Comparison

PDF Notes Pro vs X

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

Head to head
About

PDF Notes Pro

Transform your iOS device into a digital notebook for annotating and managing PDF documents. Easily add handwritten notes, highlights, and drawings directly onto PDFs, and organize your files with a built-in management system. Share, print, and search your documents and notes with ease.

Highlights
  • Handwritten notes with audio recording
  • PDF annotation (highlight, underline, strikeout)
  • Freehand drawing and signing
  • Full-text search within PDFs and notes
  • Built-in file management
  • PDF sharing and printing
Features
Read full description

PdfNotes Pro is a notes-taking iOS universal app which provides the capability to make notes on PDF documents. It gives you the ability to take notes by handwriting and make your iOS device a magic notebook. It also enable you to read, annotate, print, manage, and share your notes and PDF files. Using PDF Notes Pro, it is simple to take notes and browse notes, sign a PDF document, annotate PDF documents, add bookmarks, highlight text, search text over all the pages, draw anything with a touch pen or just your finger. PdfNotes Pro has a simple but powerful built-in file management system, so it is very easy to import notes and PDF files into PDF Notes Pro or export them from PDF Notes Pro. Features: 1. Take handwriting notes 1) You can take handwriting notes directly on your iOS device with finger or stylus. 2) You can record audio while you are taking notes by handwriting. 3) The audio recorded is stored together with your handwriting notes so you can review your notes later against the audio. 4) You can zoom in to make more room for your handwriting. 5) You can erase any handwriting notes with the Eraser tool. 6) You can change color or line width of your handwriting. 7) Paper-like smooth and comfortable experience and process of notes-taking. 8) You can add handwriting notes into a PDF document. 9) You can access handwriting notes directly from a PDF document. 10) You can print handwriting notes onto paper via AirPlay-compatible printers. 11) You can turn handwriting notes into a PDF document. 12) Free style drawing 2. Annotate PDF documents 1) Write down notes on your PDF documents and browse them later. 2) Highlight text with different colors, and link text notes with it. 3) Underline text with different colors, and link text notes with it. 4) Squiggly text with different colors, and link text notes with it. 5) Strikeout text with different colors, and link text notes with it. 6) Add sticky notes. 7) Draw anything with a touch pen or just your finger, and link text notes with it. 8) Sign PDF documents. 9) Add bookmarks to remember the important pages. 10) Powerful full text search for your notes on the PDF document. 3. Read PDF Documents 1) Browse a PDF Document using its outlines and bookmarks. 2) Browse a PDF Document using its links. 3) Powerful but simple to use full text search helps you find any text in your PDF document quickly and easily. 4) Browse a PDF Document using the notes you have taken. 5) Open password-protected PDF documents with a valid password. 6) Browse a PDF Document using thumbnail view. 4. PDF document sharing 1) Open PDF files directly from your email. 2) Send out PDF documents by email. 3) Print PDF document with your notes via AirPrint. 4) Print PDF document without your notes via AirPrint. 5) Open PDF files directly from any other apps which provide the ability to open a PDF file in another app. 6) Provide the ability to open a PDF file in another app. 7) Download from Dropbox or upload into Dropbox. 8) Download from GoogleDrive or upload into GoogleDrive. 9) Download from Sky Drive or upload into Sky Drive. 10) Download from Box or upload into Box. 11) Send and receive PDF files via AirDrop from iOS Device nearby made in 2013 or later. 5. File Management 1) Create folder or delete folder. 2) Copy, move, and delete a PDF or notes file. 3) Rename a folder. 4) Rename a notes or PDF file. 5) Display number of files in a folder. 6) Display file size and last modified date for a file. 7) Display statistics of a notes or PDF document, such as last open time, current page, etc. 8) Provide unlimited depth for folders(you can create subfolder of unlimited sub level).

About

X

This AI-powered note-taking app helps students organize and access study materials across devices. It converts handwriting, speech, and images to text, and allows for lecture recording. Notes are kept private and secure within the Apple ecosystem.

Highlights
  • Handwriting to Text conversion
  • Speech to Text for lectures
  • Image to Text (OCR)
  • Voice notes for lectures
  • iPad & Mac sync via iCloud
  • Private and secure note-taking
Read full description

X-Notes: The Ultimate Study Companion for iPad & Mac Take your studies to the next level with X-Notes—your AI-powered note-taking app designed for students! Whether you're in class, reviewing lectures, or preparing for exams, X-Notes helps you organize and access your notes effortlessly across iPad and MacBook. Why Students Love X-Notes? Handwriting to Text – Convert handwritten notes into digital text instantly.
 Speech to Text (NEW!) – Turn lectures and voice notes into text automatically.
 Image to Text (OCR) – Extract text from books, handouts, and whiteboards.
 Voice Notes for Lectures – Record classes and review them later.
 Seamless iPad & Mac Sync – Access all notes anytime with iCloud.
 Private & Secure – No accounts, no tracking—just your notes in your Apple ecosystem. Perfect for: Students taking class notes.
 Researchers and learners organizing study materials.
 Anyone who wants AI-powered note-taking with handwriting, voice, and image conversion. Download X-Notes today and simplify your student life!

Screenshots

PDF Notes Pro4 screens
X4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: X at 100% against PDF Notes Pro's 17%. X also leads on price (Free vs $4.99) and rating (5.0 vs 1.7). PDF Notes Pro's advantage is ratings volume (6 vs 2) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.6). On update cadence, ads, in-app purchases 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

X is free to download; PDF Notes Pro costs $4.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

X holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 1.7. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 6 and 2 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 17% of PDF Notes Pro's written reviews are positive against 100% of X's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

PDF Notes Pro ships an update every 3 weeks, X monthly. The most recent releases landed on September 17, 2026 and July 8, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
PDF Notes Pro versus X: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPDF Notes ProX
Price$4.99Free — better
Rating1.7 (6 ratings)5.0 (2 ratings) — better
Positive reviews16.7% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings6 — better2
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeks — betterMonthly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — better
Requires iOS13.0 — better15.6
Further details — not scored
Size40 MB84 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperUMateYVanAnh Nguyen

Customer experience

PDF Notes Pro

All ratings6 ratings
Positive16.7%
Neutral0.0%
Negative83.3%
Written reviews6 reviews
Positive16.7%
Neutral0.0%
Negative83.3%

X

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

PDF Notes Pro

No in-app purchases

None

X

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is PDF Notes Pro free?
PDF Notes Pro costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is X free?
X is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, PDF Notes Pro or X?
X is rated higher. PDF Notes Pro averages 1.7 out of 5 from 6 ratings, while X averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.
Do PDF Notes Pro or X have ads?
Neither PDF Notes Pro nor X shows ads.
Which is updated more often, PDF Notes Pro or X?
PDF Notes Pro ships an update every 3 weeks, and X monthly. Most recently, PDF Notes Pro was updated on September 17, 2026 and X on July 8, 2026.

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