# Notes for iPad vs OpenNotes

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: OpenNotes at none against Notes for iPad's 6. OpenNotes also leads on review sentiment (67% vs 40%) and update cadence (every 5 days vs every 2 weeks). Notes for iPad's advantage is rating (4.6 vs 4.4) and ratings volume (401 vs 39). On price, ads and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Notes for iPad sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per 7 days. OpenNotes asks for nothing beyond the download.

Notes for iPad holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Notes for iPad has 401 ratings behind it against 39, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 40% of Notes for iPad's written reviews are positive against 67% of OpenNotes's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Notes for iPad ships an update every 2 weeks, OpenNotes every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on November 9, 2026 and November 10, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Notes for iPad | OpenNotes |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (401 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notes-for-ipad-pencil-notes/id6757370665/reviews)** | [4.4 (39 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/opennotes-notes-and-pdf-markup/id6771224004/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **401** | 39 |
| Positive reviews | 40.0% of reviews | **66.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | **Every 5 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 14 MB | 45 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **15.1** |
| Devices | iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Brite Technologies LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1620922833) | [Mark Miller](https://appshunter.io/developer/1836539324) |

## What reviewers say

### Notes for iPad

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notes-for-ipad-pencil-notes/id6757370665)

Transform your iPad into a digital notebook with a natural writing experience using Apple Pencil. Organize your life with over 60 templates, add stickers, and sync across devices. Perfect for students, professionals, and creatives.

**Highlights:** Natural handwriting with Apple Pencil, 60+ professionally designed templates, Extensive sticker library and import options, Unlimited notebooks with custom covers, iCloud sync across devices, Export notes as PDF

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Notes for iPad - weekly | $5.99 | per 7 days |
| Weekly Plus | $7.99 | per 7 days |
| Monthly | $17.99 | per month |
| Notes for iPad for a year | $19.99 | per year |
| Yearly | $29.99 | per year |
| Lifetime Premium | $39.99 | one-time |


### OpenNotes

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

A free, open-source note-taking app designed for handwriting and PDF annotation. Organize notes into folders, import documents, and export your work. It prioritizes privacy with local-first storage and optional iCloud backups.

**Highlights:** Handwriting with Apple Pencil, PDF import and annotation, Add images and text, Folder organization, Local-first privacy, Optional iCloud backup, Export notes

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Notes for iPad free?

Notes for iPad 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 for iPad or OpenNotes?

Notes for iPad is rated higher. Notes for iPad averages 4.6 out of 5 from 401 ratings, while OpenNotes averages 4.4 from 39 ratings.

### Do Notes for iPad or OpenNotes have ads?

Neither Notes for iPad nor OpenNotes shows ads.

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

Notes for iPad ships an update every 2 weeks, and OpenNotes every 5 days. Most recently, Notes for iPad was updated on November 9, 2026 and OpenNotes on November 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.*