# Steno Notes vs Vault Notes by Hansson

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Vault Notes by Hansson at none against Steno Notes's 4. Vault Notes by Hansson also leads on iOS requirement (17.0 vs 26.0). Steno Notes's advantage is update cadence (every 2 days vs every 5 days). 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. Vault Notes by Hansson asks for nothing beyond the download.

Steno Notes ships an update every 2 days, Vault Notes by Hansson every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on September 7, 2026 and September 15, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Steno Notes | Vault Notes by Hansson |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 days** | Every 5 days |
| Size | 85 MB | 10 MB |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | **17.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Mac | iPhone, iPad, Mac |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Mikail Kraft](https://appshunter.io/developer/1816063784) | [Hansson Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1893496881) |

## 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 |


### Vault Notes by Hansson

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/vault-notes-by-hansson/id6763659294)

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Steno Notes free?

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

### Is Vault Notes by Hansson free?

Vault Notes by Hansson is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do Steno Notes or Vault Notes by Hansson have ads?

Neither Steno Notes nor Vault Notes by Hansson shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Steno Notes or Vault Notes by Hansson?

Steno Notes ships an update every 2 days, and Vault Notes by Hansson every 5 days. Most recently, Steno Notes was updated on September 7, 2026 and Vault Notes by Hansson on September 15, 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.*