# Notes vs OpenNotes

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: OpenNotes at none against Notes's 4. OpenNotes also leads on review sentiment (33% vs 0%). Notes's advantage is update cadence (every 2 days vs every 4 days). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Notes sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. OpenNotes asks for nothing beyond the download.

Notes ships an update every 2 days, OpenNotes every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on September 20, 2026 and September 6, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Notes | OpenNotes |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[4.3 (16 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/opennotes-notes-and-pdf-markup/id6771224004/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **16** |
| Positive reviews | 0.0% of reviews | **33.3% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 days** | Every 4 days |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 180 MB | 43 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.0** | 15.1 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Lutech-DN](https://appshunter.io/developer/1700646669) | [Mark Miller](https://appshunter.io/developer/1836539324) |

## What reviewers say

### Notes

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notes-note-taking-and-writing/id6502620869)

Capture ideas, create to-do lists, and sketch designs with a versatile digital notebook. Customize your notes with various paper templates, stickers, fonts, and colors. Effortlessly organize and share your work as PDFs.

**Highlights:** Customizable paper covers and templates, Multimedia tools: pencil, text, photos, Vector-based digital pencil for drawing, Hundreds of font and color options, Organize notes with custom titles and covers, Export notes as PDF

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

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| monthly | $0.99 | per month |
| quarterly | $2.49 | per 3 months |
| Premium Year | $3.49 | per year |
| Loyalty member | $3.99 | per year |


### OpenNotes

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/opennotes-notes-and-pdf-markup/id6771224004)

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.

**Highlights:** Handwritten notes with Apple Pencil, PDF import and annotation, Folder-based organization, Add images and text, Local-first data storage, Export and share notes

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Notes free?

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

### Is OpenNotes free?

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

### Do Notes or OpenNotes have ads?

Neither Notes nor OpenNotes shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Notes or OpenNotes?

Notes ships an update every 2 days, and OpenNotes every 4 days. Most recently, Notes was updated on September 20, 2026 and OpenNotes on September 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.*