EtchNote vs Derive
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
EtchNote
Transform study materials into flashcards using AI, then schedule reviews at optimal times for better retention. Supports various file types and includes image occlusion for diagrams. Ideal for students and professionals aiming to study more efficiently.
- AI-generated flashcards from documents
- Spaced repetition scheduling (FSRS)
- Image occlusion for diagrams
- Active recall training
- Study material organization
- Progress tracking
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UPLOAD NOTES. GET FLASHCARDS INSTANTLY. Drop in a PDF, photo, or document, and EtchNote's AI generates flashcards from your material automatically. No more spending hours making cards by hand. Supports PDF, DOCX, PPTX, images, and plain text. REVIEWS SCHEDULED AT THE PERFECT TIME EtchNote uses a new spaced repetition algorithm that targets your 90% retention zone. Each review arrives right before you'd forget, so you study less while remembering more. Intervals grow automatically as your memory strengthens. IMAGE OCCLUSION FOR DIAGRAMS Take a picture of any labeled diagram (anatomy, circuits, maps, engineering schematics), and EtchNote hides the labels and quizzes you on each one. Perfect for visual learners in medicine, nursing, science, and engineering. ACTIVE RECALL, NOT PASSIVE RECOGNITION Re-reading feels productive but fails on test day. EtchNote trains active recall — the study method proven to build real, lasting understanding. Every session makes you stronger and more confident. ORGANIZE YOUR STUDY LIFE Create decks, organize them into folders, set exam deadlines, and track your progress. Your weekly calendar shows exactly what's due so nothing slips through the cracks. BUILT FOR STUDENTS AND PROFESSIONALS Whether you're in high school, med school, law school, or studying for professional certifications — EtchNote adapts to how you learn. EtchNote Pro unlocks unlimited AI flashcard generation, full spaced repetition scheduling, and image occlusion. Start with a free trial. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
Derive
This app provides an infinite canvas for handwritten math and science notes. It uses AI to recognize your handwriting, offering a live tutor for step-by-step assistance directly within your notes. Organize your work into notebooks that sync across devices.
- Infinite canvas for note-taking
- Handwritten math recognition
- Live AI tutor for step-by-step help
- Notebook and page organization
- Cross-device syncing
- Light, dark, and sepia themes
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Derive Notes is a canvas-first note-taking app built for math, science, and engineering students. Write equations by hand with Apple Pencil, and let Derive understand what you wrote, so your notes do more than sit on the page. HANDWRITING THAT'S ACTUALLY UNDERSTOOD Draw on an infinite canvas the way you would on paper. Derive recognizes your handwritten math as you work, turning messy strokes into clean, structured expressions you can check, reuse, and build on. A TUTOR RIGHT NEXT TO YOUR WORK Stuck on a step? Open the tutor panel and get step-by-step help tied directly to what's on your canvas. It works alongside your handwriting instead of pulling you into a separate app. BUILT FOR REAL STUDY SESSIONS - Infinite canvas with smooth, low-latency inking - Pen, eraser, and lasso tools for fast editing - Organize your work into notebooks and pages - Two-finger tap to undo, pinch to zoom - Your notebooks sync securely across your devices DESIGNED FOR FOCUS A clean, distraction-free workspace with light, dark, sepia, and high-contrast themes, so long study sessions stay comfortable. Derive Notes keeps your handwriting at the center and adds just enough intelligence to make studying faster by recognizing your math, helping you through hard steps, and keeping every page organized and in sync. Note: Derive uses trusted third-party AI providers to process handwriting and page text for recognition and tutoring. You're asked for consent in-app before these features are used. DESIGNED FOR IPAD AND APPLE PENCIL Handwriting, drawing, and the full authoring tools require an iPad with Apple Pencil. On iPhone, Derive is a companion for reading and reviewing your notebooks: browse your library, open any page, search across everything, and ask the tutor. Notes you write on iPad appear on iPhone automatically. SUBSCRIPTION Derive Pro unlocks writing and editing, handwriting recognition, and the AI tutor. Every new account starts with a 7-day free trial, and a trial or subscription is required to use Derive. If a subscription later lapses, the notebooks you already made stay readable, so your own work is never locked away. - Derive Pro Monthly: A$9.99 per month - Derive Pro Annual: A$101.99 per year - Both start with a 7-day free trial Prices are in Australian dollars and may vary by region. Payment is charged to your Apple Account at confirmation of purchase. A subscription renews automatically unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current period, and your account is charged for renewal within the 24 hours before that period ends. You can manage your subscription and turn off auto-renew in your Apple Account settings after purchase. Any unused portion of a free trial is forfeited when you buy a subscription. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Derive Terms of Service: https://derivenotes.com/terms Privacy Policy: https://derivenotes.com/privacy
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: EtchNote at 100% against Derive's 29%. EtchNote also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.1) and monetization model (freemium vs subscription). Derive's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 3 days vs weekly). On price, in-app purchases 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. EtchNote sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $12.99 per month and Derive sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $8.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
EtchNote holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.1. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 6 and 21 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 100% of EtchNote's written reviews are positive against 29% of Derive's.
EtchNote ships an update weekly, Derive every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on October 9, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | EtchNote | Derive |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 5.0 (6 ratings) — better | 4.1 (21 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better | 29.4% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 6 | 21 — better |
| Update frequency | Weekly | Every 3 days — better |
| Ads | Yes | No — better |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Freemium — better | Subscription |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 16.4 | 15.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 77 MB | 75 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Seek Solutions LLC LLC | Derive Notes Pty Ltd |
Customer experience
EtchNote
Derive
In-app purchases
EtchNote
- Etch Monthly Subscription1 Month trial$12.991 Month
- Etch Annual Subscription7 Days trial$97.991 Year
Derive
- Derive Pro (Monthly, student)7 Days trial$8.991 Month
- Derive Pro (Monthly)7 Days trial$9.991 Month
- Derive Pro (Monthly, invited)1 Month trial$9.991 Month
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- Derive Pro (Yearly, student)7 Days trial$75.001 Year
- Derive Pro (Annual)7 Days trial$83.901 Year
- Derive Pro (Annual, invited)1 Month trial$83.901 Year









