# SteelNote vs PaperNotes

The clearest difference is iOS requirement: SteelNote at 17.6 against PaperNotes's 26.2. On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. SteelNote sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $24.99 per year and PaperNotes sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

SteelNote ships an update every 4 days, PaperNotes every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 11, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | SteelNote | PaperNotes |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 4 days | **Every 3 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 17 MB | 22 MB |
| Requires iOS | **17.6** | 26.2 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Mac** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Claude Bezeaud](https://appshunter.io/developer/500254221) | [Mark Mueller](https://appshunter.io/developer/1866961801) |

## What reviewers say

### SteelNote

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/steelnote-markdown-notes/id6765892871)

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Annual | $24.99 | per year |
| Founder | $44.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime | $79.99 | one-time |


### PaperNotes

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/papernotes-notebook-and-ocr/id6818145729)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| PaperNotes Pro Monthly | $0.99 | per month |
| PaperNotes Lifetime | $4.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SteelNote free?

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

### Is PaperNotes free?

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

### Do SteelNote or PaperNotes have ads?

Neither SteelNote nor PaperNotes shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, SteelNote or PaperNotes?

SteelNote ships an update every 4 days, and PaperNotes every 3 days. Most recently, SteelNote was updated on October 14, 2026 and PaperNotes on October 11, 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.*