Comparison

University Notes vs BetterGrades

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

Head to head
About

University Notes

This app allows students to create handwritten and typed study notes with advanced features for memorization and review. It includes tools for highlighting, masking, and layering content to aid in learning and exam preparation.

Highlights
  • Handwritten and typed notes
  • Memorization tools (masking, highlighting)
  • Layered questions and answers
  • PDF annotation
  • Note organization with folders
  • Drawing and diagram tools
Features
Read full description

Handwritten notes for studying, active recall, and exam prep Turn the notes you already take into study material you can actually use. Write by hand or type, organize class and lecture notes, annotate PDFs, build study guides, hide key information, and test yourself before quizzes, midterms, finals, entrance exams, and professional certification exams. Use your own notes for active recall, review, and exam preparation instead of simply storing information. □ 4 ways to study with your own notes 1. Memorize key information with colors Write important words, definitions, formulas, dates, or vocabulary in orange, blue, or other colors using handwriting or keyboard text. Place the Memorization Sheet over your notes to hide the answers. Try to recall the information first, then reveal it to check yourself. Long-press the icon to change the sheet color. 2. Hide highlighted sections for active recall Highlight important sentences, diagrams, anatomy charts, or sections of PDF textbooks and lecture materials. In Memorization Mode, choose which highlighter colors are hidden. For example, use yellow for regular emphasis and red for material you want to memorize. 3. Keep questions and answers on separate layers Write questions, answers, and explanations on different layers. Hide the answer layer, test yourself, rewrite your response, and practice the same digital worksheet again. 4. Cover answers with digital tape Use the Tape tool in Memorization Mode to cover definitions, formulas, vocabulary, answers, or sections of PDFs without changing your original note colors. Tap a tape strip to reveal just that answer, or use the Memorization Sheet to cover several areas at once. □ Review faster with the floating Memorization Sheet Instead of revealing highlighted areas one by one, drag the floating Memorization Sheet over your notes. Only the area beneath the sheet is hidden, making it useful for tables, lecture PDFs, study guides, vocabulary lists, diagrams, and exam materials. □ Practical note-taking tools ・Handwriting and keyboard input ・Multiple pens and highlighters ・Tabs for switching between notebooks ・Ruler, compass, and shapes ・Stickers, sticky notes, and comments ・Detailed eraser settings, including deleting only highlighter marks ・Categories, folders, and subfolders ・Chapters for separating lessons or topics □ Write directly on PDFs Annotate PDFs with handwriting or keyboard text. If a PDF does not leave enough room for notes, extend the right side of the page to create extra space for annotations, solutions, explanations, or review notes. □ Use handwriting and typing together Write by hand or select where you want to type and enter text directly without creating a text box first. □ Keep your notes organized Sort notes with categories, folders, and subfolders, and add chapters inside a notebook to separate lessons, topics, or units. □ Notebook templates Choose from built-in templates including blank paper, ruled paper, grid paper, and handwritten To-Do pages. You can also reuse layouts you create for study sheets, daily reports, professional logs, or exam review pages. □ Recommended for ・High school students taking notes and preparing for tests ・College students organizing class notes, lecture materials, and study guides ・Students working with PDF textbooks and course materials ・Medical, nursing, and pharmacy students ・Students preparing for entrance exams or professional certification exams ・Anyone who wants handwriting, typing, PDF annotation, and memorization tools in one digital notebook Write it down, hide what you want to remember, recall it from memory, and check your answer. Use the notes you already created for active recall, review, and exam preparation.

About

BetterGrades

Features
Read full description

Prepare for exams with practice built from your course material. BetterGrades helps university students turn lecture notes, readings, and past exams into focused study tools. It then shows which concepts to review next. • Exam Readiness: see which concepts you have practised and where to focus next. • Quizzes: test yourself on topics from your course material. • Flashcards: review key concepts from your lectures and readings. • Study Coach: ask questions about your course material and get course-grounded explanations. • Weak-topic practice: turn missed questions into a clear next step. • Study momentum: use streaks, quests, and optional challenges to keep moving. How it works: Add a lecture, reading, or past exam. Practise with a quiz or flashcards. Review weak concepts and choose your next topic. BetterGrades supports your study routine. It does not predict an official course grade. AI-generated content may contain mistakes, so check important information against your source material. New accounts start on the Free plan. Free includes five study builds and 10 Study Coach answers each month. There is no free trial. Premium removes those monthly limits through an auto-renewing subscription. Monthly and annual plans are shown with localised Apple pricing before purchase. Existing study tools and review activity remain available after cancellation. Terms of use https://bettergrades.app/terms/ Privacy policy: https://bettergrades.app/privacy/

Screenshots

University Notes4 screens
BetterGrades4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: University Notes at none against BetterGrades's 2. University Notes also leads on update cadence (every 3 days vs every 2 weeks). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. BetterGrades sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. University Notes asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

University Notes ships an update every 3 days, BetterGrades every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 14, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
University Notes versus BetterGrades: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterUniversity NotesBetterGrades
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (25 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews82.6% of reviews—
Number of ratings25 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 3 days — betterEvery 2 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — betteriPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.615.1 — better
Further details — not scored
Size178 MB34 MB
Age rating17+12+
DeveloperFoodmenu.world Inc.SOFTDECK PTY LTD

In-app purchases

None

University Notes

No in-app purchases

2 purchases

BetterGrades

Subscriptions2
  • Premium$4.991 Month
  • Annually$49.991 Year

Questions

Is University Notes free?
University Notes is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is BetterGrades free?
BetterGrades is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do University Notes or BetterGrades have ads?
Neither University Notes nor BetterGrades shows ads.
Which is updated more often, University Notes or BetterGrades?
University Notes ships an update every 3 days, and BetterGrades every 2 weeks. Most recently, University Notes was updated on October 29, 2026 and BetterGrades on October 14, 2026.

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