Comparison

Uni vs Plana

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Uni

Read full description

Create problem sets and study with “Learned” and “Not Yet”, all within your note app. With Uni:Note, you can review alongside your original notes and study problem sets in the companion app Uni:Note Pocket by importing a backup. Uni:Note is a handwriting app for iPad with a simple, ad-free interface that lets you write as you would in a paper notebook. Designed under the guidance of a current university student, it focuses on being easy to use in class. Along with Apple Pencil handwriting, it supports writing on images and PDFs, vertical notebooks, and multiple windows. Keep taking notes while working with class handouts and PDF materials. Use the notes you write for review. Study Assistant (AI) supports Circle to Solve, problem set generation, and AI Summary. You can also create and edit problem sets yourself. Recording and real-time transcription are also supported. Take notes while recording a class, then use AI Summary to summarize the transcription. Customize the navigation bar and palette to suit the tools you use most. ■Key Features • Create and edit problem sets with handwriting, the keyboard, pasted text, or TSV/CSV files • AI problem set generation from your notes • Study with “Learned” and “Not Yet”, resume where you left off, and shuffle questions • Review with your original notes displayed alongside • Study problem sets imported from a backup in Uni:Note Pocket • Handwriting with Apple Pencil • Writing on images and PDFs • Vertical notebooks and multiple windows • Recording and real-time transcription • AI Summary and Circle to Solve • Sticky Marker • Ruler, Move Selection • Undo and Redo for moves and changes to shapes, pasted images and PDFs, and sticky notes, plus lines drawn with the ruler • Open the Button Guide with “?” (from the “…” menu in a notebook) • Pomodoro timer • Navigation bar and palette customization • Export PDF • Backup and restore ■About Privacy Uni:Note uses in-app identifiers that do not directly identify you to manage your AI Balance and purchase status. It also collects diagnostic information, such as crash logs when the app crashes, to investigate issues. When you use AI features, data needed for processing, such as selected note content and transcriptions, is sent to an AI service to generate answers, problem sets, summaries, and similar output. Routine diagnostic information does not include information that directly identifies you or the contents of notes, audio, transcriptions, or attachments. The information collected is used to provide AI features, manage their use, and improve app quality. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

Plana

Combine the flexibility of a paper planner with the convenience of a digital calendar. Write notes and plans with a stylus, integrate typed events, and access your schedule across multiple Apple devices. Features include handwriting recognition for reminders and powerful search capabilities.

Highlights
  • Handwritten notes and plans on Day, Week, Month, Year views
  • Handwriting recognition for reminders and notifications
  • Searchable handwriting across past pages
  • Integration with Apple Calendar and Reminders
  • Cross-device sync via iCloud
  • Widgets for Home Screen and Apple Watch complications
Features
Read full description

Plana brings the freedom of a paper planner together with the convenience of a calendar app. Write plans and notes on iPad with Apple Pencil, alongside typed events and tasks. Check and edit events on iPhone when you're out, and see what's next on Apple Watch. Start with the free plan. ■ A calendar you can write on Write directly on the Day, Week, and Month pages. In Week and Month, your strokes can cross date boundaries. Year view helps you see the bigger picture. Add pen and highlighter marks, text boxes, photos, and stickers. You can also add your own image stickers. Long-press an event to move it or double-tap to edit it. ■ Turn handwritten times into reminders Write something like “9:00 Meeting” and Plana can recognize the time for a notification. Review the recognized text and time on screen before relying on the alert. Recognized handwritten plans can also be checked on iPhone and Apple Watch. ■ Find what you wrote Search handwriting across past pages to find plans and notes without flipping through your calendar. ■ Events and tasks together Work with Apple Calendar and Reminders. View existing events and tasks, or add and edit them in Plana. Events, tasks, and recognized handwriting alerts appear in chronological order. Save frequently used events as templates. Choose which calendars and reminder lists to show, set the first day of the week, and adjust event text size. ■ A pocket-sized companion on iPhone See a selected day, a week, or a month in an iPhone-friendly layout. Today's overview puts events, tasks, and handwriting alerts in time order. You can also open the familiar iPad page to review it and edit calendar events. ■ Your next plans on Apple Watch Switch between Day, Week, and Month in the Watch app. Complications and Smart Stack widgets show upcoming events and tasks. On a Modular Duo face, use morning and afternoon timelines; complete tasks from your Watch. A complication can show three upcoming events or tasks. ■ Your planner on the Home Screen iPad widgets can show your calendar with events, tasks, handwriting, and placed content. Stack the month widgets split into earlier and later weeks, or the week widgets split by time of day, to keep your writing readable and close at hand. ■ Continue across devices Sync handwriting, text boxes, images, notes, and stickers with iCloud. Check sync status and export a backup of your data. Core features are available for free. Plana Premium adds Week view, the handwriting memo panel on the right of Day, the one-week view on iPhone, and selected Apple Watch features including Week view and the three-item complication. Available in Japanese, English, Korean, and Traditional Chinese. Watch our tutorial on YouTube: https://youtu.be/8aOHwTxJz-0?si=bEv4JeDobocwaCii Plana Premium is an auto-renewable subscription. • Monthly and yearly plans are available. • It renews unless canceled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Your Apple ID will be charged. • Manage or cancel it anytime in Settings > Apple ID > Subscriptions. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://kunyotsu.com/entry/privacypolicy-plana/

Screenshots

Plana4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is device support: Plana at 3 against Uni's 1. On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Uni sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month and Plana sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Uni ships an update every 5 days, Plana every 4 days. Both last shipped on November 5, 2026.

Scorecard1 real difference · 9 level
Uni versus Plana: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterUniPlana
PriceFreeFree
Rating—3.7 (3 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—50.0% of reviews
Number of ratings—3 — better
Update frequencyEvery 5 daysEvery 4 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
Monetization—Freemium
DevicesiPadiPhone, iPad, Apple Watch — better
Requires iOS17.0 — better17.6
Further details — not scored
Size16 MB10 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperYuya NakamuraYoshinori Suzuki

In-app purchases

6 purchases

Uni

Subscriptions1
  • Premium Plus$1.991 Month
One-time5
  • AI Balance Small$0.99
  • AI Balance Medium$2.99
  • Premium$5.99
Show 2 more
  • AI Balance Large$8.99
  • AI Balance Extra Large$19.99
2 purchases

Plana

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly Plan7 Days trial$1.991 Month
  • Yearly Plan7 Days trial$5.991 Year

Questions

Is Uni free?
Uni is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Plana free?
Plana is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Uni or Plana have ads?
Neither Uni nor Plana shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Uni or Plana?
Uni ships an update every 5 days, and Plana every 4 days. Most recently, Uni was updated on November 5, 2026 and Plana on November 5, 2026.

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