Slate vs OwnNotes
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Slate
This app combines note-taking with a freeform drawing canvas. Easily add text, sketches, equations, and more using simple commands. Enjoy a distraction-free, dark design optimized for Apple Pencil.
- Text, headings, lists
- Tables and charts
- Math equations (LaTeX)
- Images, audio, files
- Freeform canvas
- Apple Pencil support
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Notes and canvas, beautifully combined. Slate is where writing meets drawing. Capture ideas in text, sketch them on canvas, or do both — all in one minimal app. POWERFUL BLOCKS Add anything with a simple "/" command: - Text, headings, lists - Tables and charts - Math equations (LaTeX) - Images, audio, files - Freeform canvas INFINITE CANVAS Draw without limits. Pen, pencil, brush, shapes, colors — everything you need to visualize your thoughts. DARK & MINIMAL Pure black design. Zero distractions. Just you and your ideas. APPLE PENCIL READY Pressure sensitivity. Palm rejection. Natural drawing experience. Think. Write. Draw. All in Slate.
OwnNotes
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Your Offline Private AI Notebook Turn your iPhone and iPad into a private AI-powered notebook that helps you capture, organize, summarize, and improve your ideas—completely offline. No cloud. No account. No subscription. Everything runs directly on your device, so your notes stay private while you enjoy fast, intelligent AI assistance anywhere, even without an internet connection. Whether you're taking meeting notes, studying, journaling, brainstorming, writing, or organizing research, your AI assistant is always available. Key Features • 100% Offline AI – All AI processing happens on your device. No cloud processing or internet required. • Live Voice-to-Text – Capture ideas naturally with fast and accurate speech transcription. • AI Summaries – Turn long notes into concise summaries and actionable takeaways. • Rewrite with AI – Improve grammar, clarity, tone, and structure with a single tap. • Simplify Complex Information – Convert difficult topics into easy-to-understand explanations. • Brainstorm Ideas – Generate outlines, titles, creative ideas, and writing suggestions from your notes. • Biometric Lock – Protect your notes with Face ID or Touch ID for an extra layer of privacy. • Easy Sharing – Instantly share your notes and AI-generated content with Mail, Apple Notes, Reminders, Messages, and your favorite apps. • Private by Design – Your notes never leave your device. • Works Anywhere – Perfect for flights, travel, classrooms, meetings, or anywhere without internet access. Perfect For • Students • Professionals • Writers • Researchers • Journalers • Content Creators • Anyone who values privacy and offline AI. Why Choose Offline AI? Most AI note-taking apps rely on cloud services that upload your notes to remote servers and require an internet connection. This app is different. Everything runs locally on your iPhone or iPad, keeping your ideas private while delivering fast AI assistance wherever you are. Free to use with ads. Upgrade once with a one-time purchase to remove ads forever. No recurring subscription. Think Freely. Stay Private. No cloud. No internet. Just intelligent AI that keeps your ideas where they belong—on your device.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Slate at none against OwnNotes's 1. Slate also leads on ads (none vs shown). On price, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. OwnNotes sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Slate asks for nothing beyond the download.
| Parameter | Slate | OwnNotes |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 5.0 (1 ratings) — better | — |
| Number of ratings | 1 — better | — |
| Update frequency | — | Every 3 days |
| Ads | No — better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone, iPad — better |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 — better | 17.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 4 MB | 12 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Nagarjuna Reddy Bhimavarapu | Rajeev Kadaplackal Rajappan Pillai |
In-app purchases
Slate
No in-app purchases
OwnNotes
- OwnNotes - Remove Ad$4.99









