# Steno paper vs Note X

The clearest difference is rating: Note X at 4.6 against Steno paper's 2.0. Note X also leads on ratings volume (23 vs 1). Steno paper's advantage is update cadence (every 2 months vs every 10 months). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Steno paper sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Note X sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Note X holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 2.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Note X has 23 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Steno paper ships an update every 2 months, Note X every 10 months. The most recent releases landed on September 9, 2026 and July 5, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Steno paper | Note X |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [2.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/steno-paper/id862259248/reviews) | **[4.6 (23 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/note-x-notepad/id1673667097/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 1 | **23** |
| Positive reviews | 0.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 months** | Every 10 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 8 MB | 30 MB |
| Requires iOS | 14.1 | **14.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [丽娜 夏](https://appshunter.io/developer/1084968330) | [受杰 柯](https://appshunter.io/developer/1634142370) |

## What reviewers say

### Steno paper

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/steno-paper/id862259248)

This app provides a digital notebook for quick and easy handwriting notes. It offers various color pencils, an eraser, and options to create, open, save, and clear your notes.

**Highlights:** Handwriting notes, Color pencils, Eraser tool, New note creation, Save and open notes, Clear notes

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| You will pay to remove ads. | $0.99 | one-time |


### Note X

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/note-x-notepad/id1673667097)

A versatile note-taking app for digital and handwritten notes, memos, and drafts. Organize study materials with built-in notebooks, insert images, and customize writing styles. Secure your notes with password protection.

**Highlights:** Keyboard and handwriting input, Built-in notebooks for organization, Insert pictures into notes, Customizable paper and font colors, Password protection and encryption, Share notes as images

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Plus Version | $1.99 | per month |
| Plus Version Quarterly | $3.99 | per 3 months |
| Pro Version | $6.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Steno paper free?

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

### Is Note X free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Steno paper or Note X?

Note X is rated higher. Steno paper averages 2.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while Note X averages 4.6 from 23 ratings.

### Do Steno paper or Note X have ads?

Both Steno paper and Note X show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Steno paper or Note X?

Steno paper ships an update every 2 months, and Note X every 10 months. Most recently, Steno paper was updated on September 9, 2026 and Note X on July 5, 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.*