Comparison

Notewise vs StarNote

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

Head to head
About

Notewise

This app offers a versatile digital canvas for note-taking, PDF annotation, and sketching. It leverages AI to summarize content, generate quizzes, and transcribe audio. Designed for students, professionals, and creators, it provides tools for organization, collaboration, and enhanced productivity.

Highlights
  • AI-powered note summarization and quizzing
  • Handwritten notes and PDF annotation
  • Audio recording with synced transcripts
  • OCR for searchable handwriting
  • Real-time collaboration
  • Infinite freeform canvas
Features
Read full description

Apple Design Awards Nominee, 6M+ users worldwide. Notewise is the future of note-taking on iPhone and iPad. Whether you’re recording meetings, sketching diagrams, annotating PDFs, or writing ideas, Notewise gives you a personalized workspace that feels like your second brain — supercharged by AI. With Notewise, you don’t just take notes. You create good notes — searchable, personalized, and interactive. Write Your First AI Note Meet your first AI Note, shaped by your context across audio, text, handwriting and docs. • Capture Anything: Start with audio, text, handwriting, docs or images. • Note: A living AI note that writes itself from everything you capture. • AI Chat: Chat with the note you're in or across every note and the web. • Search: Find details in handwriting, text, audio, files and even images. With Notewise, you always start with what matters. Personalization That Feels Like Magic Designed to take good notes for iPhone and iPad note-takers • Multiple sources, one note: Capture in any order your thoughts arrive, it stays together. • Auto-updates: Your Note grows every time new information arrives. • Suggest changes: Approve changes before your Note is edited. • Custom Tabs: Every note, your format. Choose from 20+ templates or create one. • Profile Building: Define your preferences, get customized notes. Whether you want class notes in Cornell format or meeting notes as action items, it just works. Canvas Tools Built for Power Users Use the full toolbox to create your own system of thinking and learning: Pen, Highlighter, Eraser, Lasso, Tape, Shape, Textbox, Image, Audio Recorder, Table, Zoombox, Ruler, Laser Pointer, Sticky Notes, Creative Brushes, Stickers, Background Removal, Videos Create good notes freely. Every tool is fast, fluid, and purpose-built. Stay Present in Every Meeting • Record meetings, coffee chats, classes and voice memos. • Notewise transcribes every recording. Available across 20+ languages. • Each meeting builds on the last. Yesterday's meetings informs today's decisions. • Chat with all your meetings at once. Bring context across files and texts as well. Leave Lectures with Confidence • One note for school: record lectures, annotate slides, take class notes, draw diagrams. • View class notes in Cornell or Outline format, or create one of your own. • Generate podcasts for audio visual learning and test your knowledge with quizzes. • Chat with everything you save: textbooks, notes, recordings, whiteboard images. Annotate, Edit, Chat • Upload PDFs, docs, slides, textbooks and more. • Bring PDF knowledge in the same place as recordings, typed notes and handwriting. • Chat with your files, ask questions within and beyond them. Privacy-First by Design We’re a small, independent team. We don’t sell your data. We don’t show ads. Your notes are encrypted, secure, and under your control. Try For Free • Start with 10 free canvas notes, upload slides and docs • Experience AI powered thinking. Start with a 7 day free trial of Notewise 4.0 • Use core features for free—forever Always Getting Better Canvas updates, recent additions include: • Customized Toolbar: Keep tools you like, hide the ones you don't use • Connector: Link any two elements to connect ideas, draw diagrams and map workflows • Font Selection: Choose from 2000+ Google Fonts And we're just getting started. Take Good Notes Only Notewise is built for professionals, students and knowledge workers around the world. Whether you’re working on your next start-up idea, making decisions in a meeting or simply taking class notes, design your own productivity system in Notewise, a notes app that thinks as human, works like AI. — Build your notes your way with a tool that respects your privacy. Download Notewise for free today and experience the future of note-taking: contextual, personal, powerful. Privacy Policy: https://www.notewise.dev/privacy-policy Terms & Conditions: https://www.notewise.dev/terms-conditions

About

StarNote

This app offers a realistic pen-on-paper handwriting experience on tablets with an infinite canvas for notes and sketches. It includes advanced layering, PDF annotation, and a robust organizer for efficient digital note-taking and planning.

Highlights
  • Realistic low-latency handwriting
  • Infinite canvas for unlimited space
  • Layered design for complex projects
  • Deep PDF annotation and markup
  • Robust file management and search
  • Lifetime access with one-time purchase
  • Free templates and digital assets
Read full description

StarNote is a clean and powerful note-taking app for handwriting, PDF annotation, study, work, and everyday planning. Write naturally with your stylus, organize notebooks, mark up PDFs, and keep all your ideas in one simple workspace. Built for students, professionals, and tablet users, StarNote helps you take class notes, review lecture slides, annotate documents, plan your day, and build a paperless study or work system. With smooth handwriting, flexible notebooks, PDF markup, and digital planning tools, StarNote makes it easy to capture ideas and stay organized. No monthly subscription. Choose a one-time purchase and enjoy a long-term note-taking tool without ongoing fees. Download StarNote and start building your digital notebook today.

Screenshots

Notewise4 screens
StarNote4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Notewise at every 2 days against StarNote's every 2 weeks. Notewise also leads on monetization model (free with in-app purchases vs paid). StarNote's advantage is review sentiment (74% vs 55%) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 26.0). On price, rating, ratings volume and ads 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. Notewise sells 16 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and StarNote sells 21 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for Notewise against 4.6 for StarNote. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 271 and 94 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 55% of Notewise's written reviews are positive against 74% of StarNote's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Notewise ships an update every 2 days, StarNote every 2 weeks. Both last shipped on September 22, 2026.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Notewise versus StarNote: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterNotewiseStarNote
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (271 ratings)4.6 (94 ratings)
Positive reviews54.7% of reviews73.5% of reviews — better
Number of ratings271 — better94
Update frequencyEvery 2 days — betterEvery 2 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases — betterPaid
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS26.015.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size427 MB422 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperZIIKROnyx International Inc.

Customer experience

Notewise

All ratings271 ratings
Positive90.8%
Neutral2.6%
Negative6.6%
Written reviews137 reviews
Positive54.7%
Neutral12.4%
Negative32.8%

StarNote

All ratings94 ratings
Positive89.4%
Neutral5.3%
Negative5.3%
Written reviews68 reviews
Positive73.5%
Neutral16.2%
Negative10.3%

Bugs and requests

Notewise

Reported bugs

18 issues
  • App crashes on every update
  • Handwritten content randomly disappears
  • Annotations vanishing intermittently
  • Lasso selection tool malfunctions
  • Text input fields not responding
Show 13 more
  • App freezes when highlighting large areas with markers
  • Handwriting input not registering
  • Palm rejection issues causing unwanted marks
  • Shape recognition failures
  • Scribble-to-erase function unreliable
  • PDF export causing app crashes
  • Notes auto-deleting or getting corrupted
  • Sync getting stuck mid-process
  • Slow and delayed cross-device synchronization
  • UI elements obscuring page content after 20+ minutes of use
  • Copy-paste functionality limited and unreliable
  • App performance degradation over time
  • Glitchy behavior with shape drawing mode

Requested features

20 requests
  • Add layers feature for advanced editing
  • Implement automatic zoom box that follows writing
  • Add pencil, waterbrush, and crayon drawing tools
  • Sticker marketplace or sticker customization
  • Horizontal page flipping/swiping navigation
Show 15 more
  • Ability to pause real-time syncing
  • MacBook native app with full feature parity
  • More shape customization (arcs for graphing)
  • Improved text formatting and customization options
  • Single page view mode (vertical and horizontal)
  • Notebook organization beyond just pages
  • Magnifying glass tool like GoodNotes
  • More pen and pencil style options
  • Line spacing customization for text
  • PDF import from web/internet
  • Printing functionality
  • Audio recording and sharing capabilities
  • Hyperlink support on desktop version
  • Scroll locking to prevent accidental page movement
  • Better shape recognition (arrows, parentheses)

StarNote

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

16 purchases

Notewise

Subscriptions6
  • Notewise Cloud Basic Monthly$4.991 Month
  • Notewise Cloud Starter Monthly$6.991 Month
  • Notewise Cloud Pro Monthly$15.991 Month
Show 3 more
  • Notewise Cloud Basic Yearly$28.991 Year
  • Notewise Cloud Starter Yearly7 Days trial$36.991 Year
  • Notewise Cloud Pro Yearly$129.991 Year
One-time10
  • Notewise Marketplace Content$1.99
  • Notewise Marketplace Content$2.99
  • Notewise Marketplace Content$3.99
Show 7 more
  • Notewise Marketplace Content$4.99
  • Notewise Marketplace Content$5.99
  • Notewise Marketplace Content$6.99
  • Notewise Marketplace Content$7.99
  • Notewise Marketplace Content$8.99
  • Notewise Marketplace Content$9.99
  • Notewise Unlimited$19.99
21 purchases

StarNote

One-time21
  • StarNote AI Trial$0.99
  • Templates\Stickers$3.90
  • Templates\Stickers$4.49
Show 18 more
  • Templates\Stickers$4.79
  • Templates\Stickers$5.00
  • Templates\Stickers$5.79
  • StarNote Lifetime PRO$5.99
  • Templates\Stickers$6.69
  • Templates\Stickers$6.79
  • StarNote AI Plus$6.99
  • Templates\Stickers$7.79
  • Templates\Stickers$8.99
  • Templates\Stickers$9.79
  • Templates\Stickers$9.99
  • Templates\Stickers$10.99
  • Templates\Stickers$11.49
  • Templates\Stickers$11.90
  • Templates\Stickers$12.99
  • StarNote AI Pro$22.99
  • Templates\Stickers$38.90
  • Templates\Stickers$42.90

Questions

Is Notewise free?
Notewise is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is StarNote free?
StarNote is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Notewise or StarNote?
Notewise and StarNote are both rated 4.6 out of 5 on the App Store, from 271 and 94 ratings respectively.
Do Notewise or StarNote have ads?
Neither Notewise nor StarNote shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Notewise or StarNote?
Notewise ships an update every 2 days, and StarNote every 2 weeks. Most recently, Notewise was updated on September 22, 2026 and StarNote on September 22, 2026.

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