# Notewise vs StarNote

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.

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.

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.

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

## The numbers

| Metric | Notewise | StarNote |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (271 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notewise-ai-notes-pdf-docs/id6480045936/reviews) | [4.6 (94 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/starnote-handwritten-notes/id6751570915/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **271** | 94 |
| Positive reviews | 54.7% of reviews | **73.5% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 days** | Every 2 weeks |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Paid |
| Size | 427 MB | 422 MB |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [ZIIKR](https://appshunter.io/developer/1535317711) | [Onyx International Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1527846836) |

## What reviewers say

### Notewise

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notewise-ai-notes-pdf-docs/id6480045936)

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:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (16)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Notewise Cloud Basic Monthly | $4.99 | per month |
| Notewise Cloud Starter Monthly | $6.99 | per month |
| Notewise Cloud Pro Monthly | $15.99 | per month |
| Notewise Cloud Basic Yearly | $28.99 | per year |
| Notewise Cloud Starter Yearly | $36.99 | per year |
| Notewise Cloud Pro Yearly | $129.99 | per year |
| Notewise Marketplace Content | $1.99 | one-time |
| Notewise Marketplace Content | $2.99 | one-time |
| Notewise Marketplace Content | $3.99 | one-time |
| Notewise Marketplace Content | $4.99 | one-time |
| Notewise Marketplace Content | $5.99 | one-time |
| Notewise Marketplace Content | $6.99 | one-time |
| Notewise Marketplace Content | $7.99 | one-time |
| Notewise Marketplace Content | $8.99 | one-time |
| Notewise Marketplace Content | $9.99 | one-time |
| Notewise Unlimited | $19.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Intuitive and user-friendly interface
- 🔄 Excellent cross-platform synchronization (Android, iOS, Mac, PC)
- ✨ Comprehensive feature set with tables, shapes, and drawing tools
- 🎨 High-quality dark mode implementation
- 📱 Works seamlessly across multiple devices

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent app crashes after updates
- 🐛 Handwriting and annotations disappearing randomly
- 🐛 Lasso selection tool includes unwanted background
- 🐛 App freezes and lags when highlighting large areas
- 🐛 Text input fields not functioning properly

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes on every update
- Handwritten content randomly disappears
- Annotations vanishing intermittently
- Lasso selection tool malfunctions
- Text input fields not responding

**Requested features**

- 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


### StarNote

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/starnote-handwritten-notes/id6751570915)

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

**In-app purchases (21)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| StarNote AI Trial | $0.99 | one-time |
| Templates\Stickers | $3.90 | one-time |
| Templates\Stickers | $4.49 | one-time |
| Templates\Stickers | $4.79 | one-time |
| Templates\Stickers | $5.00 | one-time |
| Templates\Stickers | $5.79 | one-time |
| StarNote Lifetime PRO | $5.99 | one-time |
| Templates\Stickers | $6.69 | one-time |
| Templates\Stickers | $6.79 | one-time |
| StarNote AI Plus | $6.99 | one-time |
| Templates\Stickers | $7.79 | one-time |
| Templates\Stickers | $8.99 | one-time |
| Templates\Stickers | $9.79 | one-time |
| Templates\Stickers | $9.99 | one-time |
| Templates\Stickers | $10.99 | one-time |
| Templates\Stickers | $11.49 | one-time |
| Templates\Stickers | $11.90 | one-time |
| Templates\Stickers | $12.99 | one-time |
| StarNote AI Pro | $22.99 | one-time |
| Templates\Stickers | $38.90 | one-time |
| Templates\Stickers | $42.90 | one-time |


## Frequently asked 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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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*