Comparison

Papyrus vs Recall

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

Head to head
About

Papyrus

Features
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Is your current note app slow? Meet a truly lightweight note app. - It's free — with no stingy limit on the number of notes. - Trimmed of every bit of bloat, yet complete with the features you actually need. - Open as many notes as you like with no slowdown, and PDFs load blazingly fast. - Import and edit notes from another popular note app. - Import by the folder — the hierarchy is preserved. [GoodNotes Import] Import .goodnotes files. Strokes, images, shapes, and masks are reproduced almost perfectly. [Handwriting] A custom vector drawing engine delivers extremely lightweight, high-precision ink. Five tools are built in: Pen, Highlighter, Eraser, Lasso, and Mask. Anything selected with the Lasso can be copied, moved, deleted, or duplicated. Mask is a study aid — cover what you want to memorize with the pen, then tap to peek underneath. Straight-line snapping and shape recognition (rectangles, circles, lines, and more) are also supported. [PDF Import & Annotation] Import a PDF and write directly on its pages. Switch between four page layouts: continuous scroll, single page, horizontal, and two-page spread. [File Organization] Organize your notes with a Finder-like file browser, creating folders freely. Switch between list and grid views, and move files and folders by drag and drop. A Trash lets you restore notes you deleted by mistake. [Tabs & Split View (iPad)] Open multiple notes at once in tabs. On iPad, split the screen to view and edit two notes side by side (Split View). [Page Sidebar] Swipe in from the left edge to reveal page thumbnails. Press and hold a thumbnail to reorder pages, and select multiple pages to delete, copy, and paste. [Images] Paste images from Photos, Files, or the clipboard. [Export] Export notes and PDFs as a "PDF for submission/printing," a "fast annotation PDF" (PDF annotations only), or a "Papyrus Archive" (.papyrus). [Apple Pencil] - iPad: draw with Apple Pencil only; pan and zoom with your finger. - iPhone: draw with your finger while the compact ink palette is open; otherwise pan and zoom. - With Apple Pencil Pro, use the squeeze gesture to bring up the hover palette. About Papyrus Sync (Subscription) iCloud sync and sharing are available through the "Papyrus Sync" subscription (monthly or yearly, auto-renewing). All core features — note-taking, PDF annotation, and more — are completely free. - Payment will be charged to your Apple Account at confirmation of purchase. - The subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. - Your account will be charged for renewal within 24 hours prior to the end of the current period. - You can manage your subscription or turn off auto-renewal in your Apple Account settings after purchase. - Prices are shown in the app and may vary by region. Terms of Use (EULA): https://coremedica.jp/pages/legal/terms-of-use Privacy Policy: https://coremedica.jp/pages/legal/privacy-policy

About

Recall

This app helps you learn and retain information using spaced repetition flashcards. It supports offline study, private cloud syncing, and importing from other popular flashcard formats.

Highlights
  • FSRS spaced repetition algorithm
  • Offline study support
  • Private CloudKit sync
  • Native Anki import
  • Selective deck syncing
  • Local-first architecture
Features
Read full description

A flashcard app using the FSRS algorithm. Features offline support, private CloudKit sync, and native Anki imports. App Store Description Recall is a local-first (on Mac) spaced repetition flashcard app built for privacy, and efficiency. It uses a custom SQLite backend and the Free Spaced Repetition Scheduler (FSRS) to manage your reviews. Core Features: Anki Import: Natively imports Anki .apkg files. Preserves your existing media, cloze deletions, and Image Occlusion masks. (When exporting your Anki file check - Support older Anki versions; otherwise it will not import to Recall). Local-First Architecture: The app runs entirely from a local database. It does not require an active internet connection to study, search, or edit cards. Advanced Scheduling: Uses the FSRS algorithm to calculate review intervals, minimizing daily workload while maintaining retention. Private CloudKit Sync: Syncs via your personal iCloud account using Advanced Data Protection. Your data and media are encrypted before leaving your device. Selective Sync: Choose which decks sync to iCloud and which stay local, saving storage space on your iPhone for large, media-heavy decks. Standalone Mode: Can be used completely offline with sync permanently disabled.

Screenshots

Papyrus4 screens
Recall4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Recall at none against Papyrus's 2. Recall also leads on iOS requirement (18.0 vs 26.0). Papyrus's advantage is update cadence (every 4 days vs every 2 weeks). On price, ads and device support 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. Papyrus sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Recall asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Papyrus ships an update every 4 days, Recall every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and October 9, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Papyrus versus Recall: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPapyrusRecall
PriceFreeFree
Rating—5.0 (2 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings—2 — better
Update frequencyEvery 4 days — betterEvery 2 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
Monetization—Free
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, Mac — better
Requires iOS26.018.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size11 MB18 MB
Age rating4+4+
Developerwaraku kobayashiKedarnath Malapati

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Papyrus

Subscriptions2
  • Papyrus Sync Monthly$0.991 Month
  • Papyrus Sync Yearly$9.991 Year
None

Recall

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Papyrus free?
Papyrus is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Recall free?
Recall is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Papyrus or Recall have ads?
Neither Papyrus nor Recall shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Papyrus or Recall?
Papyrus ships an update every 4 days, and Recall every 2 weeks. Most recently, Papyrus was updated on October 13, 2026 and Recall on October 9, 2026.

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