# Dew vs OpenNotes

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: OpenNotes at none against Dew's 3. OpenNotes also leads on iOS requirement (15.1 vs 26.2). On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Dew sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. OpenNotes asks for nothing beyond the download.

Dew ships an update every 8 days, OpenNotes every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on October 31, 2026 and November 5, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Dew | OpenNotes |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[4.3 (38 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/opennotes-notes-and-pdf-markup/id6771224004/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **38** |
| Positive reviews | — | 66.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 8 days | **Every 5 days** |
| Monetization | — | Free |
| Size | 20 MB | 45 MB |
| Requires iOS | 26.2 | **15.1** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Alexei Gudimenko](https://appshunter.io/developer/1089503124) | [Mark Miller](https://appshunter.io/developer/1836539324) |

## What reviewers say

### Dew

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dew-mindful-productivity/id6759229445)

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Dewdrop Tip | $0.49 | one-time |
| Sprout Tip | $0.99 | one-time |
| Bloom Tip | $1.99 | 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 Dew free?

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

### Is OpenNotes free?

OpenNotes is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do Dew or OpenNotes have ads?

Neither Dew nor OpenNotes shows ads.

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

Dew ships an update every 8 days, and OpenNotes every 5 days. Most recently, Dew was updated on October 31, 2026 and OpenNotes on November 5, 2026.

---

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