# Inkiostro vs SteelNote

The clearest difference is review sentiment: SteelNote at 100% against Inkiostro's 60%. On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Inkiostro sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and SteelNote sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $24.99 per year. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Inkiostro ships an update weekly, SteelNote every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and October 14, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Inkiostro | SteelNote |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[3.0 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/inkiostro-markdown-editor/id6752715912/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **4** | — |
| Positive reviews | 60.0% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Weekly | **Every 4 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 21 MB | 17 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **17.6** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Mac | iPhone, iPad, Mac |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Carlo Di Giuseppe](https://appshunter.io/developer/404162454) | [Claude Bezeaud](https://appshunter.io/developer/500254221) |

## What reviewers say

### Inkiostro

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/inkiostro-markdown-editor/id6752715912)

A distraction-free Markdown editor for Apple devices. Organize files with color labels and tags, and write efficiently with a comprehensive toolbar and live preview. Syncs automatically via iCloud Drive.

**Highlights:** Color Labels for files and folders, Custom tags for organization, Complete Markdown toolbar, Live preview with multiple themes, Focus and Typewriter modes, Native iCloud Drive sync, External folder support

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Inkiostro Pro | $19.99 | one-time |


### SteelNote

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/steelnote-markdown-notes/id6765892871)

This app stores your notes as plain Markdown files on your device, ensuring you always own your data. It offers seamless syncing across Apple devices, instant search, and robust import options from other note-taking applications.

**Highlights:** Plain Markdown file storage, iCloud sync across Apple devices, Local full-text search, Import from multiple note apps, Link notes and see backlinks, Organize with folders and tags, Mark notes as private

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Annual | $24.99 | per year |
| Founder | $44.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime | $79.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Inkiostro free?

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

### Is SteelNote free?

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

### Do Inkiostro or SteelNote have ads?

Neither Inkiostro nor SteelNote shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Inkiostro or SteelNote?

Inkiostro ships an update weekly, and SteelNote every 4 days. Most recently, Inkiostro was updated on October 13, 2026 and SteelNote on October 14, 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.*