# HandyNote vs ScribblePad

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: ScribblePad at none against HandyNote's 4. ScribblePad also leads on ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 4 days vs fortnightly). On price, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. HandyNote sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. ScribblePad asks for nothing beyond the download.

HandyNote ships an update fortnightly, ScribblePad every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 5, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | HandyNote | ScribblePad |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/scribblepad-notes-and-pdf/id6778096521/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **2** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | **Every 4 days** |
| Monetization | — | Free |
| Size | 7 MB | 5 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.6 | **17.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, Mac** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Wimlog](https://appshunter.io/developer/424067793) | [Sagar Seth](https://appshunter.io/developer/6778096523) |

## What reviewers say

### HandyNote

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/handynote-canvas-transcribe/id6762900901)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1 month subscription service | $1.99 | per month |
| 3 months subscription service | $5.99 | per 3 months |
| 1 year subscription service | $14.99 | per year |
| Canvas Wallpaper | $2.99 | one-time |


### ScribblePad

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/scribblepad-notes-and-pdf/id6778096521)

A private, free note-taking and PDF annotation app for Apple devices. It offers natural handwriting, organization tools, and optional cloud backup to your own storage. Enjoy a distraction-free experience with no accounts or tracking.

**Highlights:** Natural handwriting with Apple Pencil, PDF annotation and markup, Organize notes with subjects and notebooks, On-device handwriting search (OCR), Audio recording synced to notes, Optional Google Drive/iCloud backup, Offline functionality

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is HandyNote free?

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

### Is ScribblePad free?

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

### Do HandyNote or ScribblePad have ads?

HandyNote shows ads; ScribblePad does not.

### Which is updated more often, HandyNote or ScribblePad?

HandyNote ships an update fortnightly, and ScribblePad every 4 days. Most recently, HandyNote was updated on October 5, 2026 and ScribblePad on September 23, 2026.

---

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