# Annotate vs Papyrus

The clearest difference is rating: Papyrus at 5.0 against Annotate's 4.7. Annotate's advantage is ratings volume (7 vs 2). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Annotate sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Papyrus sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Papyrus holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 7 and 2 respectively.

Annotate ships an update every 4 days, Papyrus weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 5, 2026 and October 12, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Annotate | Papyrus |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (7 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/annotate-screenshot-markup/id6766071404/reviews) | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/papyrus-research-library/id6766133716/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **7** | 2 |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 4 days** | Weekly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 44 MB | 25 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.2 | **17.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, Mac** |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Timo Josten](https://appshunter.io/developer/521476774) | [Zhenda Fu](https://appshunter.io/developer/1896207907) |

## What reviewers say

### Annotate

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/annotate-screenshot-markup/id6766071404)

Quickly enhance screenshots and images with a variety of tools for adding text, shapes, and effects. Features include auto-redaction for sensitive information and animated GIF support. Create polished visuals with layers, templates, and custom styles.

**Highlights:** 17 annotation tools, Animated GIF support, Auto-Redact sensitive info, Customizable styles and layers, Templates for quick reuse, Apple Pencil support, Shortcuts integration

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Full Version | $8.99 | one-time |


### Papyrus

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/papyrus-research-library/id6766133716)

Organize, annotate, and cite research papers within a native Apple ecosystem. This workspace allows you to import PDFs and citation records, take notes, and manage your reading collections as structured projects. It offers local-first storage with optional cloud sync and various export formats.

**Highlights:** Read and annotate PDFs, Organize citation records, Take Markdown notes, Search entire library, Create structured projects, Local-first storage, Optional iCloud/WebDAV sync

**Features:** Safari Extension, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Papyrus Lifetime Unlock | $3.99 | one-time |
| Papyrus Lifetime Unlock | $5.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Annotate free?

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

### Is Papyrus free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Annotate or Papyrus?

Papyrus is rated higher. Annotate averages 4.7 out of 5 from 7 ratings, while Papyrus averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do Annotate or Papyrus have ads?

Neither Annotate nor Papyrus shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Annotate or Papyrus?

Annotate ships an update every 4 days, and Papyrus weekly. Most recently, Annotate was updated on October 5, 2026 and Papyrus on October 12, 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.*