# Notes+ vs UseFirst

The clearest difference is rating: UseFirst at 5.0 against Notes+'s 3.2. UseFirst also leads on update cadence (every 5 days vs every 8 months). Notes+'s advantage is ads (none vs shown). On price, ratings volume, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Notes+ sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per 7 days and UseFirst sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UseFirst holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.2. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 5 and 2 respectively.

Notes+ ships an update every 8 months, UseFirst every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on October 30, 2026 and October 9, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Notes+ | UseFirst |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.2 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notes-plus-inkpad-notepad/id6742770168/reviews) | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/usefirst/id6752753308/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **5** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | — | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 8 months | **Every 5 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 62 MB | 22 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.6** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Brijesh Kanani](https://appshunter.io/developer/1701787580) | [Haiming Peng](https://appshunter.io/developer/1840801019) |

## What reviewers say

### Notes+

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notes-plus-inkpad-notepad/id6742770168)

Capture ideas with a versatile note-taking app that combines handwriting, typing, sketching, and audio recording. Organize your life with planners, to-do lists, and reminders, all while personalizing your notes with custom styles and images.

**Highlights:** Digital handwriting and typing, Planners and to-do lists, Reminders and scheduling, PDF annotation, Audio recording sync, Image and sketch integration, Password protection

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekly | $2.99 | per 7 days |
| Monthly | $8.99 | per month |
| Yearly | $29.99 | per year |


### UseFirst

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/usefirst/id6752753308)

Intelligently manage your belongings with AI-powered features for item recognition, automatic categorization, and expiration date suggestions. Track inventory, set smart notifications, and generate automated lists to reduce waste and stay organized.

**Highlights:** AI item recognition via camera, Automatic categorization and details, Expiration date suggestions, Multi-batch tracking, Location-based organization, Smart expiration and low stock alerts, Automated shopping lists

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium Plan | $2.99 | per month |
| Pro Plan | $9.99 | per month |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Notes+ free?

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

### Is UseFirst free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Notes+ or UseFirst?

UseFirst is rated higher. Notes+ averages 3.2 out of 5 from 5 ratings, while UseFirst averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do Notes+ or UseFirst have ads?

UseFirst shows ads; Notes+ does not.

### Which is updated more often, Notes+ or UseFirst?

Notes+ ships an update every 8 months, and UseFirst every 5 days. Most recently, Notes+ was updated on October 30, 2026 and UseFirst on October 9, 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.*