# UltraNotes vs MaxShortcut

The clearest difference is price: UltraNotes at Free against MaxShortcut's $2.99. MaxShortcut's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and update cadence (weekly vs every 3 weeks). On ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

UltraNotes is free to download; MaxShortcut costs $2.99 up front. UltraNotes sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. MaxShortcut asks for nothing beyond the download.

UltraNotes ships an update every 3 weeks, MaxShortcut weekly. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and August 6, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | UltraNotes | MaxShortcut |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $2.99 |
| Rating | **[4.6 (171 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ultranotes-note-taking-and-pdf/id6468902627/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **171** | — |
| Positive reviews | 81.9% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 31 MB | 1 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **15.6** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Mac | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Skyjos Co., Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/499470116) | [Lucas Exequiel Di Tomase](https://appshunter.io/developer/1456307400) |

## 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


### MaxShortcut

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/maxshortcut/id6667111131)

**Features:** Safari Extension

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is UltraNotes free?

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

### Is MaxShortcut free?

MaxShortcut costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Do UltraNotes or MaxShortcut have ads?

Neither UltraNotes nor MaxShortcut shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, UltraNotes or MaxShortcut?

UltraNotes ships an update every 3 weeks, and MaxShortcut weekly. Most recently, UltraNotes was updated on September 23, 2026 and MaxShortcut on August 6, 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.*