# Notepad vs Pencil Box

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Notepad at 84% against Pencil Box's 0%. Notepad also leads on ratings volume (29K vs 1). Pencil Box's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 7) and ads (none vs shown). On price, update cadence and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Notepad sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Pencil Box asks for nothing beyond the download.

Pencil Box holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Notepad has 29K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 84% of Notepad's written reviews are positive against 0% of Pencil Box's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Notepad ships an update every 8 days, Pencil Box fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and October 4, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Notepad | Pencil Box |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (29K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notepad-easy-notes-and-memos/id725368535/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pencil-box/id790309003/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **29K** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | **84.3% of reviews** | 0.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 8 days** | Fortnightly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 74 MB | 15 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **10.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [1381802 Ontario Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/318613521) | [Fays Lane Labs](https://appshunter.io/developer/430181334) |

## What reviewers say

### Notepad

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notepad-easy-notes-and-memos/id725368535)

Capture thoughts, create to-do lists, and organize ideas with a versatile digital notebook. Supports handwriting, text notes, and secure cloud syncing. Personalize your experience with custom themes and icons.

**Highlights:** Create to-do lists with checkboxes, Unlimited text notes, Handwritten notes with Apple Pencil, Organize notes into folders, Pin and sort notes, iCloud backup and sync, Advanced search functionality

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

**In-app purchases (7)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Premium Membership | $1.99 | per month |
| Monthly Premium Subscription | $2.99 | per month |
| Yearly Premium Subscription | $14.99 | per year |
| Yearly Premium Subscription | $19.99 | per year |
| Lifetime Premium Membership | $19.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime Premium Membership | $29.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime Premium Membership | $49.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Simple and easy to use
- 📝 Useful for notes, lists, and reminders
- 🎨 Customizable font and color options
- 💾 Reliable for storing important information
- 🔍 Helpful search functionality

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Premium subscription required to remove ads
- 🐛 Occasional data loss or note disappearance
- 📤 Lack of sharing or exporting options
- 🔒 No password protection for individual notes

**Reported bugs**

- Notes randomly disappearing
- Ads covering up the note-taking area

**Requested features**

- Add drawing/highlighting tools
- Integrate with calendar and contacts
- Ability to sort and organize notes
- Option to password protect specific notes


### Pencil Box

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pencil-box/id790309003)

Unleash your creativity with a versatile drawing tool. Select from various brushes, pens, and shapes, customize their properties, and utilize layers for complex designs. Import and export your artwork seamlessly.

**Highlights:** Multiple drawing tools (airbrush, pen, pencil, line, shapes), Adjustable tool color, size, and transparency, Layer support with transparency and visibility control, Import drawings from Mail and iTunes, Export drawings via iTunes, Sync tool preferences with iCloud

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Notepad free?

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

### Is Pencil Box free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Notepad or Pencil Box?

Pencil Box is rated higher. Notepad averages 4.8 out of 5 from 29K ratings, while Pencil Box averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Notepad or Pencil Box have ads?

Notepad shows ads; Pencil Box does not.

### Which is updated more often, Notepad or Pencil Box?

Notepad ships an update every 8 days, and Pencil Box fortnightly. Most recently, Notepad was updated on October 16, 2026 and Pencil Box on October 4, 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.*