Comparison

BindNotes vs Nib

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

Head to head
About

BindNotes

Features
Read full description

Your notes. Linked. Notes shouldn't be limited by the size of a page. But linear pages and infinite canvas aren't the answer — you just get lost. BindNotes takes a different approach: go infinitely deep, not infinitely long. Lasso any handwriting with Apple Pencil, link it to another page, and tap to jump. Pages give you focus. Links give you depth. Your notes become a connected network of ideas — not a stack of dead-end pages. BindNotes is a notebook app built for Apple Pencil. Write, sketch, and draw like any notebook — then connect your pages. Headers & Outline Assign header levels (H1–H5) to any page. Headers build a navigable outline for your notebook — tap to see the full structure, drill into sections, jump to any page. Color-coded by level so you can see hierarchy at a glance. Links let you follow a thought. Headers let you see the shape of your notebook. Together, they turn a stack of pages into a system. Page Overview See every page connection in your notebook as a visual graph. Arrows show which pages link where. Spot structure, find orphaned pages, navigate by tapping. PDF Annotation (Pro) Import any PDF into a notebook. Annotate with pen, highlighter, and lasso. The highlighter lifts actual pixels from the PDF — highlighted content becomes a visual element you can work with. Add headers to organize the PDF. Create links between pages. Turn a static document into something navigable. PDF Export (Pro) Export your notebook as a PDF. Links become clickable cross-references. An outline page is auto-generated. Your handwritten notebook exports like a professional document. Sync with iCloud Drive Notebooks sync across iPhone, iPad, and Mac via iCloud Drive. No account. No server. You control where your data lives. Free — No Limits on Note-Taking Everything you need to write, draw, and link is free: • Unlimited notebooks and pages • All drawing tools — pen, highlighter, eraser, lasso • Page-to-page linking • Headers and outline navigation • Page overview (link graph) • iCloud Drive sync • 5 page templates (blank, ruled, graph, dots) BindNotes Pro — One-Time Purchase Unlock tools for serious workflows. No subscription. Buy once, own forever. • PDF import and annotation • PDF export with clickable links and bookmarks • Tags for notebook organization • Dark page templates • Full link and header color palettes Your notes stay on your device. We collect no data. No analytics. No tracking. No server. Your notebooks are stored locally or in your iCloud Drive — nowhere else. See our privacy policy at bindnotes.com/privacy.

About

Nib

Features
Read full description

ā–  Where thoughts unfold Nib is a warm handwritten diary for iPad and Apple Pencil. The feeling of writing with a fountain pen on paper — captured in digital form. For anyone who wants to record today, organize class notes, or let ideas flow freely on the page. ā–  Features ā–ø Natural handwriting - Fountain pen, pencil, highlighter, eraser, lasso — optimized for Apple Pencil - 21 colors to express yourself - Blank, lined, and grid backgrounds ā–ø Write directly on PDFs - Import textbooks, handouts, papers and annotate right away - Import from iCloud Drive, Files app, or anywhere - Select page ranges to import only what you need - Your annotations save separately — the original PDF stays intact ā–ø Daily journal - End the day with a short note - Five moods (Heavy Ā· Quiet Ā· Even Ā· Bloom Ā· Radiant) to capture the feeling - Browse past days in the calendar ā–ø Recording + auto-transcription - Record lectures or meetings while you write - Automatic transcription in Korean, English, and Japanese - Notes and audio live side-by-side on the same page ā–ø Organize by subject - Create subjects with 31 icons or draw your own - Tag notes with subjects - Browse by subject in the Shelf ā–ø Three languages supported - ķ•œźµ­ģ–“ Ā· English Ā· ę—„ęœ¬čŖž - Switch language directly in the app ā–  Made for - People who want a handwritten journal on iPad - Students annotating PDF textbooks - Anyone recording lectures while taking notes - Those looking for a beautifully-designed diary app - Digital note-takers who miss the feel of paper ā–  What's coming Nib is actively being improved. Dark mode, iCloud sync (across devices), and more transcription languages are on the way. Feedback and suggestions welcome at stockhub.kr@gmail.com ā–  About the developer Nib is crafted by an independent developer. stockhub.kr

Screenshots

BindNotes4 screens
Nib4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Nib at none against BindNotes's 1. Nib also leads on update cadence (every 2 days vs every 3 weeks) and iOS requirement (17.0 vs 26.0). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price Ā· Rating Ā· Positive reviews Ā· Number of ratings Ā· Update frequency Ā· Ads Ā· In-app purchases Ā· Monetization Ā· Best chart rank Ā· Devices Ā· Requires iOS

CostPrice Ā· In-app purchases Ā· Ads Ā· Monetization

Both are free to download. BindNotes sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Nib asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

BindNotes ships an update every 3 weeks, Nib every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on September 30, 2026 and September 21, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences Ā· 3 level
BindNotes versus Nib: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBindNotesNib
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksEvery 2 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS26.017.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size9 MB35 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperEvgenii EremeevYONGGYU KIM

In-app purchases

1 purchases

BindNotes

One-time1
  • BindNotes Pro$2.99
None

Nib

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is BindNotes free?
BindNotes is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Nib free?
Nib is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do BindNotes or Nib have ads?
Neither BindNotes nor Nib shows ads.
Which is updated more often, BindNotes or Nib?
BindNotes ships an update every 3 weeks, and Nib every 2 days. Most recently, BindNotes was updated on September 30, 2026 and Nib on September 21, 2026.

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