and edit scans, Export as PDF

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is UltraNotes free?

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

### Is Open Scanner free?

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

### Which has better reviews, UltraNotes or Open Scanner?

Open Scanner is rated higher. UltraNotes averages 4.6 out of 5 from 187 ratings, while Open Scanner averages 4.7 from 205 ratings.

### Do UltraNotes or Open Scanner have ads?

Neither UltraNotes nor Open Scanner shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, UltraNotes or Open Scanner?

UltraNotes ships an update every 3 weeks, and Open Scanner every 10 days. Most recently, UltraNotes was updated on October 30, 2026 and Open Scanner on October 30, 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.*