# OpenNotes vs ScribblePad

The clearest difference is rating: ScribblePad at 5.0 against OpenNotes's 4.3. OpenNotes's advantage is ratings volume (16 vs 2) and iOS requirement (15.1 vs 17.0). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ScribblePad holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: OpenNotes has 16 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on September 6, 2026 and September 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | OpenNotes | ScribblePad |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.3 (16 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/opennotes-notes-and-pdf-markup/id6771224004/reviews) | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/scribblepad-notes-and-pdf/id6778096521/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **16** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 33.3% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 4 days | Every 4 days |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 43 MB | 5 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.1** | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, Mac |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Mark Miller](https://appshunter.io/developer/1836539324) | [Sagar Seth](https://appshunter.io/developer/6778096523) |

## What reviewers say

### OpenNotes

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

Create handwritten notes, import and annotate PDFs, and organize your thoughts with folders. This free, open-source app prioritizes privacy by keeping all your data local and on your device.

**Highlights:** Handwritten notes with Apple Pencil, PDF import and annotation, Folder-based organization, Add images and text, Local-first data storage, Export and share notes

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### 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 OpenNotes free?

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

### Is ScribblePad free?

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

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

ScribblePad is rated higher. OpenNotes averages 4.3 out of 5 from 16 ratings, while ScribblePad averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do OpenNotes or ScribblePad have ads?

Neither OpenNotes nor ScribblePad shows ads.

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

OpenNotes ships an update every 4 days, and ScribblePad every 4 days. Most recently, OpenNotes was updated on September 6, 2026 and ScribblePad on September 7, 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.*