# pdf vs Greatnotes5 AI Note Taking app

The clearest difference is rating: Greatnotes5 AI Note Taking app at 4.6 against pdf's 4.0. Greatnotes5 AI Note Taking app also leads on ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 4 days vs every 5 weeks). pdf's advantage is iOS requirement (16.0 vs 18.0). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. pdf sells 3 one-off in-app purchases and Greatnotes5 AI Note Taking app sells 9 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Greatnotes5 AI Note Taking app holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Greatnotes5 AI Note Taking app has 1.4K ratings behind it against 17, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 49% of pdf's written reviews are positive against 66% of Greatnotes5 AI Note Taking app's.

pdf ships an update every 5 weeks, Greatnotes5 AI Note Taking app every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 4, 2026 and October 12, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | pdf | Greatnotes5 AI Note Taking app |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.0 (17 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-notes-for-iphone/id694946243/reviews) | **[4.6 (1.4K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/greatnotes5-ai-note-taking-app/id1591954297/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 17 | **1.4K** |
| Positive reviews | 48.6% of reviews | **66.1% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks | **Every 4 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 109 MB | 71 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.0** | 18.0 |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPad** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [AMuseTec Co., Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/342152781) | [Kanza Ahmad](https://appshunter.io/developer/1667956463) |

## What reviewers say

### pdf

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-notes-for-iphone/id694946243)

This app allows you to read and annotate PDF files on your iPhone with fast page turning and convenient finger-writing tools. Easily import PDFs and share your notes via email or cloud services.

**Highlights:** Fast PDF display and page turning, Finger-writing and annotation tools, Import PDFs via Dropbox, Email, iTunes, Categorized bookshelves with search, Export annotated PDFs, Password-protected bookshelves

**Features:** Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 2-Month Pass | $0.99 | one-time |
| 1-Year Path | $2.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime License | $4.99 | one-time |


### Greatnotes5 AI Note Taking app

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/greatnotes5-ai-note-taking-app/id1591954297)

Record, transcribe, and organize lectures, meetings, and ideas with AI-powered summaries, instant answers, and quick actions. Export notes as polished PDFs for easy sharing and collaboration.

**Highlights:** Automatic transcription with time-stamps, AI-generated summaries and key takeaways, Ask AI questions about your notes, Quick AI actions: translate, proofread, expand, Export notes as PDF, Record lectures and meetings

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

**In-app purchases (9)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| GreatNotes Weekly Premium | $3.99 | per 7 days |
| GreatNotes 40% Off | $4.99 | per month |
| Monthly | $6.99 | per month |
| Monthly | $9.99 | per month |
| Yearly | $29.99 | per year |
| GreatNotes Yearly Offer | $39.99 | per year |
| GreatNotes Yearly Premium | $59.99 | per year |
| Lifetime | $39.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime | $239.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is pdf free?

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

### Is Greatnotes5 AI Note Taking app free?

Greatnotes5 AI Note Taking app is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, pdf or Greatnotes5 AI Note Taking app?

Greatnotes5 AI Note Taking app is rated higher. pdf averages 4.0 out of 5 from 17 ratings, while Greatnotes5 AI Note Taking app averages 4.6 from 1.4K ratings.

### Do pdf or Greatnotes5 AI Note Taking app have ads?

pdf shows ads; Greatnotes5 AI Note Taking app does not.

### Which is updated more often, pdf or Greatnotes5 AI Note Taking app?

pdf ships an update every 5 weeks, and Greatnotes5 AI Note Taking app every 4 days. Most recently, pdf was updated on October 4, 2026 and Greatnotes5 AI Note Taking app 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.*