# Notes vs OpenNotes

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: OpenNotes at none against Notes's 3. OpenNotes also leads on ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 4 days vs every 11 days). Notes's advantage is rating (4.8 vs 4.3). On price, ratings volume, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Notes sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per 7 days. OpenNotes asks for nothing beyond the download.

Notes holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 17 and 35 respectively.

Notes ships an update every 11 days, OpenNotes every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Notes | OpenNotes |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (17 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notes-notepad-notebook/id6746961597/reviews)** | [4.3 (35 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/opennotes-notes-and-pdf-markup/id6771224004/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 17 | **35** |
| Positive reviews | — | 60.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 11 days | **Every 4 days** |
| Monetization | Ad-supported | **Free** |
| Size | 25 MB | 44 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 15.1 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Nguyen Thanh](https://appshunter.io/developer/1634978580) | [Mark Miller](https://appshunter.io/developer/1836539324) |

## What reviewers say

### Notes

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notes-notepad-notebook/id6746961597)

This app helps you create, organize, and manage daily notes, to-do lists, and reminders with a clean, user-friendly interface. It's designed for distraction-free writing and staying focused on your tasks and ideas.

**Highlights:** Create and edit notes, Manage task lists with checkboxes, Set reminders, Supports dark mode, Intuitive design

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekly Premium | $0.99 | per 7 days |
| Yearly Premium | $9.99 | per year |
| Lifetime Premium | $24.99 | one-time |


### OpenNotes

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/opennotes-notes-and-pdf-markup/id6771224004)

Create handwritten notes, import and annotate PDFs, and organize your thoughts with folders. This free, open-source app prioritizes privacy by keeping all your data local and on your device.

**Highlights:** Handwritten notes with Apple Pencil, PDF import and annotation, Folder-based organization, Add images and text, Local-first data storage, Export and share notes

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Notes free?

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

### Is OpenNotes free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Notes or OpenNotes?

Notes is rated higher. Notes averages 4.8 out of 5 from 17 ratings, while OpenNotes averages 4.3 from 35 ratings.

### Do Notes or OpenNotes have ads?

Notes shows ads; OpenNotes does not.

### Which is updated more often, Notes or OpenNotes?

Notes ships an update every 11 days, and OpenNotes every 4 days. Most recently, Notes was updated on October 24, 2026 and OpenNotes on October 31, 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.*