# UnivNote vs OpenNotes

The clearest difference is rating: UnivNote at 5.0 against OpenNotes's 4.4. UnivNote also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 67%) and update cadence (daily vs every 5 days). OpenNotes's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and ratings volume (41 vs 1). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

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

UnivNote holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: OpenNotes has 41 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 100% of UnivNote's written reviews are positive against 67% of OpenNotes's.

UnivNote ships an update daily, OpenNotes every 5 days. Both last shipped on November 15, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | UnivNote | OpenNotes |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/univnote-lag-free-note-taking/id6763764042/reviews)** | [4.4 (41 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/opennotes-notes-and-pdf-markup/id6771224004/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 1 | **41** |
| Positive reviews | **100.0% of reviews** | 66.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Daily** | Every 5 days |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 62 MB | 45 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **15.1** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Mac | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Jeonghwan Ryu](https://appshunter.io/developer/1895478326) | [Mark Miller](https://appshunter.io/developer/1836539324) |

## What reviewers say

### UnivNote

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/univnote-lag-free-note-taking/id6763764042)

This app offers a smooth and reliable PDF note-taking experience, focusing on writing, reading, and organizing. It provides tools for studying, such as a masking highlighter for memorization and a feature to collect missed problems for review. The app supports multiple layers for notes and various viewing options for workbooks.

**Highlights:** Fast writing with low heat, Masking highlighter for memorization, Review scheduling and Mistake Notes, Multi-layer note organization, Multiple view options for workbooks, Editable shapes and lecture recording, Handwriting-synced audio playback

**Features:** Family Sharing, iPhone Duo support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unlimited Notes | $9.99 | one-time |


### OpenNotes

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/opennotes-notes-and-pdf-markup/id6771224004)

A free, open-source note-taking app designed for handwriting and PDF annotation. Organize notes into folders, import documents, and export your work. It prioritizes privacy with local-first storage and optional iCloud backups.

**Highlights:** Handwriting with Apple Pencil, PDF import and annotation, Add images and text, Folder organization, Local-first privacy, Optional iCloud backup, Export notes

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is UnivNote free?

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

### Is OpenNotes free?

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

### Which has better reviews, UnivNote or OpenNotes?

UnivNote is rated higher. UnivNote averages 5.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while OpenNotes averages 4.4 from 41 ratings.

### Do UnivNote or OpenNotes have ads?

Neither UnivNote nor OpenNotes shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, UnivNote or OpenNotes?

UnivNote ships an update daily, and OpenNotes every 5 days. Most recently, UnivNote was updated on November 15, 2026 and OpenNotes on November 15, 2026.

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