# StarNote vs NoteSam

The clearest difference is ads: StarNote at none against NoteSam's shown. StarNote also leads on iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.0). NoteSam's advantage is update cadence (every 5 days vs every 2 weeks). On price, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. StarNote sells 21 one-off in-app purchases and NoteSam sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

StarNote ships an update every 2 weeks, NoteSam every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and September 10, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | StarNote | NoteSam |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (94 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/starnote-handwritten-notes/id6751570915/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **94** | — |
| Positive reviews | 73.5% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | **Every 5 days** |
| Monetization | Paid | — |
| Size | 422 MB | 15 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Onyx International Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1527846836) | [Cryptosam LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1888681535) |

## What reviewers say

### StarNote

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/starnote-handwritten-notes/id6751570915)

This app offers a realistic pen-on-paper handwriting experience on tablets with an infinite canvas for notes and sketches. It includes advanced layering, PDF annotation, and a robust organizer for efficient digital note-taking and planning.

**Highlights:** Realistic low-latency handwriting, Infinite canvas for unlimited space, Layered design for complex projects, Deep PDF annotation and markup, Robust file management and search, Lifetime access with one-time purchase, Free templates and digital assets

**In-app purchases (21)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| StarNote AI Trial | $0.99 | one-time |
| Templates\Stickers | $3.90 | one-time |
| Templates\Stickers | $4.49 | one-time |
| Templates\Stickers | $4.79 | one-time |
| Templates\Stickers | $5.00 | one-time |
| Templates\Stickers | $5.79 | one-time |
| StarNote Lifetime PRO | $5.99 | one-time |
| Templates\Stickers | $6.69 | one-time |
| Templates\Stickers | $6.79 | one-time |
| StarNote AI Plus | $6.99 | one-time |
| Templates\Stickers | $7.79 | one-time |
| Templates\Stickers | $8.99 | one-time |
| Templates\Stickers | $9.79 | one-time |
| Templates\Stickers | $9.99 | one-time |
| Templates\Stickers | $10.99 | one-time |
| Templates\Stickers | $11.49 | one-time |
| Templates\Stickers | $11.90 | one-time |
| Templates\Stickers | $12.99 | one-time |
| StarNote AI Pro | $22.99 | one-time |
| Templates\Stickers | $38.90 | one-time |
| Templates\Stickers | $42.90 | one-time |


### NoteSam

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notesam-handwritten-notes/id6762164734)

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| NoteSam Pro Monthly | $2.99 | per month |
| NoteSam Pro Yearly | $19.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is StarNote free?

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

### Is NoteSam free?

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

### Do StarNote or NoteSam have ads?

NoteSam shows ads; StarNote does not.

### Which is updated more often, StarNote or NoteSam?

StarNote ships an update every 2 weeks, and NoteSam every 5 days. Most recently, StarNote was updated on September 22, 2026 and NoteSam on September 10, 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.*