# Steno Notes vs PureMarkdown

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: PureMarkdown at none against Steno Notes's 4. PureMarkdown also leads on iOS requirement (17.6 vs 26.0). Steno Notes's advantage is update cadence (every 2 days vs every 2 weeks). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Steno Notes sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. PureMarkdown asks for nothing beyond the download.

Steno Notes ships an update every 2 days, PureMarkdown every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 7, 2026 and September 19, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Steno Notes | PureMarkdown |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 days** | Every 2 weeks |
| Size | 85 MB | 3 MB |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | **17.6** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Mac | iPhone, iPad, Mac |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Mikail Kraft](https://appshunter.io/developer/1816063784) | [zeyang huang](https://appshunter.io/developer/1449351308) |

## What reviewers say

### Steno Notes

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/steno-notes/id6746288600)

**Features:** Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Tip Jar (Small) | $0.99 | one-time |
| Tip Jar (Medium) | $2.99 | one-time |
| Steno Complete | $4.99 | one-time |
| Steno Tip (Large) | $4.99 | one-time |


### PureMarkdown

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/puremarkdown/id6761775336)

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Steno Notes free?

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

### Is PureMarkdown free?

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

### Do Steno Notes or PureMarkdown have ads?

Neither Steno Notes nor PureMarkdown shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Steno Notes or PureMarkdown?

Steno Notes ships an update every 2 days, and PureMarkdown every 2 weeks. Most recently, Steno Notes was updated on September 7, 2026 and PureMarkdown on September 19, 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.*