# Notes vs OpenNotes

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: OpenNotes at none against Notes's 1. OpenNotes also leads on update cadence (every 5 days vs every 6 weeks) and ratings volume (25 vs 4). On price, rating, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Notes sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $39.99 per year. OpenNotes asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.5 for Notes against 4.4 for OpenNotes. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: OpenNotes has 25 ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Notes ships an update every 6 weeks, OpenNotes every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on October 12, 2026 and October 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Notes | OpenNotes |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.5 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notes-color-notepad-notebook/id6757466523/reviews)** | [4.4 (25 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/opennotes-notes-and-pdf-markup/id6771224004/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 4 | **25** |
| Positive reviews | — | 60.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | **Every 5 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 93 MB | 43 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **15.1** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [EXTRA MART LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1713305591) | [Mark Miller](https://appshunter.io/developer/1836539324) |

## What reviewers say

### Notes

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notes-color-notepad-notebook/id6757466523)

A fast and simple note-taking application for jotting down ideas, managing daily tasks, and organizing information. It allows for quick note creation, color-coding, and easy searching to keep important details accessible. Customize your notes with formatting options and share them in various formats.

**Highlights:** Quick note creation, Color-coded notes, Notebook organization, Search functionality, Formatting options, Note sharing, Reminders

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Yearly Premium Access | $39.99 | per year |


### 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 4.5 out of 5 from 4 ratings, while OpenNotes averages 4.4 from 25 ratings.

### Do Notes or OpenNotes have ads?

Neither Notes nor OpenNotes shows ads.

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

Notes ships an update every 6 weeks, and OpenNotes every 5 days. Most recently, Notes was updated on October 12, 2026 and OpenNotes on October 7, 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.*