Comparison

SteelNote vs Project Notebook +

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

Head to head
About

SteelNote

This app stores your notes as plain Markdown files on your device, ensuring you always own your data. It offers seamless syncing across Apple devices, instant search, and robust import options from other note-taking applications.

Highlights
  • Plain Markdown file storage
  • iCloud sync across Apple devices
  • Local full-text search
  • Import from multiple note apps
  • Link notes and see backlinks
  • Organize with folders and tags
  • Mark notes as private
Read full description

SteelNote is a notes app built on one promise: your notes are plain Markdown files that you own. Every note is a real .md file on your device, openable in the Files app or in any editor you like, today and years from now. No proprietary database. Nothing locked away. Your notes, truly yours. Because every note is plain text, you are never trapped. Read and edit them in SteelNote, in Files, or in any other Markdown app. If you ever move on, your writing stays exactly where it is, in an open format that lasts. Native on all your Apple devices. SteelNote is built natively for iPhone, iPad and Mac. Your notes sync across all of them through iCloud, with no third party account and no extra sign in. Start a note on your phone and finish it on your Mac. Find anything, instantly. A local full text index makes search immediate, even in large libraries. Link notes together, see backlinks, organize with folders and tags, and turn any line into a task. Private when you want it. Mark a note as private and it stays out of AI features and search suggestions. Your most sensitive notes remain yours alone. Bring everything with you. Switching is painless. Import from Bear, Notion, Obsidian, Evernote, Apple Notes and more, including Markdown, TextBundle, Word, RTF, PDF and CSV. Your folders and structure come along. Everything you expect. Add images, PDFs and tables inline. Use checklists, footnotes and links. Reach your notes from Spotlight, Siri and widgets, and hand off between devices. An open format, now standard. Markdown is a first class type across Apple platforms, and SteelNote is built natively around it. Your files are open, portable and yours. Membership. SteelNote comes with a 14 day free trial, then a yearly plan or a one time lifetime purchase. Sync is always included and never restricted. Payment is charged to your Apple Account. A yearly plan renews automatically unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the period. You can manage or cancel anytime in your Account settings. Privacy Policy: https://steelnoteapp.com/privacy.html Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

Project Notebook +

Features
Read full description

Every project deserves to be remembered. Whether you're a designer, engineer, educator, maker, photographer, or event organiser โ€” you always have projects in motion. But too often, ideas end up scattered across sticky notes, chat threads, voice memos, and emails. By the time you look back, the context is lost and the process is impossible to recreate. Project Notebook was built to change that. It's a structured digital notebook designed for people who make things โ€” giving every step, every material, and every decision a clear and permanent home, from the first spark of an idea to the final deliverable. Who Is It For? Project Notebook is the perfect companion for anyone working on any type of project, including: โ€ข Creative projects โ€” branding, illustration, photography, video production โ€ข Engineering & technical work โ€” hardware development, circuit design, software features โ€ข Education & curriculum design โ€” STEAM lessons, workshops, teaching materials โ€ข Event planning & execution โ€” exhibitions, performances, community events โ€ข Hobbies & handcraft โ€” 3D printing, woodworking, sewing, cooking experiments โ€ข Work tasks & business projects โ€” proposals, reports, client deliverables Core Features โ€ข Step-by-Step Documentation Break your project into clear, ordered steps. Attach photos, videos, and handwritten notes (with Apple Pencil support) to each step, so the entire process is captured in full detail. โ€ข Bill of Materials (BOM) Record every material, component, or resource you need โ€” with name, quantity, specification, and notes โ€” so procurement and preparation are always organised. โ€ข Project Status Tracking Tag each project as Idea, In Progress, Paused, or Completed. Filter and sort your project list to stay on top of what matters most. โ€ข Reflection & Review After completing a project, capture what worked, what was challenging, and what you'd do differently next time. Turn every experience into a lesson for the future. โ€ข Export as a Web Page Export any project as a fully self-contained HTML page, bundled with all attachments into a single ZIP file โ€” ready to share with teammates, clients, or archive for future reference. How to Use 1. Create a project โ€” Enter a title, description, choose a category (Project / Idea / Note) and set a status. 2. Add your materials โ€” List every material or resource with quantity and specifications. 3. Document each step โ€” Add steps with text descriptions, photos, videos, or Apple Pencil handwriting. 4. Write your reflection โ€” Record what you learned, what was hard, and how to improve next time. 5. Export and share โ€” Export the full project as a ZIP web archive to share or back up.

Screenshots

SteelNote4 screens
Project Notebook +4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Project Notebook + at none against SteelNote's 3. SteelNote's advantage is update cadence (every 4 days vs every 5 weeks). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

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

CostPrice ยท In-app purchases ยท Ads ยท Monetization

Both are free to download. SteelNote sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $24.99 per year. Project Notebook + asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

SteelNote ships an update every 4 days, Project Notebook + every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 10, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences ยท 6 level
SteelNote versus Project Notebook +: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSteelNoteProject Notebook +
PriceFreeFree
Positive reviews100.0% of reviewsโ€”
Update frequencyEvery 4 days โ€” betterEvery 5 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo โ€” better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesโ€”
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Mac โ€” betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS17.6 โ€” better18
Further details โ€” not scored
Size16 MB8 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperClaude BezeaudYan Kin LEUNG

In-app purchases

3 purchases

SteelNote

Subscriptions1
  • Annual14 Days trial$24.991 Year
One-time2
  • Founder$44.99
  • Lifetime$79.99
None

Project Notebook +

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is SteelNote free?
SteelNote is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Project Notebook + free?
Project Notebook + is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do SteelNote or Project Notebook + have ads?
Neither SteelNote nor Project Notebook + shows ads.
Which is updated more often, SteelNote or Project Notebook +?
SteelNote ships an update every 4 days, and Project Notebook + every 5 weeks. Most recently, SteelNote was updated on September 10, 2026 and Project Notebook + on September 23, 2026.

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