Comparison

Notely vs NoteApp, Mindmap, PDF

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

Head to head
About

Notely

This app offers a private and flexible digital notebook for handwriting, typed notes, and PDF annotation. Convert handwriting to editable text, draw with precision tools, and organize your work with folders and backups. Keep ideas accessible without an account or internet connection.

Highlights
  • Handwriting to editable text conversion
  • Precision drawing tools
  • PDF annotation and markup
  • Organized library with folders
  • On-device search
  • Portable backups
Features
Read full description

Notely is a notebook for iPad and iPhone that feels like paper and keeps everything on your device. Write by hand, mark up PDFs, record a lecture while you take notes, then study from what you wrote. There's no account and no cloud. Your notes stay where you wrote them. New in 1.4 Notely has a hand-drawn look now, with drawn icons and handwritten headings. I also rebuilt the pencil from scratch. It picks up the grain of the paper and responds to pressure, and if you tilt Apple Pencil on its side it shades like a real one. Record the lecture with your notes Press record and keep writing. Notely transcribes on your device as you go and remembers when each stroke was written. Later, tap a line of ink and the audio jumps to what was being said at that moment. Tapping a line in the transcript works too. Transcription depends on on-device speech support for your language and device. If it isn't available, Notely still saves the audio. Study from your own notes Make flashcards yourself, or lay tape over part of a page and quiz yourself on what's underneath. Cards come back on a spaced review schedule, and you can turn on reminders for when they're due. On devices with Apple Intelligence, Notely can also draft cards from a note and answer questions about it, with a link back to the page each answer came from. You review every draft before it's saved. Handwriting that turns into text Tap the handwriting button and Notely turns your writing into typed text, on the device. Anything it can't read confidently stays as ink. Search also looks inside your handwriting, typed text and PDFs. Pages or open space Use Letter or A4 pages, or switch a note to an infinite canvas when you need room to think. There's always a blank page waiting at the end, and if you don't use it, it's left out when you export. Templates include Cornell notes, dot grid, lab reports, math and physics pages, and music staff. Import PDFs and write on them, or scan paper pages with the camera. Private by default Notely works offline, with no analytics and no ads. Lock any note with Face ID or a password. Locked notes are kept out of Spotlight search and the widget. A few more things - Export pages as PDF or PNG - Back up notes to a .vectora archive and restore them without overwriting anything - Bring notebooks over from Goodnotes or Notability (PDF exports work best; native import is experimental) - A home screen widget with recent notes and a New note button - Shortcuts actions to create a quick note or open recent notes - Folders, tags and smart collections Notely is made by one person. If something bugs you, the support page reaches me directly.

About

NoteApp, Mindmap, PDF

This app combines handwriting, structured templates, and PDF editing for note-taking and collaboration. It offers AI assistance for summaries and quizzes, with local and cloud-based features. Ideal for students and teams who prefer a pen-first approach.

Highlights
  • Handwriting and sketching
  • Structured templates
  • PDF import and editing
  • Real-time collaboration
  • AI-powered chat, summaries, and quizzes
  • Local and cloud sync
  • Reminders and calendars
Features
Read full description

InkNode is a Handwriting Notes app with numerous features: PDF markup & Annotation, Searchable Handwriting and PDF texts. Ultimately, write by hand, then let AI turn your messy notes into interactive Mindmaps, searchable handwriting, clean summaries, flashcards, and practice quizzes — all in one app. WRITE THE WAY YOU THINK • Smooth, natural handwriting with Apple Pencil • Unlimited notebooks, folders, and pages • Beautiful templates: lined, grid, dotted, planners, and more • Import PDFs to annotate, highlight, and mark up • Convert handwriting to text instantly • Handwriting Beautification: Turn messy handwriting into beautiful chosen text of your choice. • Interactive Mindmap: Build a mindmap from scratch or use AI to turn your notes into one STUDY SMARTER WITH AI • Summarize long lecture notes into clean, structured outlines • Auto-generate flashcards from your handwritten notes • Create multiple-choice quizzes to test yourself before exams • Use the tape tool to hide and memorize key terms • Spend less time rewriting and more time learning EVERYTHING IN ONE PLACE • Collaborate on shared notebooks in real time • Sync securely across iPhone and iPad via iCloud sync • Stay on track with a built-in focus timer • Export and share notes as PDF WHY INKNODE (Alternatives to Goodnotes, Notability, Freenotes) Goodnotes and Notability are powerful — but their subscriptions add up fast, and AI study tools are an afterthought. InkNode was built AI-first and priced fairly: take handwritten notes for free, and unlock AI forever with a one-time Lifetime purchase. No recurring fees, no surprises. ALL YOUR TOOLS IN ONE CANVAS • Fountain pen, ballpoint, highlighter, and pencil • Custom colors, stroke styles, and pen widths • Shape recognition for clean lines, boxes, and diagrams • Lasso to move, resize, and rearrange handwriting • Tags and labels to organize and find notes fast • Dark mode for late-night study sessions • Works offline — your notes are always with you MORE WAYS TO USE INKNODE • Digital planner, journal, and bullet journal • Meeting notes and to-do lists for work • Homework, assignments, and a study planner • Math notes, diagrams, and equations by hand • Sketching, drawing, and quick idea capture • A second-brain notebook for research and writing WHAT STUDENTS SAY “The AI turns my messy lecture scribbles into clean summaries. I use the multiple-choice feature to study and the tape tool with the generated flashcards.” “I switched to InkNode because Goodnotes/Notability subscriptions were way too expensive. The lifetime AI was a perfect fit for my study notes.” “Smart concept that combines note-taking with teamwork in a smooth, practical way.” PERFECT FOR • Students taking lecture and class notes • Anyone studying for exams with flashcards and quizzes • Teams and study groups collaborating on shared notes • Anyone who annotates PDFs or keeps a digital notebook FREE TO START Create unlimited notebooks, write with Apple Pencil, annotate PDFs, and export — free. Upgrade to Premium for AI summaries, flashcards, quizzes, and cloud features. Choose a subscription or pay once for Lifetime AI. Download InkNode and turn your handwriting into your smartest study tool. We use the Standard Apple Terms of Use Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Notely4 screens
NoteApp, Mindmap, PDF4 screens

Verdict

The call

Notely and NoteApp, Mindmap, PDF both sit at 4.4 stars, but that hides the real split: 75% of NoteApp, Mindmap, PDF's written reviews are positive against 33% of Notely's. Notely's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 12). On price, rating, ratings volume and update cadence 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. NoteApp, Mindmap, PDF sells 12 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Notely asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.4 for Notely against 4.3 for NoteApp, Mindmap, PDF. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 8 and 7 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 33% of Notely's written reviews are positive against 75% of NoteApp, Mindmap, PDF's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Notely ships an update every 4 days, NoteApp, Mindmap, PDF weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 19, 2026 and October 14, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Notely versus NoteApp, Mindmap, PDF: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterNotelyNoteApp, Mindmap, PDF
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.4 (8 ratings) — better4.3 (7 ratings)
Positive reviews33.3% of reviews75.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings8 — better7
Update frequencyEvery 4 days — betterWeekly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFreemium
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS17.0 — better17.6
Further details — not scored
Size23 MB133 MB
Age rating4+9+
DeveloperJUSTIN WEI SUNJiakai Wei

Customer experience

Notely

All ratings8 ratings
Positive75.0%
Neutral12.5%
Negative12.5%
Written reviews3 reviews
Positive33.3%
Neutral33.3%
Negative33.3%

NoteApp, Mindmap, PDF

All ratings7 ratings
Positive71.4%
Neutral14.3%
Negative14.3%
Written reviews4 reviews
Positive75.0%
Neutral25.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

Notely

No in-app purchases

12 purchases

NoteApp, Mindmap, PDF

Subscriptions8
  • Premium Monthly Subscription7 Days trial$2.991 Month
  • Premium Yearly Offer$5.991 Year
  • InkNode Pro Monthly Subscription1 Month trial$6.991 Month
Show 5 more
  • InkNode Premium Yearly Subscription7 Days trial$14.991 Year
  • Premium Yearly Offer 21 Year trial$14.991 Year
  • InkNode Ultra Monthly Subscription1 Month trial$19.991 Month
  • InkNode Pro Yearly Subscription$25.991 Year
  • InkNode Ultra Yearly Subscription$79.991 Year
One-time4
  • Premium Lifetime Offer$23.99
  • InkNode Lifetime Premium$39.99
  • InkNode Pro Lifetime$59.99
Show 1 more
  • InkNode Ultra Lifetime$99.99

Questions

Is Notely free?
Notely is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is NoteApp, Mindmap, PDF free?
NoteApp, Mindmap, PDF is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Notely or NoteApp, Mindmap, PDF?
Notely is rated higher. Notely averages 4.4 out of 5 from 8 ratings, while NoteApp, Mindmap, PDF averages 4.3 from 7 ratings.
Do Notely or NoteApp, Mindmap, PDF have ads?
Neither Notely nor NoteApp, Mindmap, PDF shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Notely or NoteApp, Mindmap, PDF?
Notely ships an update every 4 days, and NoteApp, Mindmap, PDF weekly. Most recently, Notely was updated on October 19, 2026 and NoteApp, Mindmap, PDF on October 14, 2026.

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