# Design Plus vs StarNote

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Design Plus at none against StarNote's 21. Design Plus also leads on iOS requirement (12.4 vs 15.0). StarNote's advantage is update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 6 months). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. StarNote sells 21 one-off in-app purchases. Design Plus asks for nothing beyond the download.

Design Plus ships an update every 6 months, StarNote every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on July 16, 2026 and September 26, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Design Plus | StarNote |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[4.6 (94 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/starnote-handwritten-notes/id6751570915/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **94** |
| Positive reviews | — | 73.5% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 months | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | — | Paid |
| Size | 31 MB | 422 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.4** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [MARKS DZYN PRIVATE LIMITED](https://appshunter.io/developer/1615364323) | [Onyx International Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1527846836) |

## What reviewers say

### Design Plus

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/design-plus/id6517357872)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### 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 Design Plus free?

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

### Is StarNote free?

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

### Do Design Plus or StarNote have ads?

Neither Design Plus nor StarNote shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Design Plus or StarNote?

Design Plus ships an update every 6 months, and StarNote every 2 weeks. Most recently, Design Plus was updated on July 16, 2026 and StarNote on September 26, 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.*