# BarrierSystems ControlApp vs Notely

The clearest difference is update cadence: Notely at every 5 days against BarrierSystems ControlApp's every 8 months. BarrierSystems ControlApp's advantage is iOS requirement (15.1 vs 17.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

BarrierSystems ControlApp ships an update every 8 months, Notely every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on November 4, 2026 and November 5, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | BarrierSystems ControlApp | Notely |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[4.4 (8 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notely-notes-and-pdf-app/id6760985471/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **8** |
| Positive reviews | — | 33.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 8 months | **Every 5 days** |
| Monetization | — | Free |
| Size | 35 MB | 22 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.1** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [BarrierSystems GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/1750464226) | [JUSTIN WEI SUN](https://appshunter.io/developer/1874016949) |

## What reviewers say

### BarrierSystems ControlApp

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/barriersystems-controlapp/id6503943341)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### 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 BarrierSystems ControlApp free?

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

### Is Notely free?

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

### Do BarrierSystems ControlApp or Notely have ads?

Neither BarrierSystems ControlApp nor Notely shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, BarrierSystems ControlApp or Notely?

BarrierSystems ControlApp ships an update every 8 months, and Notely every 5 days. Most recently, BarrierSystems ControlApp was updated on November 4, 2026 and Notely on November 5, 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.*