# UltraNotes vs Notely

UltraNotes and Notely both sit at 4.6 stars, but that hides the real split: 81% of UltraNotes's written reviews are positive against 33% of Notely's. UltraNotes also leads on ratings volume (181 vs 8). Notely's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and update cadence (every 4 days vs every 3 weeks). On price, rating, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

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

UltraNotes holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: UltraNotes has 181 ratings behind it against 8, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 81% of UltraNotes's written reviews are positive against 33% of Notely's.

UltraNotes ships an update every 3 weeks, Notely every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and October 13, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | UltraNotes | Notely |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (181 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ultranotes-note-taking-and-pdf/id6468902627/reviews)** | [4.4 (8 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notely-notes-and-pdf-app/id6760985471/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **181** | 8 |
| Positive reviews | **81.2% of reviews** | 33.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Every 4 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 30 MB | 23 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Mac** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Skyjos Co., Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/499470116) | [JUSTIN WEI SUN](https://appshunter.io/developer/1874016949) |

## 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


### Notely

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notely-notes-and-pdf-app/id6760985471)

This app offers a private and flexible digital notebook for handwriting, typed notes, and PDF annotation. Convert handwriting to editable text, draw with precision tools, and organize your work with folders and backups. Keep ideas accessible without an account or internet connection.

**Highlights:** Handwriting to editable text conversion, Precision drawing tools, PDF annotation and markup, Organized library with folders, On-device search, Portable backups

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is UltraNotes free?

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

### Is Notely free?

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

### Which has better reviews, UltraNotes or Notely?

UltraNotes is rated higher. UltraNotes averages 4.6 out of 5 from 181 ratings, while Notely averages 4.4 from 8 ratings.

### Do UltraNotes or Notely have ads?

Neither UltraNotes nor Notely shows ads.

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

UltraNotes ships an update every 3 weeks, and Notely every 4 days. Most recently, UltraNotes was updated on October 16, 2026 and Notely on October 13, 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.*