Notebook vs Handwriting Memorandum
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Notebook
This app offers a natural journaling experience by organizing daily notes on a single page, allowing you to flip through your entries like a physical book. It prioritizes simplicity, security with passcode locks, and seamless iCloud synchronization for easy access across devices.
- Realistic page-turning effect
- One page per day organization
- iCloud sync and backup
- Passcode lock with Face ID/Touch ID
- Dark mode and font adjustment
- Ad-free Premium option
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Keep daily notes and diary entries together on one page. Turn pages like a book and revisit your past entries. Search, iCloud sync, and a passcode lock help you organize and access your notes. Core features are free; ad removal is a one-time purchase. ■ Your day on one page See the notes and diary entries you write each day together on one page. Swipe or tap to turn pages and look back on everyday moments and memories. ■ Find past entries Use the contents list or search to find a note you want to revisit. Change a note's date to record plans or past events. ■ Make reading and writing comfortable Adjust the text size or use Dark Mode. Copy, print, or share your notes. ■ Protect access with a passcode Lock access to your diary with a passcode. Face ID / Touch ID is available on supported devices. ■ Sync between devices with iCloud With iCloud sync enabled, notes synchronize automatically between devices using the same Apple Account. iCloud sync is enabled by default for new installations. iCloud Drive and Notebook's iCloud access must be enabled, with available storage and a network connection. Synchronization may take time. iCloud sync and device backups are separate features. Check your sync status and backups before changing devices. ■ Recover deleted notes Recover notes within 30 days of deletion from Recently Deleted in Settings. ■ Remove ads with a one-time purchase Core features are free. Premium removes ads with a one-time purchase, not a subscription. After changing devices, use Restore Purchases with the Apple Account used for your purchase. Over 2 million downloads worldwide. Rated 4.7 out of 5 from over 21,000 ratings across all countries and regions (October 2026). Capture your everyday moments, one page at a time.
Handwriting Memorandum
Easily capture your thoughts and ideas with a simple digital notebook. Draw sketches or jot down notes using your finger for quick and convenient input.
- Finger-based note-taking
- Simple sketching functionality
- Digital notebook
- Quick input
- Easy to use interface
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You can take notes or draw simple sketches with your fingers using this app.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Handwriting Memorandum at none against Notebook's 1. Handwriting Memorandum also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.7) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 17.0). Notebook's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs every 12 months) and ratings volume (14K vs 1). On price, review sentiment, ads and device support 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. Notebook sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Handwriting Memorandum asks for nothing beyond the download.
Handwriting Memorandum holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Notebook has 14K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 72% of Notebook's written reviews are positive against 71% of Handwriting Memorandum's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
Notebook ships an update weekly, Handwriting Memorandum every 12 months. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Notebook | Handwriting Memorandum |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.7 (14K ratings) | 5.0 (1 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 72.5% of reviews — better | 71.4% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 14K — better | 1 |
| Update frequency | Weekly — better | Every 12 months |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Ad-supported — better |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 12.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 25 MB | 3 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Koji Ito | Yuichi HARA |
Customer experience
Notebook
Handwriting Memorandum
Bugs and requests
Notebook
Reported bugs
3 issues- Deleting entries causes the app to crash
- Long entries can cause the app to become unresponsive
- Password feature doesn't always work as expected
Requested features
5 requests- Add ability to insert photos and attachments
- Implement cloud sync and backup
- Allow more formatting options (font, size, color, bold, italic, etc.)
- Develop an iPad version with optimized layout
- Add a search function to easily find past entries
Handwriting Memorandum
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Notebook
- Remove Ads$6.99
Handwriting Memorandum
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Notebook free?
Is Handwriting Memorandum free?
Which has better reviews, Notebook or Handwriting Memorandum?
Do Notebook or Handwriting Memorandum have ads?
Which is updated more often, Notebook or Handwriting Memorandum?
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