# Lector vs GoodNote

The clearest difference is ads: GoodNote at none against Lector's shown. GoodNote also leads on update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 3 weeks) and iOS requirement (17.0 vs 26.1). On price, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Lector sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month and GoodNote sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Lector ships an update every 3 weeks, GoodNote every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 8, 2026 and October 4, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Lector | GoodNote |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Size | 10 MB | 4 MB |
| Requires iOS | 26.1 | **17.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, Mac** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Marlon Geovany Castro Mejia](https://appshunter.io/developer/1869889977) | [Dang Nam Nguyen](https://appshunter.io/developer/1779685594) |

## What reviewers say

### Lector

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lector-clean-reading/id6757951061)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Lector Pro Access (Monthly) | $5.99 | per month |
| Lectro Pro Access (Yearly) | $59.99 | per year |
| Early Founder Access | $99.99 | one-time |


### GoodNote

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/goodnote-save-and-bookmark-link/id6791607892)

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| GoodNote Premium | $5.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Lector free?

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

### Is GoodNote free?

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

### Do Lector or GoodNote have ads?

Lector shows ads; GoodNote does not.

### Which is updated more often, Lector or GoodNote?

Lector ships an update every 3 weeks, and GoodNote every 2 weeks. Most recently, Lector was updated on October 8, 2026 and GoodNote on October 4, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*