# StarNote vs Mello

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Mello at 97% against StarNote's 74%. Mello also leads on rating (4.9 vs 4.6) and update cadence (every 4 days vs every 2 weeks). StarNote's advantage is iOS requirement (15.0 vs 26.2). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

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

Mello holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 94 and 111 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 74% of StarNote's written reviews are positive against 97% of Mello's.

StarNote ships an update every 2 weeks, Mello every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | StarNote | Mello |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (94 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/starnote-handwritten-notes/id6751570915/reviews) | **[4.9 (111 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mello/id6770654285/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 94 | **111** |
| Positive reviews | 74.4% of reviews | **97.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | **Every 4 days** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Size | 422 MB | 20 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 26.2 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [Onyx International Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1527846836) | [Iris Arteaga](https://appshunter.io/developer/1896759972) |

## 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 |


### Mello

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mello/id6770654285)

This app helps students manage their academic life with a customizable planner. It includes features for events, timetables, tasks, and a built-in Pomodoro timer for focused study sessions. Stay organized and in control of your studies with a clean and visually appealing interface.

**Highlights:** Customizable student planner, Event and task management, Clean timetable view, Built-in Pomodoro timer, Personalized profile options

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Mello Member Monthly Subscription | $2.99 | per month |
| Mello Member Yearly Subscription | $19.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is StarNote free?

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

### Is Mello free?

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

### Which has better reviews, StarNote or Mello?

Mello is rated higher. StarNote averages 4.6 out of 5 from 94 ratings, while Mello averages 4.9 from 111 ratings.

### Do StarNote or Mello have ads?

Neither StarNote nor Mello shows ads.

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

StarNote ships an update every 2 weeks, and Mello every 4 days. Most recently, StarNote was updated on October 14, 2026 and Mello on October 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.*