X vs OpenNotes
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
X
This AI-powered note-taking app helps students organize and access study materials across devices. It converts handwriting, speech, and images to text, and allows for lecture recording. Notes are kept private and secure within the Apple ecosystem.
- Handwriting to Text conversion
- Speech to Text for lectures
- Image to Text (OCR)
- Voice notes for lectures
- iPad & Mac sync via iCloud
- Private and secure note-taking
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X-Notes: The Ultimate Study Companion for iPad & Mac Take your studies to the next level with X-Notes—your AI-powered note-taking app designed for students! Whether you're in class, reviewing lectures, or preparing for exams, X-Notes helps you organize and access your notes effortlessly across iPad and MacBook. Why Students Love X-Notes? Handwriting to Text – Convert handwritten notes into digital text instantly. Speech to Text (NEW!) – Turn lectures and voice notes into text automatically. Image to Text (OCR) – Extract text from books, handouts, and whiteboards. Voice Notes for Lectures – Record classes and review them later. Seamless iPad & Mac Sync – Access all notes anytime with iCloud. Private & Secure – No accounts, no tracking—just your notes in your Apple ecosystem. Perfect for: Students taking class notes. Researchers and learners organizing study materials. Anyone who wants AI-powered note-taking with handwriting, voice, and image conversion. Download X-Notes today and simplify your student life!
OpenNotes
Create handwritten notes, import and annotate PDFs, and organize your thoughts with folders. This free, open-source app prioritizes privacy by keeping all your data local and on your device.
- Handwritten notes with Apple Pencil
- PDF import and annotation
- Folder-based organization
- Add images and text
- Local-first data storage
- Export and share notes
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OpenNotes is a simple, free, open-source notes app built for handwriting, PDFs, and focused organization. Create notebooks, import PDFs, write with Apple Pencil, add images or text, organize notes into folders, and export your work when you need it. OpenNotes is local-first and privacy focused. There are no accounts, no analytics, no tracking, no cloud sync, and your notes never leave your device unless you choose to export or share them.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: X at 100% against OpenNotes's 33%. X also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.3). OpenNotes's advantage is update cadence (every 4 days vs monthly) and ratings volume (16 vs 2). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
X holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: OpenNotes has 16 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 100% of X's written reviews are positive against 33% of OpenNotes's.
X ships an update monthly, OpenNotes every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on September 28, 2026 and September 20, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | X | OpenNotes |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 5.0 (2 ratings) — better | 4.3 (16 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better | 33.3% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 2 | 16 — better |
| Update frequency | Monthly | Every 4 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — better | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | 15.1 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 84 MB | 43 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | VanAnh Nguyen | Mark Miller |
Customer experience
X
OpenNotes
In-app purchases
X
No in-app purchases
OpenNotes
No in-app purchases
